In just a little over a month I’ll be hopping on a plane back to America, leaving behind everyone and everything I’ve grown so close to here in Prague. It’s been just a little past the semester halfway point, and already I feel as though I’ve found a second home here. I’ve been stockpiling a mental list of interesting things I’ve noticed or experienced throughout my stay, and I figure the best way to cover a lot of topics in a short post is by jotting these down! Hopefully this “Czechlist” can give you a window into Czech culture! So here goes — my list of all interesting things Czech.
- Potravinys (supermarkets) carry a variety of vegetables, cheeses, meats, and… beer. Beer is cheaper than water here, collegiettes!
- You can walk across the Charles Bridge on any given evening and find something exciting happening – a choir, a quartet, a man making music by rubbing glass rims. Last week I walked past a string quartet playing Britney Spears’s “Toxic.”
- There is a KFC around every corner, and it’s ALWAYS PACKED. Fast food is viewed very differently here. You might see families or friends going to KFC or McDonald’s for a “nice” meal in the middle of the workday.
- There are pups everywhere! The Czechs love their dogs (maybe why my cat umbrella has gotten me some strange looks). Dogs are also very well-trained. I don’t think I’ve heard a dog bark since I’ve been here. Although the dogs are trained well, maybe their owners aren’t so much. Watch out for dog poop!
- Mullets are still okay here – on children, on old guys, even on people running for elections.
- Most days, somewhere in Prague, there’s a random festival going on with small food and drink stands, or a nice farmer’s market where you can buy fresh produce.
- Beer is good. And much stronger than what is served in America. One glass here might be the equivalent of 2 or 3 back home. There are also so many different types. I used to believe beer was limited just to “light” or “dark,” or to me, “bearable” or “gross,” but I’ve since learned that it comes in many varieties – not just light, dark, wheat, semidark, spiced, strawberry, honey etc, but in many subtly different flavors.
- According to the Czechs, eating massive chunks of meat make you a stronger drinker. And a shot of Becherovka (local Czech vodka) calms the stomach. Allegedly.
- The café culture is quite different here. Getting coffee to “takeaway” is not very common, but sitting down with friends for a cappuccino in the late afternoon is. The European coffee culture in general has cultivated the beverage largely as a fourth meal – when you order, the barista tends to assume you will sit at a table, have your coffee served to you, and then will take time to enjoy it there.
- The Czech language is HARD to master. And, thankfully, the Czechs know that. Even if the woman at the local potraviny hears you attempting simple phrases (“hello,” “thank you,” “goodbye”) her appreciation is visible. The locals really appreciate the effort, since they really don’t expect it from visitors!
- Traveling from Prague is unbelievably easy. I could say that about a lot of cities, but since Prague is located at the intersection of Eastern and Western Europe, the possibilities are endless. Within a couple of hours you can be in any European city – it’s incredible. There are several cheap airlines, and then trains and buses are always an easy and inexpensive option.
Some of you may be reminiscing about your own experience abroad, or some may be trying to decide if studying abroad is right for you. If you do end up studying abroad, wherever that may be, be sure to take advantage of your city’s location and the ease of traveling!