Through Expat's Eyes

I wouldn’t dare to say that it doesn’t rain in the Czech Republic, far from it, but it may come as a surprise to British visitors to learn that it’s possible to enjoy a musical experience at a weekend festival without investing in a pair of Wellington boots! In fact, if you choose your festival carefully, you can avoid contact with mud altogether.

Well .. I was supposed to finish High School in 2008, when I just decided to do an Exchange Program with the Rotary Club. I took the necessary tests and was chosen to go to Czech Republic. In the beginning I was afraid of going to a foreign country at only 17 years old. But I did it! I lived in Jindřichův Hradec for one year and, actually, it was one of the best years in my life. Living the Czech life, going to High School every day, eating dumplings, learning how to speak Czech and making a lot of friends made me fall in love with this country. The experience I had made me grow up but, unfortunately, I went back to Brasil in 2009, when the Exchange Program ended.

As a foreigner I’m willing to accept almost anything Prague has to offer, however, if I could offer one tip for the future, banning smoking indoors it would be. The long-term health costs of smoking and second hand-smoke inhalation have long been proven by scientists, whereas the rest of what I’ve written is only my personal opinion.

As an American expat and teacher embarking upon my second year in Prague, I’ve been reflecting on some of the experiences and lessons I’ve learned in my time in this fascinating, exciting city.

My life in Prague started when through my university I participated in Erasmus Program. At first I was afraid because my level of English at that moment wasn't good like almost all Spanish people. But fortunately I have improved.

I was waiting with big excitement to move to the historical city of Prague. But hearing so much about it and visiting a couple of times isn’t the same thing as actually living here. But it feels like home after only one month, thanks to the people and the amazing adventures.

I would like to take you back, back to  August  1989 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, I arrived in that month to carry out an electrical refurbishment  contract in the British Embassy in Prague.

‘Do I really count as an expat?’ I ask myself sometimes. We – and by we I mean our nations – used to share emperors, presidents, our people used to fight besides or against each other. Not that I had any reasonable memory about those times, of course not, but you know, historians ‘say so’...

Most visitors to Prague will do the usual tourist “thing”. This includes a visit to Prague Castle, Old Town, Winsislaus Square and so on. A little more time or another day could allow a leisurely walk along the Vltava, lunch at the café near Charles Bridge where one can watch fishermen and local folks enjoy virtually every kind of water sport from kayaking, sailing etc.