Everybody had told me It’s a beautiful city, you’ll love it. And yes, on my first days in Prague I was enchanted by the buildings and the architecture. Prague looked like a fairy tale.
The time had arrived for me to find a place to live. I was contacted by a British and two American girls. A few days later, I was moving in with them, in a gorgeous flat in Vinohrady : wooden floors, high ceilings and a heart over the top of the front door, the kind of place I could never afford to have in Paris or in most European capitals.
The first months you spend in a foreign city are always really special. Even more when you don’t know the language. I really enjoyed these moments though, new habits and learning how things work, like how to go home in the midle of the night or what flour you can buy if you want to bake (the Czechs seem to use half a dozen different kinds of flour, it is really confusing!).
Great people, great beer !
I first thought that I liked Prague because of the people I had met here. People who turned out to be amazing friends. Everything in Prague seemed to be great and big, each person I could meet more interesting than the one before, each place I could go to more enchanting than all the others. Was I being over sensitive? Talking to some of my friends, I realized that I was not the only one feeling this way about Prague : a wonderful place where you live your life at 200%. A special ingredient in the Czech beer maybe?
Being an expat means learning how to say goodbye and as all my friends were leaving the country for new adventures, I started to be afraid that Prague would never be the same. But even if they were gone, Prague was still great and even better than ever as summer was coming, beer gardens opening and parks warming up. One night in Letna, looking at an amazing view of the Vltava and Narodni Divadlo, I felt like I was falling in love. Falling in love with Prague. And when I left for a short holiday, I was surprised to think on my way back I’m going home!
A new home
Home... this is what Prague seems to be. Better said a home, as it is not a city where I can see myself living for years. But it is a place where I feel good and I feel safe. Why is Prague such a special place ? Why do I love this city ? Because life here is simpler. Czech people seem to have decided to enjoy their lives. I love that the way you look is not so important. Being surrounded by fashion all day long at work, I find it really refreshing to forget about trends and style walking in the streets, even if sometimes people do look at me in a weird way when I wear a hat. They also do it in France anyway. I love that Prague always feels like a never ending holiday. As soon as I step out of my office, I forget about work and can feel relaxed. There is no stress in the Prague streets.
Yes, I love Prague. Because it is a magical place, because it would leave a permanent memory on anybody, because everything you experience is true and intense. Even when I’m worried, even when I’m sad, Prague will always find a way to cheer me up and make me smile, because I live in a wonderful city.
