Through Expat's Eyes (Portal of Prague)

Through Expat's Eyes

Prague, this beautiful place in the heart of Europe, is not just a city of native Praguers and Czechs. Possibly even you who read this article belong into the varied and colourful group of expatriots living in Czech’s capital city. Maybe you moved here for work, maybe you followed someone you love. Or have you just happened to visit the city and it cast such a strong spell on you that you just couldn’t leave?

Czechs are a curious nation by nature. They often wander what those expatriots think of their way of living, customs, what they like and what they would prefer to eliminate.

That is where our section, aptly named Through Expat’s Eyes, comes in. Each month, we will be asking one of you to share with us your impressions of life in Prague and Czech Republic in general. We strongly believe that the ‘look from the outside’ not only brings new and interesting information but it also benefits mutual understanding and improves tolerance because it can draw our attention to the issues we may have been overlooking or taken for granted.

We hope that our section will become a source of enjoyment for you.

Prague: the crossroad between east and west

I was waiting with big excitement to move to the historical city of Prague.

Rewind

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. Coming from Northern Ireland I had an image of Prague of Russian soldiers marching up and down the streets and people in fear of the communist regime.

Beer Snacks

Drinking in the Czech Republic isn’t just fun. It’s an art. They’ve perfected over centuries the proper consistency of beer, but more so, the proper food combinations to go with it. In America, we just have peanuts, chips, other things of no substance. Here, they have something completely different, which at first I must admit, set me aback. Such things I would never eat, much less think were edible.

A View from the Outside

As one of many ex-pats who have quietly and contentedly settled in that “outer-Prague” region of the Czech Republic known to its proud inhabitants as Moravia, I don’t have much contact with the Capital City.

Do I Count as Expat?

‘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’...

Prague Must Do’s

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.

My experience in Prague

When I first came to Prague to study I did not know exactly what to expect as I have never lived in other cities apart from my hometown Tbilisi, in Georgia.

Ups and Downs of Being a Foreigner

Being a foreigner living in a different country can be both exciting and very scary, as living in a foreign country for an extended period of time is completely different than throwing on your back pack, stopping at the hot tourist spots, packing up and leaving a few days later.

The Experience

The week before Christmas I went to the Foreign Police to collect my visa that was supposed to be ready by December 25. I didn't have much hope that it would be ready, but I thought I'd try because I had some free time.

Lost in Prague

We have all heard the common expat male theory: if you are lost in Prague, find a Czech girl between the ages of 19 and 25 and ask them for help.

Arts and Acceptance

Soon I will have been living in Prague for 4 years, but the city hasn’t stopped surprising me yet.

Job Hunting In Prague

Alan Moses; Age: 47; Nationality: British; Time in Prague: since October 2008

Different Walks of Life

Terry O'Connor; Nationality: Australian; Occupation: English Teacher; Living in Prague: Since December 2007

Mushroom Hunting

Zach Barnes, Age: 26, Place of birth: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, Current job: English teacher, Time in Prague: 5 years.

Why Prague?

Name: Emanuel Rivero, Nationality: Mexican, Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Current Job: Entrepreneur.

My dear friend

Here I am in Prague for 7 months already... I'm starting to feel like home, (it is about time), and I often amuse myself thinking about the clichés we had about this country.

The Spring of Prague

Pedro Gutiérrez Kardum; Place of birth: Peru, Lima; Age: 23; Background: Business Administration student at Universidad de Lima, blogger and social networks consultant.