Language Issues and Interaction with Czech People

The first word I have learned in Czech is dobry den, which is a formal way of saying hello. In Russian, which is my first language, it would be the same only you pronounce it softer: dobryj den’. So, I got really excited thinking that Czech and Russian languages are almost the same. Well, after the first class of Czech I was quite disappointed. It is true that Czech and Russian languages have something in common; some words are almost identical, some words sound similar but have different meanings, and there are even some similarities in grammar. However, overall these are two completely different languages with different alphabets. Therefore, when I hear Czech people’s conversations, I have no idea what they are talking about, even though I can catch some words. I still believe that being fluent in Russian language was definitely an advantage and, therefore, learning Czech was a little bit easier for me than for American students. 

I remember when we first arrived at Olomouc and started our new life here, everyone was shocked by the language barrier. If you never traveled outside of United States or if you visited only big cities full of tourists, you do not really know an awful and even embarrassing experience of having the language barrier. When you do not know the language of the country you live in everything becomes ten times harder for you, even some basic everyday routine such as a grocery shopping. You learn how to explain what you need with gestures and mimics and you have to start reading people’s faces in order to understand what they want from you. Unlike for most of my classmates, it was not a new experience for me. I moved to United States when I was fifteen and did not know any English at that time, so I had to go through all the difficulties and discomfort of not being able to understand anyone. Coming to Czech Republic reminded me of those times a little bit, only now as an experienced person I felt more comfortable and confident. I feel like everybody got used to language barrier by the end of our trip. It is something that scares you at first but after a while you adjust to it.

Another thing you need to adjust to in a foreign country are the local people because they would be different from the people you used to be surrounded at your home. Czech people tend to be more serious than Americans; they won’t smile or laugh without a reason. Everywhere we went to, like shops, restaurants, boutiques, we did not receive a great customer service or even a simple warm greeting. So, we thought maybe they do not like tourists, or Americans, or any other people in general. This is not true at all! After my last weekend trip to Karlovy Vary I completely changed my opinion about Czechs. In Karlovy Vary I stayed at the cute, little pension outside of town. The hosts of this pension were a married couple. They met me at the bus stop and took directly to the pension. The hostess was kind enough to make me some pancakes and brew a coffee; she even sat with me at the table and talked about the town and places that I should visit. Next morning, they took me to the famous glassmaking factory “Moser.” I was able to watch the entire process of making glass, and since their friend works at this factory I got a chance to blow a glass bobble. Then they dropped me off at the city center and explained how to get back to their pension. I have been traveling a lot lately but I have never experienced such a warm welcome and hospitality. I felt like I came back home after a long journey. Czechs are actually very friendly people once you get to know them. They are just not as open to strangers as Americans.        

The hostess of the pension with her daughter and me at the glass factory

 

From London back to Olomouc

From London back to Olomouc

Tower Bridge

Big Ben

Last three days of my Spring Break I spent in London, which was a good ending to my trip. London has officially become my favorite place in the whole world. At first I was a little nervous to go there by myself. I imagine London as a large, industrial city where it always rains and people are kind of grumpy and dull. On the other hand, I knew that London is a beautiful, cultural place with a rich history, so I decided not to think about its shortcomings, stop worrying so much and just go there and explore! I have to regrets; I loved everything about London, expect the weather, of course. I does rain almost every day in London, so do not forget your umbrella if you go there.

At the museum Victoria

Besides that everything else is perfect. Do not believe the stereotype that the British people are grumpy and they never smile. Entire time I have been there, everyone was really nice to me. People would come to me and offer their help every time I looked lost or confused. Since there is no language barrier it is easy to explain what you need and understand other people. In London you can never get bored. There are so many things to see: parks, museums, palaces, churches, theaters, cafes, and so on… Three days is not enough for London, in fact, even three weeks is not enough! I just immersed into the atmosphere of this magnificent place so well that going back to Olomouc was like a torture.

Buckingham Palace

Life in Olomouc

Comparing Olomouc to London is like comparing day with night. Olomouc is a small, peaceful town with a slow paced life. London is a complete opposite of that, it is more like New York or Moscow. Therefore, it is hard to relax in London, you are always on your feet going somewhere, doing something. Whereas Olomouc makes you feel lazy. It is a place where you can get comfortable like at home and just forget about all your problems and worries. Just like in Kearney, there is not much you can do in Olomouc, but it is a good place to go back to after a long lasting journey. Weather here is not very nice, I have to say, it was cold and rainy for the most part of our visit, except for the last week when the sun finally came out and everybody rushed to the park. Everything is cheaper in Olomouc comparing to United States and the rest of the Europe. You can get a good meal at the restaurant for less than 200 korunas, which is around 7 dollars. Almost everyone already mentioned in their blogs that beer here is cheaper than water. In fact, any alcohol here is pretty cheap. And, unlike in United States, they do not check your ID when you order alcohol here, which seems crazy to me. The whole drinking culture here is so strong. Students can go to the bar with their professors, sometimes they even can have a class right at the bar! It seems so unrealistic since we do not do it back in United States, it is one of the things you have to get used to when you are in Czech Republic.