Prague Eighth Most Expensive Place to Live in the West

Hi Everyone,
There is an article in the Prague Monitor today about Prague being the eighth most expensive place to live in the West! I've heard it said that living here is even more expensive than living in New York City, so that looks to be true! I can say, for certain, that Prague is no more expensive than the little town in the Rockies where I was living before moving here! Except for the gas--gas is much more expensive here, than it was back home in the mountains. Otherwise, prices are pretty similar. Even so, Prague is a very nice place to live and work and play!

You all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library Update

Hi Everyone,
Today, in a couple of the Prague news papers online, there were further updates about the state of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The story from the Prague Post Online is a little bit more in-depth about the state of things in the museum. You can read it here. And the Prague Daily Monitor has another story here. I'm happy to see that things are moving forward, and that people are staying positive in the midst of this very hard situtation.

On another note, my husband and I will be taking a trip to Spain, soon...to Barcelona! While I'm there, I'll be writing about our experiences. This will be my second trip to Spain. We were to Madrid and Sevilla, in the past..those are really pretty areas. Barcelona is in an entirely different part of Spain...so it will be fun to see how it compares to Madrid and Sevilla.

Well, that's all for now...you all have a great weekend!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Tongue-Tied in Prague

Hi Everyone,

Living in a new country means adapting to the new place on many levels.These levels include culture and society, manners, and language, and a few others. This is called the acculturation process, and it must take place in order to have a full and healthy life in a new country. This is not an easy process…it can take many years before acculturation is completed. In my case, one of the hardest parts of the acculturation process is the Czech language.

Czech is part of the West Slavic language family and is the official language of the Czech Republic …it is spoken by about 12 million people in this country, except for me, of course! I am in the process of learning Czech, but it is not an easy language to learn. In the past, I have learned Spanish pretty in-depth, and then also learned a fair amount of French… so I have had a little experience with other languages. But Czech is proving to be a harder language—mostly because of some “special” sounds, like “ř” (something like a rolled “r” with “zh” at the end), and “ch” (something like the “ch” in German, but not quite as explosive). English has several “explosive” letters such as “B,” “K”, “P”, and “T”—we pronounce them with a lot of “h” in them…but in Czech, these same letters are not so explosive and have no “h” sound at all. So, its necessary to learn how to not pronounce these letters in the English way…not so easy a task! Czech also has many words with no vowels, and to make matters worse, each noun has 7 cases (which is really 14 when you include the plural forms). So, this language is a bit of a challenge for many foreigners, including me. 

I have some language books, a huge Czech-English dictionary, a book on Czech grammar to help me (plus a live-in Czech teacher—my husband!). But I’ve also found a couple of programs that have been very helpful. One of them is Before You Know It, by the Transparent company, and a free version of the Pimsleur Czech Language Course online. There are also numerous websites that offer free material to help learn Czech. Here are a couple of that I’ve found very useful: Local Lingo, The Czech Language on the WWW, Omniglot , and Bohemica.com. These are all pretty good and very helpful. I have already learned a little Czech, but it is only very simple at this point. I am able to understand more than I can say, though! 

This coming fall, I’ll also be joining a formal language class for foreigners. One guy who has already taken the class for several semesters says it’s pretty tough—he is still not able to speak fluent Czech, though he can understand more than when he first began the classes. He also said the classes will be only in Czech, with the theory that it’s best to jump right in there and start swimming! I guess…but that’s not my favorite way to learn! However, I want and need to learn the language as it can be very isolating when you don’t speak the language in a new country! Before classes start, though, I’m going to try to learn some more on my own…hopefully that way I will be able to understand a little bit more of what goes on in class!! I really do need and want to speak Czech—my Czech family, here, would be very happy about that!  Plus, it would sure make everyday tasks easier…and easier to make new friends, etc! 

This acculturation process, for me, is happening on many levels. It is a bit of a challenge at my age to try to adjust to a new place…even to Europe. This is the first time I’ve ever lived outside of the US, though I have traveled a little bit. Still, living full-time in another country is an entirely different matter than just traveling. Language is one of the hardest parts of this process for me, along with a value system that is a bit different than what I was raised with.That’s OK, though…this is all part of the adventure and learning! I’ll let you know how this language-learning progresses as I go along!

That’s all for now…you all have a great day!

God bless,

Sher :0)

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© 2008 by Sher Vacik

Ties that Bind

Hi Everyone,
Not many Czechs realize how descendants of Czechs and Slovaks, around the world, are very proud of their ancestry. Czechs also don't realize how many communities in the United States were originally settled by Czechs and Slovaks! There have been many emigrations of Czechs and Slovaks in the history of the two countries. Each migration period led Czechs and Slovaks to immigrate to other countries, with many who became immigrants in the US. There are numerous small communities across the Midwest where Czechs and Slovaks settled. One such place is the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in the state of Iowa, and is home to the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library. This museum started as a way to preserve Czech culture and heritage back in 1974 by second and third generation descendants of Czech immigrants. Over the years, the group came to also include those of Slovak heritage, and the museum was officially created to house all the artifacts the group collected. You can read more about the museum's history by clicking here. The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library is impressively housed, and it attracts between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors each year. The museum houses some 30,000 artifacts of Czech and Slovak culture and history. The museum's current facilities were dedicated on October 21, 1995. The dedication ceremonies were attended by then US President Bill Clinton, President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, and President Micahl Kovac of Slovakia.

During the recent historic floods along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library suffered extensive damage. This news has been covered by Radio Prague News, here in the Czech Republic--please see these two stories here and here. It has been amazing to read these stories and see how the ties are still very vibrant and active between the Czech and Slovak communities in the US and here. It is wonderful to see the cooperation taking place, even from across the ocean, to help save this very important museum. The museum is also being supported by monetary donations and volunteer work, from the Czech and Slovak communities in the US, to help clean and restore artifacts damaged in the flood. It will take some time to recover from the flood, but the outlook for the museum is very positive.

I wanted to share this story as it marks the importance of the Czech and Slovak contribution to the history of the United States, and to show that this tie is still very important today. Even in my own life, these ties are ongoing. One set of my great grandparents migrated from Czechoslovakia to the United States in the very late 1800's to early 1900's. My maiden name is Czech. Some of my family, including my parents, have visited the Czech Republic, but I am the first one (that I know of) who has come back, after 4 generations, to actually live here! The story of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library touched me when I read it in the news. I don't have any personal ties to this museum, yet it is a piece of my heritage--and also the heritage of those who are the descendants of Czechs and Slovaks who immigrated to the US. Those Czech and Slovak descendants are a very hearty bunch and are able to handle such tragedies, as the museum flood, by hard work with a clear view toward the future--just as their ancestors did in the past. I would like to wish all those involved in the restoration work all the best.

That's all for today...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Health Fees Survey

Hi Everyone,

This morning, in the Prague Monitor, I read an article about a survey that had been conducted earlier this month. The survey asked respondents if they found the new regulatory medical fees to be a burden for their budgets. The results were very interesting in that 70% of the respondents said the fees were not a burden on their budgets. Over 3/4 of the doctors surveyed said they found that fees to be helpful in regulating the number of visits patients made to see them. The fees were instituted to help cut down the number of visits patients make to see their doctors. These new fees are to also help support the health care system--to help keep it solvent.

The results of the survey were quite a surprise for me! I personally don't mind paying these new fees, but there are many elderly and disabled people who do have trouble paying each time they have to visit the doctor. Even so,
the doctors seem to feel that these regulatory health fees are helping. I know that my allergist and my GP have both said that they believe the fees are a good thing. Time will tell!

Well, that's all for now...you all have a great weekend!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

©2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Homesickness Relievers II

Hi Everyone,

A while back, I talked about some homesick relievers--programs that really help me to stay in touch with my family and friends, and also to stay in touch with what's going on in the States! These programs need a device on which to operate--duh--my laptop! This has become my virtual home in many ways! I work and play on the computer every day, but I do have a life apart from this virtual home! Still, I am happy with modern technology and the ways it allows me to interact in a real way with my family and friends!

One of the programs that I use for playing is my Nintendo DS--yes...I own one at my age! My kids talked me into getting a DS before I moved here! It is fun in and of itself, and it has the capability of using WiFi to connect to other players across the Internet. In order to use the DS in this way, you must have a high-speed Internet connection, and a game that is set up for this type of gaming. Mario Kart DS is our favorite game--which is a racing game. The DS has two screens--the lower one is a touch screen, the other screen is to watch the game as you play. In Mario Kart DS, the top screen lets you view the race track as if you are driving (which you are!), while the lower screen offers an overview map of the race track and where each player is located. The kids laugh at me all the time and as where I am on the track! They are usually well ahead of me in the race...while I stumble along, driving off the track or running into things! It's a lot of fun and offers a way for the kids and I to stay connected, even though we're separated by half the world!

Another homesickness reliever is the Slingbox, by Sling Media. The Slingbox is a device that connects to a TV and the Internet, allowing you to view any programs that are on your TV in another location--in your own home, or across the world! My Dad heard about these and bought one. The Slingbox we use is connected to a TV in the US. Then, the Slingplayer program is loaded onto my laptop. Now, my husband and I can watch any program that is showing on that TV in the US--even cable TV! The Slingox works anywhere you have a high-speed Internet connection--that means in hotels, airports, etc! There is even a version of the Slingplayer program that is now available for smartphones and PDA's! I've not yet tried the Slingplayer on my PDA, but the version for my laptop works great. My husband and I can watch any movie or TV program at any time. The picture we see is not as good as it would be directly on a TV, but it is very "watchable" and the audio is crisp and in time with the action on the screen. The Slingbox does not interfere with viewing programs on the "home" TV. It's possible to switch channels and to watch something completely different from what is showing on the Slingbox! There is no setup fee, and there are no monthly fees for this service. I would highly recommend this for people who are living overseas who would like to maintain contact with the news and favorite TV programs in their home countries! My kids and I sometimes watch programs together--in real time--and have Gtalk open and talk as we watch...it's a lot of fun!

There are a couple of other tools that I use to stay connected with home, aside from my laptop--those are my PDA and my cell phone! I have a Dell Axim X51 PDA that I use almost every day. This PDA has both Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities, and can run everything from games to Skype to Windows Mobile Office programs. I mainly use the PDA for reading e-books, but also take it on short trips as it is much smaller than my laptop. I also found a Bluetooth keyboard for my Axim...and with the SD cards coming down in price and going up in memory size, it's possible to take all the files I would want for e-books, music, pictures, and blogging on the run! My unlocked cell (unlocked as in being able to use any SIM card) phone is very useful, too--it has a decent camera, can take videos, is Bluetooth capable, etc. It can "talk" to my PDA, making it very easy to transfer files from my phone to the PDA. I have three different SIM cards that I use with my cell phone--one that works in most parts of the world I would travel, one SIM card works in the US, and one SIM card for using here, in the Czech Republic/Europe. It is simple to change the cards out and it's possible to recharge them online at any time. Of course, all my SIM card calling plans are pay-as-you-go, but this greatly simplifies my phone bills--and there are no contracts! When I travel, my cell phone works in most places with no problem. It is a great asset to have to stay in touch with everyone back home when traveling--or when I'm here! I bought my SIM cards at Telestial. They are a very reputable company and are registered with the Better Business Bureau's BBB online program.

These are some great and easy ways to stay in touch with everyone back home...of course, there is also snail mail. We also use that from time-to-time. But I love gizmos, so I enjoy all of these techie ways to stay in touch. My family and I use all of these tools (and the ones mentioned in my previous Homesickness Relievers post) to stay close, in spite of the huge distances that separate us.

That's all for now...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

PS I am not affiliated with any of these programs, but do enjoy using them!

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

The Golf Ball Thief and a Fairytale

Hi Everyone,

Sometimes there are such funny stories in the news! You can't help but smile at the absurdness you read! Have you ever heard of a golf ball thief? I found this story "Unhappy About Useless Loot, Czech Thief Takes Up Golf" in the Prague Monitor this morning (please click on "Prague Monitor" to read the story). It is an amusing article about a guy who picked up 6,500 golf balls at a golf course in Brno--in one night! The would-be golf ball thief then tried to sell the golf balls via the Internet, Ebay, etc. It's a very amusing story--guaranteed to make you smile! I guess you could classify this as "Odd/Absurd News from the Czech Republic!"

The Czech Republic can be a place of the sometimes absurd, and also the place of fairytales, past and present. This morning, also in the Prague Monitor, is an article about a new star in the Czech Republic, Marketa Irglova (click on her name for the story) and her fairytale come true. Marketa and her partner, Irish singer Glen Hansard, became famous when they starred in the movie "Once," and wrote all the music featured on the soundtrack. "Once" is the tale of two musicians who meet in Ireland, by accident, and fall in love--it is a fairytale, but with a twist. "Once" is a great movie--I highly recommend both the movie and the soundtrack. It is exciting to see that low budget films, like this one, can still be made and find such success! And the best part is that once-in-a-while, normal, every day people, can have a fairytale come true in their lives!

That's all for now...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Out and About Prague

Hi Everyone,
Today's post is a compilation of pictures that I've taken of Prague Castle and the surrounding area at various times. This is a great place to take a walk and see the castle buildings and grounds and to view the beautiful scenery. This is one of my favorite places to visit--I never get tired of it!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com
(c) 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath
Photos property of S. A. Vacik

The Girl Who Wanted to Stay Home

Hi Everyone,

It is so amazing to actually be living half way around the world from my home in the US. When I was a kid, I was the one who always wanted to stay home…I didn’t want to go to Girl Scouts, dance classes, etc. I was comfortable at home and that was where I wanted to be! I’ve been like that since I was a kid…and still am, to a certain degree. Moving to the Czech Republic was a huge move outside the box for me!

It was never a goal of mine to live in another country. I wanted to travel a little bit, but never envisioned myself living abroad. I just thought I would live my life quietly in the US, and that was that, until I met my husband, Jiří. That is a story I’ll tell another time. After we met and fell in love, we were not certain how the future would work out. I have two kids, from a previous marriage, who at that time were still in high school, and Jiří has his work and an elderly mother who is completely dependent on him. These responsibilities kept us apart for quite some time. We would meet when we could, but it was very difficult. Then we decided it was time to marry and make a formal commitment to our relationship. We had to finally deal with the difficult conversation of how and where to live; this was challenging to sort out.

My husband felt it would be much too difficult to move his mother to the US. It would be too much of a physical, emotional, cultural shock to her. So, we decided I would be the one to move—to the Czech Republic. We also decided that it would be best for me to stay in the US until my kids were both in college and settled. After our wedding, we lived apart for two years! That was amazing…many people have such marriages, but let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart. Well, truly, our whole relationship has not been for the faint of heart. Anyway, during those two years, we did see each other as often as possible…and maintained our relationship with many phone calls and emails and Gtalk!

Once my last kid was off to school, I began the huge job of packing up most of my belongings in the US, trying to sort out the few things I could bring with me to the Czech Republic. That was a hard job! I was a new empty-nester, having to sort through all those memories and things alone…and try to prepare for a new life with a new husband, in a new country! Not too much of a stress load all at once—I’m being sarcastic!! It wasn’t easy, but somehow I managed through!

Now, I’ve been living here for 18 months as of today—which doesn’t seem possible. Someone “upstairs” has been trying to get that little girl who wanted to stay home—me-- out of her comfort zone her whole life! Well, this time, I’m definitely out of the zone…and into the world! And so far, the adventure has been well-worth the effort. It will continue as I live here and learn the language and the culture of this new country. It’s not easy, but I’m having adventures I never would have had living a quiet life in one spot. I’m also learning so much about the outside world and other people…and learning about myself in the process. I’m truly thankful for this opportunity—and the new life I’m living—outside my comfort zone.

That’s all for now, you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Don't Forget Your Umbrella!

Hi Everyone,

We are in the midst of our rainy season in the Czech Republic…it can be a pleasant time of the year, but don’t forget to take your umbrella with you when going out and about! The rainy season lasts from May until the end of August, with an average rainfall of 2.53 inches per month. That doesn’t sound like much, but it comes down in a hurry! The rains bring forth a plethora of blooming plants, trees and grass! This country is one of the most prolific I’ve ever seen! There is something growing everywhere and anywhere you look! Everything is nice and green right now, too, and very pretty!

Yesterday, I was out shopping in Prague and had a nice afternoon. I came home to unload my purchases, and then had to run out to our local grocery store for a few things. I looked outside…it had been raining a little bit, but nothing too much. I got outside, and it started to rain a little bit—it was quite pleasant. But then, all of a sudden, the rain began coming down…straight down…and it was pretty hard! I was already a ways from the flat, and couldn’t really make it back without getting soaked. So, I thought it was time for my umbrella to be put to use. I opened my backpack, only to find I had forgotten it back in our flat when I unloaded everything from my backpack!

Well, there was nothing to do but keep on walking to the store. Needless to say I was getting pretty soaked…thankfully, the temperature was warm, and the rain was not cold…it was really quite pleasant. It reminded me of tropical rains like they have in Hawaii...just a nice, warm rain…very refreshing! I walked along laughing because this time I had no umbrella…it was funny…and it reminded me of when I was a kid and loved to play in puddles. By the time I got to the store, I was soaked…some people were standing under an overhang, near the store, waiting for the rain to slow down. They were laughing as I came up to them! I smiled and had to let some of the water drip off before going into the store.

I bought the things I needed, and then went out the door, only to find several more people standing under the overhang. The rain was coming down pretty hard at this point! So, I wasn’t the only person to forget their umbrella…that made me feel a little better! Finally the rain began to slow down a bit, so I decided to try walking back home…hopefully drying off on the way! But, as I walked along, the rain picked up once again! I couldn’t believe it! So, I found another overhang where I could wait for the rain to slow down again. After waiting a few minutes, it seemed safe…so I ventured out…and the heavens opened and another downpour began! There were no more shelters at this point, so I hurried home as fast as possible. By the time I got home, I looked like I had been swimming!

It was really a nice and refreshing walk, even though I was soaked! The air was so clean in that time…all the pollen was washed away, and the air was so fresh—it smelled so green. I can’t really put into words what “green” smells like, but that is the only word that will suffice—the air just smelled very fresh and very green. Even so, in the future I will make sure to have my umbrella with me at all times during this Czech rainy season!

You all have a great day!

God bless,

Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Bubble Girl

Hi Everyone,

The past couple of weeks I’ve been having a lot of allergy trouble and this has kept me from my normal posting schedule. There’s been a lot of grass and tree pollen in the air, and some bad air days in Prague due to pollution/ozone. It was even necessary to cancel and reschedule a dentist appointment this week (for the second time!!). We decided to reschedule the dentist appointment in the fall when the pollen’s down and I can breathe a bit better again! I am still having trouble, but am hoping to get things back to normal soon!

The people at my office, in the US, call me Bubble Girl. This is because when I was still working in our main office, I had to wear a mask to protect me from all the allergens I react to! I would decorate my mask differently each day—even putting a smile on it, or using pierced earrings to decorate it—and decorating for each holiday! This made me and everyone else laugh!! They call me Bubble Girl, now, because I have to mostly live and work at home due to all my allergies. The good part about this is being able to work from home—that’s very Green these days! And it does save money, while also protecting me from allergens and keep me from getting sick! Staying at home most of the time allows me to be able to be out for extended times—hiking, to do a bit of traveling, etc. Then I have to get back to my “bubble” (home) and have time to recoup from my outings.

This kind of life is not so easy, but there are things that are much worse to have than multiple airborne and food allergies and asthma…I’m just very grateful that I can survive this way and still do the things I enjoy!

Anyway, that’s all for now…I’ll see you all next week!

Have a great day and a great weekend!

God bless,
Sherry

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Eating Dandelions

Hi Everyone,

On a recent hike with my husband and our friends, I noticed all the dandelions that were so very prolific in the countryside! They were everywhere and were such a brilliant yellow you almost needed sunglasses just to look at them! I mentioned to my husband that sometimes people pick wild dandelion leaves to make salads, tea and wine…and thought maybe it would be nice to take some leaves home with us to make salad. Well, he was horrified—literally horrified! He didn’t think I was serious! But I was…and he could only look at me as if I was crazy and tell me that here, only the very poorest people would even think of eating dandelion leaves!

Since my move to the Czech Republic, I have encountered some interesting food, and what is considered OK to eat back in the States is considered only fodder for farm animals here! Take, for instance, something as useful and good as molasses. We Americans use it for everything from sweetening to adding flavor to food we cook and bake. But here, people consider molasses to be some unwanted leftover from the sugar making process, and will only feed it to their farm animals! What a waste, though I’m very sure the farm animals are enjoying their food with molasses added to it!

Another common ingredient in the States is celery. We use this in soups, stews, sauces…in so many things, even eating it raw. But not here—again, celery is considered only something that is fed to farm animals. They do have a similar tasting root vegetable here called celer, which turns out to be the root of the celery plant. Czechs don’t commonly use the stalks of the celery plant as we do in the US. I’ve seen celery stalks in Asian stores, and in some of the bigger grocery stores, but it doesn’t appear to be very common. But the celer is very common and is mostly used in soups and stews!

Petržel is also something that I had not heard of before. Upon doing a little research, I found that this is the parsnip! I guess we do have it in the States, but my family never ate it, and I truly had never seen parsnips till I moved here! To me, they look something like a mummified carrot! Parsnips/petržel is used in everything from soups and salads. I mostly use them in soup.

At first, I began calling these new veggies "weird veggies"; now these new vegetables don’t seem so strange—but I am still not able to understand why Czechs won’t eat dandelion leaves…what’s the difference between those and “weird” veggies? Well, I will not push the issue with any Czechs…and I have adapted to eating these new vegetables and even have grown to like them very much! This is part of the adventure of living in the Czech Republic—learning to adapt to new ways of being and doing here (which includes new foods), while also retaining my “Americaness” in the midst of living with and amongst Czechs!

That’s all for now. You all have a great day!

God bless,

Sherry :0)

http://czechoffthebeatenpath.googlepages.com

© 2008 by czechoffthebeatenpath