Expectations

Living abroad in the Czech Republic will be different, and it’s crucial for you to start expecting that the Czech Republic will be different. Simply anticipating some of the differences ahead of time can help better prepare you for life abroad in the Czech Republic. The single most import thing to remember is to be flexible. You will no doubt have to adapt to new things you encounter in the Czech Republic.

You should learn to expect the unexpected. Accept the fact that everything in the Czech Republic will not be same as it here in the United States. The following are some very general and basic things to which you are probably accustomed in the United States, but that may be very different in the Czech Republic:

• Routines and Schedules: Your routine will change once you get to the Czech Republic. Not only might you be dealing with a time difference upon arrival, but you may also have to alter your schedule to fit the norm. You may eat lunch and dinner later than you are accustomed to doing. You will also have to adapt your routine to bus and metro schedules and to your roommates’ schedules. There are countless ways in which your routine in the Czech Republic can be different from your routine in the United States.


• Facilities: The condition of facilities in the Czech Republic will vary depending on location – typically you can expect to find better facilities in Prague than in the countryside. Basically, you take what you get and deal with it. You have to be your own judge of when facilities like hospitals, restaurants, beaches, public transportation, apartments, or even phone booths are in safe, working condition. In many cases, especially in poorer areas of the Czech Republic, you may have to lower your standards a bit and accept what’s available to you. Facilities do not have to be new to be useful or safe.


• Modern Conveniences: In Czech supermarkets, you probably will not be able to find certain favorite food items you always eat in the United States. Just because you can’t find something you’re looking for in the Czech Republic, doesn’t mean the Czech Republic lacks anything. If you like Czech food in the United States, it doesn’t mean it will taste the same in the Czech Republic. You should not expect to find the same foods in restaurants or supermarkets, the same fast food chains or name brand items, the same style or sizes of clothing and shoes, etc. In short, if you can’t have or find everything you want; you will have to compromise.


• Bathrooms and Toilets: You may very likely find things are different even in Czech bathrooms. Bathrooms in the Czech Republic will range from immaculately clean to substandard, though a Western style toilet bowl is typical. Bathroom facilities abroad can literally be holes in the floor, outhouses, or non-existent. Bidets are common, especially in Europe. Toilet paper is often not available, or not commonly used. You may always want to carry a pocket pack of tissues with you just in case. Sinks and running water for you to wash your face and hands or brush your teeth may or may not be an option. If sink water is an option, be sure to ask if you can drink it or brush your teeth with it. Showers may also be different in the Czech Republic, as some cultures prefer to bathe in a tub or other water source instead. Hand-held water sprayers may replace U.S. style fixed showerheads.


• Co-ed Living: If you are not comfortable with living with the opposite sex, make sure to make your wishes known before you are assigned housing, or before you place an ad for a roommate. Otherwise, you may be assigned to live in a co-ed dorm, or find that your roommates are of the opposite sex.