CzechFolks.com

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

One of our readers sent us some interesting photos. They describe our past from times that may be long forgotten – from the communist era. Some of the photos made us laugh, whereas others reminded us again how oppressed and isolated our lives used to be. If you lived in Czechoslovakia during this unfortunate time in our history, you know what we are talking about. For those fortunate ones, who did not live through these times, we can just explain what the slide show is about. Simply said, they bring back images of times, places and things that do not exist anymore. For example, you should stop to take a look at a roll of toilet paper that was as stiff as writing paper. Truly, it was a famous shocking item for foreigners that visited our country. You may also see a line to a meat market that did not have much to sell. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

A Czech proverb “Kolik reci vis, tolikrat jsi clovekem,” or in Slovak “Kolko reci vies, tolkokrat si clovekom,” can be literally translated as “As many languages as you know makes you that many times more of a person.” Basically it means that the number of languages you know makes you that number of times more of a person. So how many languages do you know? The golden rule is that you should know a little bit about the culture and language of the country you are visiting or moving to. The more you explore and learn about the country, its citizens and their culture, the more they will help you to understand the differences that could surprise you upon your arrival to a foreign country.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Zdenek Sverak is well known in the Czech entertainment world. This Czech actor, humorist, and writer found his new niche – writing books. Sverak was born on March 28th, 1936 in Prague. He studied pedagogy at Charles University in Prague. Throughout his career he was an author of several musical texts and also plays. He, however, never fulfilled his dream to write books with short stories. It was only recently that he fulfilled his dream when he finally wrote his book called “Povidky” that contains stories from times from 1966 till 2008. The book is full of humor, honesty, and meanings that will keep readers interested and entertained.

If you live abroad and are not familiar with Czech entertainment, you may have still heard of Zdenek Sverak. Among his famous film scripts stands out one written for a movie called “Kolja” (Kolya) – Academy Award winning film in 1996 that he also starred in. This was the second film he worked on with his son and director Jan Sverak after their first film “The Elementary School” that was nominated for an Academy Award. If you are interested in learning more about Czech movies, you can visit our page HERE.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Today, we have a special Culture Shock story for you. It was written by Katerina Erlebachova that lives in Ireland. After reading her experiences from abroad, you will find out that she is a great writer and possibly a new contributor to our articles. Hopefully, we will read more of her interesting stories soon and maybe on a different subject. Enjoy!

“How Other Places Are Different” 

Whenever I write an article I find it hard to know where to start. Mostly my ideas run into each other in a domino effect, biting each other’s backs like undernourished
crocodiles.
I’ve lived for three years in Ireland, so I wanted initially to write: ‘like undernourished sheep’, to give an Irish flavour. But I’ve never seen sheep bite each other in the back. Also, Irish sheep are well nourished. So I leave the job for crocodiles.
I wondered what I could offer on the subject of ‘Culture shock’.
I am sending a couple of experiences from the small city of Galway, located on a seaside on the west coast of a green and wet island of fairy rings, hugged by the ocean.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Recently, you had an opportunity to learn about scouting and its history in the Czech Republic. If you think of scouts, you may think of tents, summer activities and games, bonfires, and lots of fun. It is possible that you or your children may experience all that and more in summer camps. How great would it be if you can actually find a camp abroad that is dedicated to Czech or Slovak children and their friends? The one that we will introduce to you today is called Hostýn and it is the last remaining piece of property in the province of Quebec that is owned by the Czech and Slovak community. The camp was established by the Czech Jesuit P. Bohuslav Janíček and on May 9th it celebrated its 55th anniversary. The camp, however, had some dark times when it did not serve its original purpose, but the hard work and strong belief in supporting Czech and Slovak heritage brought the camp back to its former glory as it once was.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, about 260,000 foreigners are employed in the Czech Republic. More than one third of them work in the capital city, Prague. The statistics also include distribution according to each country. For example, 1,700 of the foreign workers come from the USA, 200 from Canada, and 160 from Australia that all either need or do not need a work permit. Foreigners are not the only ones seeking jobs outside of their home countries. Based on feedback that we have received and our own research, many young Czechs or Slovaks move abroad for studies or gaining professional expertise, and then they look for opportunities in their home countries. We have come across a portal that we will introduce to you that is a good source of information about new job postings but also employment statistics, employment offices, laws, and more.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Our website was originally created to close the gaps between Czechs and Slovaks abroad and their home country. Little did we know, that it would also serve as an information source for other people that are interested in our country and people, or that the interest in our articles would be bidirectional - read by our countrymen in the Czech Republic or Slovakia. Our site is not, however, the only site that offers information about both of these countries. About six months ago, we discovered a site that offers exquisite information about Slovakia from the perspective of a foreigner, therefore, giving valuable information to everybody that is planning on visiting the country for fun or even business.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Today, we have a story that is somehow relevant to our Culture Shocks series. The article reminds us that you should not forget to distinguish things you learn in a foreign country. Just a simple date format that you re-learn abroad can cause a huge mistake that can even be very costly:

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

As we, Czechs living in the USA, Canada, England, Australia, etc. , are trying to assimilate in a new country, the expats in the Czech Republic are doing exactly the same. Today, English is spoken in many countries or it is taught as a second language. For example, 89% of students in the European Union learn English as their second language. We can’t say the same about the Czech language. It is not only rarely taught in Europe and other foreign counties, but it is also one of the hardest languages to learn. If we add our culture, customs, and traditions to this learning experience, we can talk about enormous culture shock and a tough life in the Czech Republic for any foreigner from around the world. Luckily, there are online resources to help others to learn about the country and life in the Czech Republic. The new Brno ExPats Forum does exactly that and it was created by two expats living and working in Brno.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

We are starting a new series of articles to describe culture shock that we, Czechs and Slovaks, experience abroad. It is not easy to learn to understand different cultures and accepting them can seem impossible. Hopefully, our posts will make it easier for you to cope with different cultures and help you understand why things are the way they are. This will, however, require your input as well. One or two individuals can’t describe different situations that many of us may encounter while living abroad. Therefore, we hope that you all will help us to capture situations, experiences, and solutions related to culture shock.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Spring is finally here and with it comes the necessary cleaning that most of us don’t look forward to. Many cities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia already started the cleaning despite mild snowing in certain regions. Like ever year, the streets are swept, windows are cleaned, buildings are painted or renovated, parks are cleaned and all damages, after a long and cold winter season, are repaired. People at home are preparing for Easter and also clean their homes or apartments to bring more sun and joy to their dwellings. In addition, new initiatives appeared to keep the environment clean. For example, Prague has a great solution to overall cleanness of the city that it achieves by utilizing the Internet and the involvement of local citizens.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

We know that it is probably difficult to stay optimistic during the tough economic slowdown, but we believe our positive thinking can help us to cope with the situation, learn from it, or even turn it around. We are not actually trying to talk about the economy today, but about our new partner Pozitivni Noviny (Positive News) that has lots to do with thinking positive. Why? Because it brings exceptional articles, information, stories, interviews, essays, ideas, recommendations, thoughts, and more. You can read them any time, no matter what day or year it is now, because they will always bring something warm and enticing to give you strength to live, learn, and thrive.

Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »