I am going to Praha with my girlfriend (she's Czech and I am American) with the intention of staying there. I am interested in finding work there and do not speak much Czech (although I am learning). Does anyone have any suggestions where to look? I am starting to look while I am still stateside and would like to have at least some places to start to look. Thanks.
Me too. I am an English guy and my partner is from Decin, but we will probably move to Praha. However, I have no idea what I will do for a living. I am a Retail Store Manager but I guess there isn't much demand for those if you don't have a great grasp of the lingo. I suppose my greatest asset in the Czech Republic will be that I am a fluent English speaker. I don't think I have the temperament or the patience to be a teacher but I do enjoy being on my feet and interacting with people. Should I even bother moving before I have fully grasped the language? Any experiences or thoughts would be most welcome.
I am moving there because my girlfriend is from there. Unable to speak the language or not, she i s the reason I will be there. I think you have to look inside yourself and find the reasons for your desire to be there and act upon them. I am being very optimistic about my existence there. I figure an open mind is what will enable me to accomplish my goals. I would be lying if said I am not nervous about my radical life change. Anyway, good luck!
My sentiments exactly. But I do want to be sure that I am not allowing my heart to rule my head. I don't want to move over there and have to depend entirely on my partner and her family.
Eddie, Dace, A little advice: If you're serious enough about your relationships with your girlfriends to consider moving to the Czech Republic with them, then you'll definitely benefit from learning their language. My wife is from Ukraine, and my taking the time to learn Russian (her native language) has paid off in many ways, not the least of which is giving me a better understanding of her culture and background. It allows me to view her actions and words in a totally different context. Having said that, Czech is not an easy language to learn, so it will take a firm commitment on your part. Eddie, I wouldn't worry about getting a "full grasp" on Czech before moving. It is extremely difficult to do so without actually spending an extended period of time in the Czech Republic, being surrounded by Czech speakers. In the meantime, practice the basics with your girlfriends, look through grammar books, phrasebooks, try to make up new sentences and phrases based on what you read in the books (test them out on your girlfriends, and if they're incorrect, ask them to correct you). Also Czechs in general are very flattered by native English speakers learning their language, so don't be shy about speaking Czech when you get there. Even if you butcher most of the words/phrases you speak at first, they will usually be more than willing to help you (although they may also enjoy a polite chuckle sometimes). Remember also, the more often you speak (even if incorrectly), the quicker you'll learn.
Sova you hit the nail on the head. I have been teaching myself for about 7 months now. My fiancee chuckles at me all of the time but we both always have a good laugh about my pronunciation and I agree with you, learning the language does help you understand the culture better. It also helps me to understand her better when she is speaking english. So Eddie heed Sova's words. I only wish I had known more Czech when I was there but I will know more when I go again.
Finding work in Prague is difficult when you don't speak Czech unless you want to teach english like the rest of the Americans living there. Taking Classes once you get there is your best bet. Chareles university has a very good prgram that you can register before you go. www.cuni.cz There are Amreican companies abroad and I believe many job recruitment companies in Prague hire people who don't speak Czech. There are also a couple of American bars and that you could look at. The Blind Eye in Zizkov and there is another on on letenske namesti but I cant remeber the name. Something with the word dog. Good luck to you
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