It could be quite interesting to know what foreigners think about the Czech standard of living... In other words, how much the CR is developed in their opinion. For instance, I know that Czech people who spent some time in Greece say that the life is much better in our country (although according to statistics such as GDP or Human Development Index Greece should be better...) What do you think?
Well that all depends on how you view standard of living. It seems that life is a little slower there in CR and more relaxing. It seems it's easier to enjoy life there and it's not all about work. Yet, here in the States there are much more opportunities to make more money and obtain material possessions that also make life fun. I guess it just depends on what you want out of life. Now I know you wanted the opinion of a foreigner and I am American. However, I'm really basing my opinions on what my husband’s friends and family say and why they chose to leave their country and come here. A couple of them have chosen to return to CR and some of them were forced to after their visa ran out. However, most of them choose to live here.
I can only address the apparent standard of living in a few areas in and around Prague, but it seems to be quite good. If you consider the availability and affordability of material goods, Prague seems to lack nothing. Stores I visited were filled with a great variety of merchandise and a lot of people buying it (places like Tesco and Carrefore's, not little tourist shops). Everyone seemed to have a cell phone and (being a bit of a computer geek myself) most people I talked to seemed to be computer literate. On my first trip to Prague I brought along all sorts of toiletries (I even brought toilet paper, having heard horror stories about European rough toilet paper) - on my second trip I only brought the clothes I intended to wear. Everything I was accustomed to using was readily available in Prague. Because I stayed in an apartment, I had the opportunity to purchase various household items and food to prepare at home. There was not one single item I couldn't find and the food was great. I miss the wonderful milk, butter, eggs, and many other things I experienced there. They were by far more flavorful than the mass-produced, homogenized, pastuerized, irradiated, shrink-wrapped excuses we get here. The city itself is a wonderful, people-friendly place. Great public transportation (something that, for all practical purposes does not exist here in the Tampa Bay area) was abundant, clean and on time. Parks and small squares dot the cityscape. It seems that the Czechs know that sometimes it is just as important not to build a building as it is to build one. There is Art, Music, and Sport readily available, not to mention the historic beauty of the city. Prague, at least, is easily on a par with any of the world's great cities. Of course there are downsides and problems (social, economic, and any others you care to mention), but that is true anywhere. I can honestly say that the only creature comfort I missed while in Prague was an electric clothes dryer - boy, can jeans get stiff when hung out to dry :wink: .
During my last visit over I didn't find Prague lacking for anything. Except Kraft Dinner! LOL I was 9 weeks pregnant and having a ton of cravings and that was one of them. I even cooked a traditional Canadian Christmas dinner for my family over there, and while I brought the turkey with me, everything else I needed we managed to find, although the celery was a little difficult. The transportation system in Prague is amazing. You can get anywhere any time! I really didn't find anything lacking (we even had a dryer for our clothes, LOL). The only thing that I had to watch was the milk. For some reason, the milk over there did not agree with me, although the rest of my family was fine, so it could have been pregnancy related.
Thank for your opinions. Actually, the main reason why I am asking is that I have been studying at university in Ljubljana (Slovenia) for several months and I have an interesting possibility to compare. Especially Slovenia used to be considered to be the "Slavic Switzerland" thus I expected much better situation (even the same mentality as Czechs have) here, and I cannot say it is SlaSwitz.
I have yet to visit the CR, so I really can't comment on its economic development. But I do think that some Czech cultural belief systems and attitudes are a little outdated.
Outdated? Boy, do you need to visit the ČR! The Czechs are some of the most progressive people you will ever meet.
Well, for me it was a lot of little things that added up which made me say this. In fairness I have not been to the CR. BUT I know some Czech people really well and I am friends with several people who have lived in the CR for years. And it's just been my observation that some of the things I notice about Czechs now are things that were common in the USA during the 1950s. Things like gender roles, the prevalence of smoking, lack of health education, lack of sufficient environmental regulations... But I could be wrong. This is based on Czech people I'm friends with, and friends of mine who have lived in the CR. It's possible that the Czechs I know are just atypical. This is only what I've observed to date.
I cannot agree. I mean that Czech women are quite emancipated enough which may be unlike American homeladies. (of course it depends on generation) But when I met American girls at my age I was shocked by their old-fashioned attitude to family. How can Americans progressive if most of them believe in God and they think that the world was created, and if they are stumbled by naked teat from which all people drank. I dont know anyone who would regard USA as a modern democratic country in our point of view.
Well, that might be stretching it a bit. We are actually a republic and fairly "modern" in most respects. Our social views can be quite Victorian at times, however. That is one of the reasons I like the ČR so much - such a wonderful contrast in rational thought.
Careful about that, please. Atheism has nothing to do with "progress". The "Big Bang" theory is as good and valid as the "God the Creator" one... at least as far as personal beliefs and thoughts are in question. I agree though, that the "in God we trust" attitude should not be mixed to politics, government and that kind of things. For one, I would consider putting the phrase off the banknotes (no flame, please).
Haha, that made me lough . I think "lack" of regulations in general is more typical for USA than for CR (or EU). And frankly speaking I find American more liberal system better :wink:. Milewicz, I appreciate you face withoutaim. He ask for opinion and then beat all critiques :twisted:.
And don't forget, most of us who believe in God also believe the man is the spiritual head of the home. (Just to stir up the fires a little bit more.) :twisted:
Point one: Your last response compares the Czech Republic with the United States. My response was only to claim that I didn't think that cultural attitudes in the CR are very progressive. I didn't compare the US with the CR. I only mentioned a country and time that I thought reminded me of the present-day CR, and my example was the US during the 1950s. Your response is a different argument. Point two: I do think a lot of Europeans (not just Czechs) are VERY surprised when they meet American women and find out how really family-oriented they can be. But that's not something that's residual from the 1950s or from stricter gender roles. If anything, it's a conscious and educated choice many women make given their emancipation. They aren't confined to the roles of mother and wife--most of them choose it. Point three: Being atheistic does not necessarily equate with being progressive. Communism played a large role in unraveling religion in eastern Europe, yet communism did little for the progress of the countries of eastern Europe. Point four: You don't know anyone who would consider the USA a modern democratic country? Then I have about 11 million illegal immigrants who I'd like to introduce you to.
Not a bit of it. Points 1 and 2 are rational but points 3 and 4 are fallacious. The first sentence in point 3 is OK but the line of reasoning with communism is wrong. The number of atheists in CR is given by 600 years old history. The biggest boom of atheism was in the first republic. Impact of communism is minimal (only in this case, of course ). Compare it with situation in Poland or Russia. I think withoutaim's comment on US-democracy was puffed up (in typical European way ) but the argumentation with illegal immigrants was also wrong and a little pathetic (in typical American way ). Illegal immigration is more related to economic motivation.
Until recently I would have argued that the illegal immigration is economically motivated, but the political messages in recent protests in the USA have been about human rights and democracy, almost exclusively. And although economics is a large part of the illegal immigration situation, economics has not been a part of any of the illegal immigrants' political messages. They have not even claimed that they should be there becuase they do the jobs Americans won't do. That argument is coming from American business owners and politicians. And although I do agree economic motivation still remains, the messages of the protesters and the fighting has been about democracy, identity, and human rights. Read the papers or actually go to a protest. You'll see. But back to the original argument--the majority of people on Earth would regard the USA as a modern and democratic country. You would have a very difficult time debating this point with most people.
I have only experience from Prague. CR (Prague eh..) is surely different in many ways compared to my home country. Anyhow I haven´t noticed any mayor disadvantages that I couldn´t stand. It seems that in CR the differencies of income level aren´t so huge as in many countries in the former "eastern block." In Czech Rep. there seems to be a decent combination of social security and market economy. I think CR will be one of the leading industrial and economical centres in EU in the future. So much potential there. What is an average salary in CR? I mean the prices seem to be growing rapidly each time I visit there. Soon there will be a danger that you have as weak purchasing power as we finns do at the moment... (Damn EU!) Anyway I would say that I could move to CR anyday, if my situation in life would allow it.
IMHO they demand change - that is'nt good argument to support current system :wink:. My advice - try it with legal immigration during Cold War. Why did emigrants from Eastern Bloc choose USA (and not Western Europe :!. Oh, man, that is'nt right. Reputation of USA in the whole world is wrong. Antiamericanism is popular in Europe but also in India. Latin America is more and more "red" and therefor against USA. Not speaking of islamic world, Russia or China. Paradoxly, the biggest antiamerican atmosphere is in vehemently supported Egypt and Saudi Arabia - funny, is'nt? So, who remains? Israel and Palou. Is it the majority you wrote about?
