Hi, I'll be a teacher of Economics (in French) at the Palacky University, Olomouc from 1st of October. I've been living in Brno 2 years ago. I guess life in Czech Republic has changed a little bit so far... I know anything and anybody in Olomouc. Could you please give me information about the city, cultural places and events, sports activities and surroundings ? Is there an interesting "expat life" ? I'm very glad to go and live there and I'll be pleased to meet some Czech and foreign people in Olomouc. Thanks for your help, Celine
Celine, I've only been to Olomouc once, but I have several friends in the town. It's a very nice place to visit. It's a college town, so there are quite a few younger people there. I don't know much about the "expat life", but I imagine there is plenty to do. Quite a few foreign students attend school there. There are a lot of good restaurants and pubs in the old town. You'll probably want to get up to the zoo and convent on the hill outside of town, at least once. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Olomouc. It has a unique feel, and is very laid-back. Enjoy your time there. One other thing -- there is an incredible artist who has been living there for several years. He does charicatures, and usually works in the zoo, or on the pathway leading to the convent from the zoo. He's a French and English expat and has very scraggly grey hair. Take a picture of somebody you know to him and he'll take it to do a pencil drawing which will look like a black and white photograph. He doesn't charge a whole lot, and I can say that his work is the best I've seen. He has a few samples set up beside his little stand.
I went to Palacky University for four months in 2000 and then I returned to Olomouc again in 2002. It is by far one of my favourite places in the Czech Republic. I hope to return someday soon. As for ex-pat life... well, as someone said there are the international students at the University. Other then that, there are not a lot of ex-pats in Olomouc. As far as I know, there isn't a 'bar' or some place where they meet.
