Kulturní Šok

5. Cultural Comparisons

Transportation

Public Transportation is the main way of getting around here in the Czech Republic, most likely followed by walking. It is very uncommon to drive cars, and from what I’ve gathered cars are not a necessity unless you live pretty far outside of the city. Our dorms here are around 2 miles from the University, and I’ve started walking which I would never have done in America. In the States, people rarely walk because everyone owns a car. On the off chance someone does walk, it’s generally not more than a mile. As much as I hate to admit it, I would usually hitch a ride to class if I was ever even just a couple of blocks off of campus, which seems so pathetic now. Once I get back to the United States, I plan on walking much more than I used to. Walking is refreshing, and healthy.

Food

Any of you who know me at all, probably know how picky of an eater I am. So you can only imagine the experience I have had over here. The food is different to say the least, but in the 3 weeks I’ve been here my level of pickiness has gone down considerably. Due to the language barrier it is nearly impossible to order things with or without certain ingredients, which is how I get by back home. Also as expected, the food portions are much smaller than they are in America and considerably healthier. You can taste the lack of salt and sugar in the food here, which is probably a good thing. Also the dining out experience is much different. Waiters and waitresses here are not paid solely on tips, therefore customer service is not a priority. Condiments are also very uncommon here, and when they are served you will have to pay for them. One last major difference is that beer is in fact cheaper than water over here. You can easily get a full glass of beer for $1.00, or a small glass of water for $1.50. I prefer to take my own water bottle since I still have not quite grasped the concept of paying for water.

Time

The last major cultural difference I have noticed since being over here is the European concept of time. In America, we rush to do everything. However, being in Europe I have noticed they like to take their time when doing things over here. Everyone walks slow, they take hours at restaurants, people just seem to take their time doing everything. To be honest, it kind of bothered me at first but now that I have gotten used to it I actually prefer this way opposed to the fast paced American lifestyle. It’s much less stressful, and you can take time to enjoy the surroundings.