Introduction to Life in Prague
Introduction to Life in Prague
The following notes cannot attempt to be comprehensive. For more detailed information see one of the many guides to Prague that are now available; both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet issue guidebooks on Prague and on the Czech Republic.
At the time of writing the exchange rate of the Czech Crown is:
Standard of Living
Although wages in the Czech Republic are low in comparison to Western Europe and North America, the cost of living is also quite low, and so teachers usually find that they can afford a fairly good lifestyle. It is not the place to come if you want to save a lot of money or get rich quick, as the wages don't allow for it and the currency doesn't convert very well. But, if you want to have an enjoyable time, a lively social life and make the most of the many cultural events taking place in Prague, you should be happy here.
Prague - The City
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, and in the very heart of Europe. It is a city of great historical and cultural interest, and in recent years has become a major tourist attraction - rather too 'major', in the view of some of the residents! The centre of Prague is dominated by the Prague Castle and the magnificent St Vitus' Cathedra (see picture above). Other historical attractions include the Old Town Square, one of the finest squares in Europe, and the old Jewish quarter.
Some of the suburbs of Prague tell a different story: many consist of large expanses of grim apartment blocks. A redeeming feature of such areas is they have a fairly low crime rate in comparison to similar areas in Western Europe. There are, in addition, a number of attractive suburbs and some very upmarket ones. Despite the unappealing nature of many of its suburbs, there are few areas of Prague from which parkland and forests are not within reasonable walking distance.
The Surrounding Area
There are a number of places of interest within fairly easy reach of Prague, including the fascinating medieval towns of Kutna Hora and Tabor, and King Charles IV's splendid castle at Karlstejn. While the surrounding countryside is not as dramatic as that in the north and east of the country, the Prague region still possesses a number of areas of natural beauty.
The Language
Czech is a member of the western group of Slavonic languages. Czech, it must be said, is not an easy language. It has a case system and this often proves a stumbling-block for those unfamiliar with the function of cases. A simple working vocabulary of everyday Czech will, however, get the learner through most situations (e.g. ordering in a restaurant, buying a ticket) and your effort to communicate in the local language will be greatly appreciated. The school provides all teachers with free lessons in the language.
Cultural Attractions
Prague has a variety of cultural attractions:
- Every week there is usually a wide choice of concerts, operas and recitals. An expensive seat at the opera is 700 crowns, the cheapest about 100 crowns.
- There is an increasing number of jazz clubs and dance/rock/indie clubs, though live concerts by well-known bands are few and far between.
- The many cinemas often show sub-titled British and American films. Cost is about 120–200 CZK per ticket. Theatres occasionally have productions in English.
- There are numerous museums and galleries, and frequent special and touring exhibitions. It usually costs about 100 CZK to visit these.
- Prague has, at the time of writing, four top league soccer clubs (Viktoria Zizkov, Slavia, Bohemians and Sparta) and two top league ice hockey teams (Sparta and Slavia). Tickets for games are about 200-300 CZK.
Food
The Czech Republic is by no means a gourmet's paradise, although the picture is certainly a lot better than it was a few years ago. A standard Czech meal will usually consist of soup followed by a meat and starch main course, perhaps with a few pickled vegetables. The starch may be potatoes, rice, pasta, or dumplings made from bread or potatoes. Vegetables are not a standard component in a meal, although salads are not the rarity they once were.
Eating out can be managed at quite reasonable prices (even in the centre, if you pick your location), and in most towns there are a number of fairly good restaurants. Pubs remain the standard venue for affordable food, although fast food outlets (McDonalds, KFC) now abound.
Life used to be difficult for vegetarians, but the situation now is much improved. An increasing number of restaurants have vegetarian meals on the menu, although the range often remains limited. Eating out is still difficult for vegans.
Restaurant Prices
Cheaply priced restaurants
- Prices: Lunch: 100 CZK; Dinner: 120 CZK; Beer (1/2 litre) 30 CZK.
Moderately priced restaurants
include pizzerias, some Chinese restaurants, up-market Czech pubs and some international-type bar/restaurants. These stay open later and offer a wider variety of meals and drinks.
- Prices: Meals: 100–250 CZK; Beer: about 35 CZK; Wine: about 60 CZK.
Expensive restaurants
include other international places and anywhere selling seafood. These are usually beyond the everyday means of the humble teacher except for special occasions and when visitors are paying.
- Prices: Meals: 300–1,000 + CZK.
Drink
Drinking in the Czech Republic is a straightforward process! The beer is excellent, the Czech Republic being the home of Pilsner Urquell and Budvar/Budweiser (not to be confused with American Budweiser). The local spirits, which include Slivovice, Fernet and Becherovka, are an acquired taste, but well worth a try. The usual range of non-alcoholic drinks is available.
Shopping
Food
You can now buy almost anything you would expect to find in a supermarket in Britain or the U.S., including all fresh vegetables/fruit. Locally produced food is quite cheap, but imported goods tend to be rather expensive. There are also local markets which are cheaper for many things. Beer and Czech wine from shops are very cheap. Imported wine and spirits are quite pricey.
Clothes
Shops include international chains like Marks & Spencer, C&A, and Next. However, new, good quality clothes are usually very expensive, both in these places and in Czech shops. Second hand clothes shops are plentiful, cheap and popular with Czechs and foreigners alike.
Toiletries
Again, a full range of these is available, but they do tend to be expensive, e.g. deodorants – 80 CZK.
Newspapers
You can get The Guardian, The Independent ,International Herald Tribune and USA Today on the day of publishing, for about 65–120 crowns. Other papers are often a day late and more expensive. Only a limited range of foreign magazines is available, such as Cosmo./Time etc.
Cigarettes
Good news for die-hard smokers. Czechs smoke quite a lot still, and a packet of cigarettes costs 70 CZK plus.
Internet
No worries. There are numerous Internet cafes in Prague, with more seemingly springing up all the time.
Money/Banks
Access to funds abroad is generally straightforward if you have a major credit or debit card, as there now seem to be few walls without a cash dispenser, many of which accept Visa, Master Card etc. Credit cards are now accepted at many major retail outlets in Prague.
Postage and Phones
Postage is quite cheap – it costs about 17 CZK to send a letter internationally.
Using the phone within the Czech Republic is quite reasonable, but international calls are expensive. A phone card costs 200 CZK for 50 units. This gives you about 10 minutes calling Britain, depending on the time
Crime
Violent street crime, while it does exist, is fortunately quite rare compared with many other European capitals. Pick pocketing, on the other hand, is sadly fairly common – especially in the centre of Prague and on public transport. Take care at all times, and particularly when standing in a queue and when in conversation with other foreigners.
