You know you have been in the Czech Republic too long when...
Our beloved coconut Alula has been collecting some facts about when you'd know that you've been in the Czech Republic too long, so here's the current list wanting your contributions – it's slightly different from the one on Alula's blog because she made some random changes on our original version which I thought should remain unchanged. (What can you do, coconuts don't listen and mangos are stubborn. They just don't get along.)
1. You crave smazeny syr (fried cheese)
2. You need to eat meat and potatoes EVERY DAY
3. You start to think Kofola and tartarska omacka are good (Czech soda and tartar sauce)
4. "Cože? Prosím! It's futsking dobře, isn't it?" are all part of your lexicon yet the only complete sentence you can actually form in Czech is “Jedno pivo prosím” (one beer please)
5. You don't feel shocked when your boss says "Fakt yo!" because you know it doesn't mean what you thought you heard. (It means Oh, really?!)
6. You drink 4L of beer and are not drunk yet
7. You measure the beer you drink by litre instead of bottle or glass
8. You don't gag on the absinth shots
9. You know how to dance to 80's music without having to get drunk very fast first
10. (girls) You start wearing ridiculously short skirts in the winter
11. You use the "display toilets" and don't check out what's there anymore
12. You blow your nose loudly, in public. Even at the table when people are eating
13. You wear socks and sandals at work
14. You say "Jesus Maria!" when you are frustrated, or "kurva!" when something goes wrong
15. You believe Czechs when they tell you slivovice cures illnesses
16. You get used to walking out of a restaurant or a bar smelling like an ashtray and feel very suspicious of restaurants or any public place marking itself as non-smoking
17. When new arrivals ask you what are the first 5 Czech words to learn, you rank "pivo" (beer) above "dobrý den" (good day) and "děkuji" (thank you)
18. When soon leavers ask you what are the typical souvenirs to buy you say "pivo, absinth, and bohemian crystal" without one second of thought
19. (boys) One of the first questions you ask a girl you meet is how old they are (just to make sure they're not 17!)
20. You can hold lengthy discussions on the quality and characteristics of many, many kinds of Czech beer and the merits of different Czech alcohols
21. You think it's weird when people you don't know smile at you or when anyone working in a restaurant or store is nice to you
22. You immediately decide to tip when anyone working in a restaurant smiles at you
Additions, prosím. Reflect, smile and share.
1. You crave smazeny syr (fried cheese)
2. You need to eat meat and potatoes EVERY DAY
3. You start to think Kofola and tartarska omacka are good (Czech soda and tartar sauce)
4. "Cože? Prosím! It's futsking dobře, isn't it?" are all part of your lexicon yet the only complete sentence you can actually form in Czech is “Jedno pivo prosím” (one beer please)
5. You don't feel shocked when your boss says "Fakt yo!" because you know it doesn't mean what you thought you heard. (It means Oh, really?!)
6. You drink 4L of beer and are not drunk yet
7. You measure the beer you drink by litre instead of bottle or glass
8. You don't gag on the absinth shots
9. You know how to dance to 80's music without having to get drunk very fast first
10. (girls) You start wearing ridiculously short skirts in the winter
11. You use the "display toilets" and don't check out what's there anymore
12. You blow your nose loudly, in public. Even at the table when people are eating
13. You wear socks and sandals at work
14. You say "Jesus Maria!" when you are frustrated, or "kurva!" when something goes wrong
15. You believe Czechs when they tell you slivovice cures illnesses
16. You get used to walking out of a restaurant or a bar smelling like an ashtray and feel very suspicious of restaurants or any public place marking itself as non-smoking
17. When new arrivals ask you what are the first 5 Czech words to learn, you rank "pivo" (beer) above "dobrý den" (good day) and "děkuji" (thank you)
18. When soon leavers ask you what are the typical souvenirs to buy you say "pivo, absinth, and bohemian crystal" without one second of thought
19. (boys) One of the first questions you ask a girl you meet is how old they are (just to make sure they're not 17!)
20. You can hold lengthy discussions on the quality and characteristics of many, many kinds of Czech beer and the merits of different Czech alcohols
21. You think it's weird when people you don't know smile at you or when anyone working in a restaurant or store is nice to you
22. You immediately decide to tip when anyone working in a restaurant smiles at you
Additions, prosím. Reflect, smile and share.
posted by Jenny H. at 17:02
14 Comments:
It's so true! And I miss it so much:)
ahoj! :) thanks jenny ("huuuuuuu are you.. hu hu! hu hu") for inviting me back into club andel. A special place indeed. I have some sweet memories from way back in Aug 03 when a certain greasy sanchez inhabited the sloped ceiling room.
So....just a few more things to add to the list from my 2 and a bit day's experience in Praha:
- You've stopped wondering why there like a gazillion different versions of sparkling water, and only 1 of NORMAL still dobré voda?!.
- You don't get dizzy from the extraordinary speed, steepness and length/height of the subway escalators
- You don't laugh out loud at couples wear matching outfits or girls wearing fluffy leg warmers with short short skirts
Absinth is awesome but I was disappointed that I didn't hallucinate.
Has anyone else slipped and fallen while taking a shower half folded over under that ridiculously low slopped ceiling?
Hi there good people at Andel,
my name is John and I am a friend of Raph's from Australia, I'm headed to Prague tomorrow (bit late notice) but can't get through to Raph (I have his old mobile)...
if anyone gets this message could they email john.westgarth(at)aiesec.net with Raph's or someone else's mob number?
that would awesome, apologies for the late notice,
cheers
W
no probs, all sorted, the Raph man has spoken wise words of wisdom and contact has been made.
w
I thought of 2 more! Mango, I will put you in charge of the full list since you don't like my edits.
-You measure money in terms of how much beer you can purchase. For example: If I buy this fabric softener instead of that one, I save 15 crowns. That's like an entire male pivo! (small beer-.3L)
-You don't even think it's weird anymore when really unattractive guys have hot girlfriends
I'm sure I'll think of more since I don't do anything but stare out of the window at work all day. Cau!
-You don't laugh out loud at someone's surname Homolova, because you've seen Fuksova.
(No offense)
I miss the fried cheese...!:) and the shower room is definitely a challenge..:) good to have the other showers as back up...
thanks for amazing time Jenny...;)
Devrim, you need to down the whole bottle, you certainly won't hallucinate after one shot ;-). Never tried it and never will ;-) but I'm sure it works !!!
One addition from me:
- You stop bringing your camera everywhere cause you're tired of the pressure of taking amazing photographs.
- Czech Koruna notes no longer seem like monopoly money
- The lengths of your clubbing nights are governed only by the sunrise and returning home at that time is no longer an exception.
- Eating out for under 100 Crowns gives you a little thrill
- You used to be put off by excessive PDA in public, but are now guilty of it yourself.
I'm in total agreement with Aruna on the money/beer comparisons and the consumption measurements, "I drank like 5 liters of beer last night!" Always gets a funny look out of my friends back here
Keep the good times rolling at my beloved Andel!
Five more:
-- You visit other countries, and try to pay for the free water.
-- You visit peoples homes, and try to pay for the bathroom.
-- You think people who smile at you must have just stolen something from you or are at least mentally unstable (was that one already said?)
-- You don't hire married women because you know they're just going to get pregnant and stay at home, and cost your up and coming business lots of money.
-- T-shirts that say "When I want your opinion, I'll remove my dick from your mouth" don't mkae you flinch.
Hahaha! so funny! I was laughing all the time... but there's still missing something... about czech cops! Look at that one...
-Smoking haschish in a parc, in the middle of bunch of drunk gypsies, and 3 cops walk and look at you, and decide to keep walking (maybe it's less complited for them to act that way, than to try to speak english to you!)
Funny, we've been doing the same thing :-)
http://capharnaum.wordpress.com/2007/02/13/you-know-you%e2%80%99ve-been-in-czech-republic-too-long-when%e2%80%a6/
Living in Prague for 3 years, and i couldn't agree more with you all!!
Great list, a must-read for all the new-commers.
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