Tim Nollen - CultureShock! Czech Republic: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

This edition published in 2008 by:
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eISBN : 978 981 4435 63 5

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All black and white photos from the author.

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Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from ones comfort zone. CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades, been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture shock whenever they move to a new country.

Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as possible again.

Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a culture, one must first understand the peoplewhere they came from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This is covered in the first half of the book.

Then on with the practical aspectshow to settle in with the greatest of ease. Authors walk readers through how to find accommodation, get the utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and keep in the pink of health. But thats not all. Once the essentials are out of the way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more about the business side of things.

To round off, snippets of basic information are offered before readers are tested on customs and etiquette of the country. Useful words and phrases, a comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also included for easy reference.

Czechs are relatively unknown outside their own country, so most people coming to the Czech Republic for the first time have little or no idea what to expect. As a small nation located in the heart of central Europe, the Czech lands have experienced an extraordinarily rich cultural developmentand a tumultuous political history, particularly in the 20th century. Forty-one years of Communism came abruptly to an end with the November 1989 Velvet Revolution, and since then the Czech lands have enjoyed an exuberant, refreshing, and often complicated independence on the path to membership in the European Union. The transformation to a democratic, market-based society has brought about fundamental change to the people, yet through it all the Czechs retain a unique pride and a humble, quirky zest for life.

Getting to know the Czechs and their culture can be an enriching, if at times trying experience. The purpose of this book is to help you anticipate the differences you will encounter, and ultimately help you not only appreciate thesebe they joys or difficultiesbut come to love them. Youll probably find, as most long-term foreign residents do, that when the time comes to leave, you wont want to go.

A disclaimer must be made: the perspective taken here is an American one. That said, I have tried to take as Czech a perspective on things as possible, and I would note that my American viewpoint may have been tempered somewhat after having lived in England and Belgium in stages of my life prior to living in the Czech Republic and having since been married to a wonderful Czech woman for many years. The commentary provided in this book is the result of personal observations, interviews with Czech and foreign nationals on the general topic, and interpretations of published sociological research. I have tried throughout to maintain as balanced a perspective as possible, though at times this may come forth as either overexuberant or overly critical. Certainly, my own cultural background and personal opinions show through at times. While generalising, these comments do attempt to capture common traits and mannerisms of the Czech people; it helps that the country is quite small and homogeneous. While certain of these do not apply to all people in all situations, I hope youll find this to be a useful guide to understanding both common foreign perceptions of Czechs, and general Czech perceptions of themselves and others.

The Czech Republic I came to know in the early 1990s was vibrant and welcoming, especially to Americans such as myselfbut times and attitudes have shifted somewhat since, and the eagerness with which foreigners (especially Americans) were received has become more a weariness. Lets face it: western, particularly American, culture and lifestyles have saturated the Czech Republic, and many Czechs are frankly tired of it all by now. All the more imperative to assimilate and respect the culture you are about to learnand all the more opportunity to make real friends and have real professional progress by really sinking in. Most importantly, remember that your experience in the Czech Republic will only be what you make of it.

This book is about living in the Czech Republic, as opposed to travelling there, and the focus is more on life in Prague, which is where more expatriates in the country are located. The perspective applies to Czechs in general and I have made every effort to incorporate insights from other regions as well, gleaned from family and friends living in smaller towns throughout the country.