Thoughts on Living in Prague
How to explain it? The weirdness of living modernly in an ancient-times city. America’s past howls in the winds of the prairie but Europe immobilized itself in spire and stone.
Living here, you get to look beyond the city’s general image. At first you’re a tourist, and all you notice is the stone majesty of Charles Bridge, and the dazzle of lights from Wenceslas Square. But then you blink and look around and see so much more— like how the Praguians take their dogs with them everywhere, and how the bakery sells fresh rolls out the back at 2 am. You’ll find yourself picking up small phrases, wishing “dobry den” to the grocer and throwing out a casual “naschla” when leaving a group of friends.
Overall the Czech Republic, I like it. Once you get over the initialities— the Praguians’ gruff exteriors, the devil-may-care attitudes about official formalities— it can be quite nice. That is, you can come to a truce with it, and the two of you can get along quite well, and enjoy each other. Strange sights become familiar and welcome. Statues and marvelously facaded buildings become friends to greet on your daily trek to work. The hieroglyphic names of tram and metro stops transition from nonsense (Masarykovo Namesti, Bila Labut) to meanings utilitarian and beautiful (train station, white swan).
I like it best when I’m walking down the street, especially some non-central everyday street where people actually live and work because it’s where I most belong in that just looking at me I might be Czech or European or anybody instead of my confused non-tourist American self, citizen-in-limbo by choice but not really.
Tags: Czech Republic, Europe, living abroad, Prague, Travel
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