Czech and Slovak moms abroad

Honey, let’s get a foreign babysitter! /Chceme ceskou/slovenskou aupairku!

babysitterLenka, also known as Slovak Mama, recently came out with a brilliant service-oriented website called “Postaram sa” (I wrote about it here). The English version is now available which means that it is now accessible to everyone who desires a foreign caretaker. This is what her website says:

‘Foreign Language Sitter was created to assist people who provide services in child care, senior care, pet care, housekeeping, and tutoring and who speak a foreign language. This site is for families that want their care taker to speak the same language that is spoken in their home or want to teach their child a foreign language.’

So if you are looking for a Czech/Slovak babysitter or any other caretaker check it out here!

If you liked this post buy me a coffee! (Suggested:$3 a latte $8 for a pound) Thanks!

Tagged as: children, Czech and Slovak moms abroad, pets, practical

{ 3 comments }

Vote YES (or NO??) on a Cleaning lady!! / Volte ANO (nebo NE??) pro Uklizecku!!

cleaning lady google imageSince house-cleaning is a huge business in the US I was wondering how many of you, Czech and Slovak ladies, hire (or would hire) a house cleaning lady? If you have not been brought up in Czech or Slovakia let me give you a little bit of a background on this situation. Back when I was a child everyone cleaned their house himself – there was no question about it. Having a cleaning lady coming to scrub your toilets meant that you were either really rich (which was unlikely) or there was something physically wrong with you (sickness, injury, old age). If you were to suggest those services to some woman during those years she would probably laugh at you and said something like: “What? Are you crazy? Why would I let some stranger in the house AND pay him money, if I can do that stuff myself?”.

I haven’t heard of such ‘magical’ services until I came to the US and I have to say I was kind of apprehensive of it at first. And I admit, I would still probably not hire any cleaning help just because I am a stay-home mom (and also a blogger!!) and I have more time to clean than someone who works full-time. But also, if someone were to clean my house, I would probably end up feeling bad for that lady the whole time she was there, wanting to help her! You know what is the worst about this whole business? Some of my American friends do use house-cleaning services  and they actually clean before the cleaning crew comes so that they would not feel embarrassed about their ‘real’ mess!!! Now, what is the point of that?? Just clean the whole house when you are at it!! [click to continue…]

If you liked this post buy me a coffee! (Suggested:$3 a latte $8 for a pound) Thanks!

Tagged as: culture, Czech and Slovak moms abroad

{ 24 comments }

Introducing Czech and Slovak organizations in the US: The Czech and Slovak Association in Boston / Poznejte Ceske a Slovenske organizace v USA: Ceska a Slovenska spolecnost v Bostonu

The founders of the association: Estera Mlch, Renata Dutton, and Maria Grantham. Do you keep coming across these Czech and Slovak organizations but have no clue what they do or what are they like? Well, I am officially creating a new series of interviews where we are going to meet their true faces. My first catch is the Czech and Slovak Association in Boston. The founders are these 3 very nice ladies – Estera Mlch, Renata Dutton, and Maria Grantham (see the picture above) -  who have always been so nice to me so they get to be historically the first ones to be interviewed:

1/ Hi Renata, can you introduce your organization a bit? How did it come around and whose idea was it?

This year we celebrated the 5th anniversary of our organization and we are so very proud of it. For me the whole idea probably started  when I was home with my one-year-old daughter and I needed some intellectual fulfillment in my life besides the regular mom stuff.  I also missed other Czechs and Slovaks and that’s why my Slovak girlfriends Marika and Ester and I put our brains together and realized the unfortunate fact: Boston lacked information on Czech and Slovak happenings in America. We do have the Masaryk Club but this organization concentrates on other things. That is why we created our website and registered our organization. At first we started advertising events made by other organizations and later held our own events. I have to say, we have gotten quite far – getting the recognition from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Czech Embassy and other organizations. [click to continue…]

If you liked this post buy me a coffee! (Suggested:$3 a latte $8 for a pound) Thanks!

Tagged as: Czech and Slovak moms abroad, Czech and Slovak organizations in the US, Czech/Slovak groups abroad, Czechs in Boston

{ 1 comment }