• All-you-can-eat buffets (I still can’t believe it!!)
• cheap clothing (love Target)
• People’s positive attitude
• Bridal/baby showers
• Option of going to school until you are 100 years old
• Free water and bread and butter in restaurants
• Food to go (dogie bags)
• Free soda refills
• Widespread use of deodorants
• Teachers at school actually build you up rather than tear you down
Czechmatediary
Small Bohemian Steps to World Domination….
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Non-smoking sections.
People in your neighborhood don’t steal your stuff. You can leave your mountain bike, lawnmower, rollerblades, skis, (or whatever doesn’t go in the house) outside and it is still there the next day, week, and month.
Don’t you love it? I don’t even lock my car (well, it’s not a piece of jewel but still….). The other day I left my engagement ring in the gym locker and guess what …someone RETURNED IT!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!!!
Well,one beautiful thing about living in the USA:You can buy anything and if you do not like it,just take it back! Which does not really work in the Czech Repulic.
Totally agree with your list Tanja and also everyone above! Non-smoking is big deal for me!!!
I have some to add:
Drive throughs – bank, dry cleaning, food, pharmacy, etc. Very convenient!
Dry cleaners on every corner and done often on the same day!
Dryers… my mom and dad immediately bought one after they visited us.
Great sushi.
Storage units for rent, U-haul trucks.
Everything can be done online.
Convenience of having my own car and being able to park everywhere (I know this is a dual edge sword as I also love Czech public transportation especially after a party).
Drive through dry cleaners, huh? That’s crazy!
I don’t even know how sushi in Czech tastes like – I bet they sneak in some raw carp instead of a raw salmon 😉
Lol! Carp sushi! As an American in Brno I must say a number of sushi joints have popped up here in the last two years and more and more of my Czech friends are listing it as their favourite ethnic food. I still find it better back in the States, or at the least, the quality for the price paid. There’s one place here that’s really good, but for over 1000 kc a person for a light dinner. I stuff myself with sushi everytime I’m back in the states. Oh, I’m still chuckling at the idea of carp sushi 🙂
24 hour grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, gas stations, veterinary hospitals. Discount grocery & bulk stores & dollar stores. Huge resale stores that benefit charity. These I’m not sure if Czech Republic has or not (you’ll need to let me know): Animal rescue and welfare groups, state and federal animal welfare laws.
Huge variation in climate, environment, wildlife, topography of United States’ different states.
But, I’m also so glad to be reminded of many things I enjoy that I had taken for granted ~ thank you for the reminder, Tanja!
Your boss is Jack, not mister White, or Brooks, or whatever. Waitresses are fun to talk to. Steak, smoked ham – meat in general, comes in better quality. Car accidents are usually handled by all parties (including the cops) in a civilized manner. Strangers will help you. In hospitals and medical offices, you are treated with respect and dignity. It’s OK if you go to church, and it’s OK if you do not.
If you can pay for something, you can have it.
The biggest thing – no one scrutinizes you here…
Raw carp…brrrrr…..:)
I forgot the main one – the WEATHER!!! That is of course based on location but I enjoy sunny days most of the year and cold only rarely here in Texas….not missing Czech winters that often last half a year!
Evco, yes I feel you as I am writing this comment from a beautiful sunny California 🙂
Martine – check marks on all of your points – especially the friendly waiters.
Debi – all of your points are slowly creeping in to the Czech Republic. Not sure if they are as big as Cosco for example but they are big…starting with Ikea
Josie – 1,000KC for a light dinner! With a dollar being only 16KC right now that would be way too much even for Americans
In New Jersey it is forbidden to smoke in public places. I love it. I can’t stand the cigarette smoke
Once I put out old wash machine for collection and wrote “Steal me!”….Nobody took it….
I changed it to “Still working. Take me for free!” …and it was gone
Once mu son lost wallet with credit cards and his driving license. Guess what!! Somebody drove to closest Police station and returned it….And guess what !!! The police from the other township drove to our house 15 miles to give it to us…. and guess what!! The person whi returned the craedit cards wanted to remain anonymous…..
my boss is not Jack, my boss in Jackass
The President doesn’t steal stuff live on TV 😉
… and if he did, he’d be out of office faster than you can say Jack Schitt.
Yeah…and the President does not lie 😉
you are allow to try things on and not buy them without getting dirty looks!:)
I don’t feel good while reading your comments – almost offended actually. You ALL describe Czech people like a gang of rude thieves who have no idea how to behave in public or even shop corectly! You’re complaining about every single thing including weather! I’m sure you know how climate works, don’t you?
Sorry for the mistakes, I’m typing in English just to be sure everyone understands me.
(And Obama lies. Every politician does.)
Klaro, that’s why this is called “Part I” – “Part II” is coming very soon and then we will complain about America! 🙂
I hate to sound like the party pooper, but you guys still sound like you’re visiting. A REAL American bitches about their country because they CAN ;PPPP
All-you-can-eat buffets (I still can’t believe it!!)
– it’s healthier to eat your shoe, that’s how much poison and lack of nutrition is in that food. Overpriced if you ask me.
• cheap clothing (love Target)
– and when those little hands are making the 75% mark ups they don’t get much pay either, plus if you like the feel of polyester on your skin, I get it, but most of it is chemically treated.
• People’s positive attitude
– sure. Try buying a wedding dress when the sales are on. Getting onto a packed bus or train. Try hailing a cab in NYC. Try sitting in the opposition side at a football game. Meet a New Yorker. Go stand in line to vote with a broken leg and no health insurance. Come back from a war, your wife is sleeping with the neighbor and you have no job. Graduate from college to working in McDonalds with a philosophy degree.
• Bridal/baby showers
– what the HELL ARE THESE???!!! Hahaha
• Option of going to school until you are 100 years old
– I’ll give you that. No one really cares as long as you’re willing to pay, there are plenty of good for nothing classes taught. Good luck finding a job tough.
• Free water and bread and butter in restaurants
– yes, but the tap water is poisoned and butter gives you heart attacks you can’t afford to treat.
• Food to go (dogie bags)
– again, it depends on what kind of food and I think even back in Czech you can take your burt on the road with you ;))
• Free soda refills
– soda breaks your bones and makes you into a chronic patient, so why not?
• Widespread use of deodorants
– hallelujyaaah! That one I won’t touch. I thank God for that everyday!
• Teachers at school actually build you up rather than tear you down
– they’re afraid of law suits, that’s why they don’t hug you either ;)))
I like tough love!
Klarko!
Ty jsi ta co prodava ty yummy cookies? Jestli jo tak si je vsichni zde kupte, jsou bezva!!
Klara, I am so sure the weather is fault of the whole Czech gang 😀
Klara, nevim, jak se cesky rekne sarkasmus, a to je vetsinou co pouzivam :)) Toto sarkasmus nebyl
All-you-can-eat buffets …..
we have a very good all you can eat Sushi bar here in New Jersey and yes, it is expensive, but not overpriced. I am sure, you would prefer eating sushi to eating MY shoe 🙂
Regarding cheap clothing….. right. I buy with conscience, and only then with wallet.
Positive attitude …….I love New York City !!!! 🙂
Bridal/baby showers ….I take shower by myself 😉
Option of going to school until you are 100 years old…Have no time to get smarter, have to make money ..:(
Free water and bread and butter in restaurants….I usually buy Italian water $8 bottle, bread is free and I can’t believe it is not butter 🙂
Food to go …. if the food is moving, it is not certainly good 🙂
Free soda refills … brainwashing
Widespread use of deodorants …. deodorants kill pheromones 😉
School …. For the property tax I am paying, teachers should go around the school with a cart and offer free shoeshine to children …..
I love America, I really do. I like that everybody is entitled to own opinion …. Many time I have several opinions at the same time ….that’s what I call to be free 🙂
MariKa, you are the most Czech person I have ever seen 😀
I doubt it. I have American mentality, sorry. Um, and ‘seen’ ? :PPP
Tanjo, chápu :). Možná se mi zdá trošku nešťastné nadepsat článek jako ‘srovnávací’, když většina věcí v Česku není. Přece jak můžeš srovnávat, když máš jen jednu věc k porovnávání? 😉 (A na druhou část se těším :D). Možná by to mohlo spíš znít ’10 things which should work in Czech republic!’ Co? 🙂
MariKo, ne, to nejsem já, ale nevadí ;). Dělej reklamu na yummy cookies, těch není nikdy dost!
Vlastimil(e?), sarkasmus je sarkasmus všude ;). A chápu ho. Nicméně se mi nelíbí, proto jsem se ozvala.
MariKa…ok ok ….not seen, but rather read 😉
Klara, mas pravo na to, aby se ti neco nelibilo…. Kazdy mame pravo na svuj nazor , za ktery jsem ochotni se poprat …..
Přesně tak! 🙂
Kromě toho jsem v podstatě nemínila adresovat zrovna tebe, jelikož tvoje připomínky jsou opravdu obvykle vtipné a chytré, ale četla jsem je až po všech těch, které mne naštvaly. Byla to taková ta pověstná špička ledovce, víš :).
Yes lots of good things here , but lots of good in Czech Republic that is not here in the States too I bet!
When you are bored, check out my blog at http://onwardtoourpast.blogspot.com.
I talk alot about Bohemia and Czech Republic
Scott
Klara, kazda mince ma dve strany . Tady na blogu jsem vetsinou vtipny a chytry….ale nechtej me poznat v normalnim zivote …..;)
Dam to sem jen pro to aby jste vsichni meli kraasne vanoce tento rok – her stuff is so delicious!
Tell her Katrin sent you!! I actually put Klara’s cookies into my movie, because the film I’m filming is a Russian classic story and I needed Eastern European pastry in the film. So far, I only have the first 15minutes. Need financing to complete the progect but it will be great. I’m confident. Anyway, here is a link to Klarka’s page: http://www.klarasgourmetcookies.com/
Vlastimil, souhlasím 😀 (že na netu dokáže být každý vtipný a chytrý)
Hele Vlastimil,
I take that as a compliment since I’m not Czech, glad to know some of it rubbed off while I lived there, however, proud American, actually, more so I call Boston my home, more than USA hahahaha. It’s a whole other planet, but only Bahstonians know that inside out ♥
MariKa, I know , Bahstonians are intelectual leftists and they have universal healthcare… How does it work?
The Kennedy’s ? Lol. We the people works in Mass.
Look, MA fought for everything and anything it needed to have. I’m proud to have grown up there. I often wonder what the heck I’m doing in Connect the f**ck, but when I moved here I really wanted a masters degree in writing (let the college remain nameless) and I happen to find an amazing op to buy a house, plus, yer know, in 2012 when the fit hits the shan at Christmas time I’d rather be farther away from the ocean shore than under the Pipeline ;P
Do they still burn witches in MA????
I guess burning witches in Salem is part of universal healthcare 😉
Oh shush! You know there’s no such thing as witches. Women with strong convictions have been prosecuted throughout history, not just here, but all over the world in the name of God, in the name of kings, in the name of jelito, kopyto, plati to. One day, we’re rule the universe! The female sperm they discovered in Germany is just step one!
As an American, reading all of the comments (in the begining), I found myself saying, “of course you can”; “what, of course”, “well certainly”. I began to think to myself, “How will I ever live in CR if you can’t do these things, i.e try on clothes, return items, leave your bike in the yard or your car unlocked, loose your wallet and expect someone to return it. Those are things I really figured everyone does. What an eye opener to think it doesn’t happen in CR.
MariKa, female sperm stinks to me 🙁
Tak to necuchej!
Katka z Ameriky, in all honesty I truly don’t think that happens in Czech or that you can categorize it to one particular place. There are plenty of places in the US I would not enter, let alone leave my purse on a table, ESPECIALLY in this economy! If you see the film Winter’s Bone you’ve got people eating squirrels too, that’s how it sunk is some parts. All over the midwest, people are turning in their pets to KILL shelters because they can barely feed themselves, if you think no one woul take your purse in those areas you’re kidding yourself. Everything depends on an individual case. Not all black people are great at basketball, not all jews are rich and not all Latinos can dance, just like there are plenty of whites who’ve got rhytm. You can’t generalize a country, like you can’t generalize people or living beings for that matter – not all pitt bulls bite! Bottom line is, don’t let a post like this stop you from living in Czech. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places ever. Make sure when you get there that you visit the nearby towns, the castles and spend some time in the country too. Emerse, that’s how you get to know people, not by reading about them. XO
Marika, the whole article is generalizing. Of course, there’s exceptions and not everyone in the country is the same. But don’t think so black and white. Allow some room for generalizations in your life. It just means “for the most part”, not that it’s an absolute truth in every circumstance.
Now, I’ve been to CR a few times and even had my wedding there. My husband’s parents live there and of course when we visit we stay with them and are immersed into the culture/country. We are hoping that some day, should it fit into our lives, we would live there for a short time – maybe 6 months or a year. The things I’m talking about that I would have to give up – according to this article – is trying on clothes before you buy them, taking home food from a restaurant, returning a purchased item you don’t want. I don’t think that is making generalizations about the country, it’s probably just true statements of things that aren’t normal in that country.
All I was saying is that I didn’t realize you don’t have those things over there. It was just eye opening for me.
That is exactly what I am NOT doing – thinking ‘black and white’
I’ma Buddhist, middle way, taking each individual situation, person, experience and news in with a balanced view of opposing information.
Living duality with a balanced way in the middle.
Not to pass judgement by generalizing, even for the ‘most part’.
Instead, living off personal experiences in all aspects. That is why I told KatkafromAmerika to forget what she reads and head over to Bohemia.
Thinking ‘black and white’ means saying for the ‘most part.’ For the ‘most part’ all pitt bulls bite? No, but they tend to be the breed that is mostly victimized by human dog fighters and abusers and LIKE ANY ANIMAL OR HUMAN WOULD can be made agressive or defensive. Circumstaces create life, hence you can’t generalize, even by using words like ‘for the most part’.
Saying one can never generalize is thinking “black n white”. Of course we all know that a generalization means that it’s just that, a generalization and obviously doesn’t apply to everyone. But those who can think outside the box can appreciate that generalizations do exists and they exist for a reason, because they are “for the most part” true. It’s those who can only think in black in white that have to reject all generalizations because they are not true for every circumstance and every person. Btw, I am katkazameriky I dont’ know why sometimes it shows up as Katka and sometimes it shows up as katkazamerky – perhaps it depends on which computer I’m using, I don’t sign in or anything, it’s already signed in when I get to the site. *shruggs shoulders*
I can think outside the box just fine.
FYI – just to clear up what black and white thinking means:
A false dilemma (also called false dichotomy, the either-or fallacy, fallacy of false choice, black-and-white thinking or the fallacy of exhaustive hypotheses) is a type of logical fallacy that involves a situation in which only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are additional options.
FINDING A MIDDLE WAY between two extremes is my way. Hope that is clear now. I acknowledge there are extremes, but I CHOSE to see a road between them.
I think generalization works quite well. And there are exceptions. That’s why they are exceptions.
For example people say, that most green people are criminals and most blue people are good people…
Well, there are exceptions, and some green people can be really good people, and some blue people can be real assholes. Each country, nation, ethnic group has some signs that we can generally say they are true.
There are certain characteristics. Tigers are usually not friendly animals, black bears , for example, are not as unfriendly as tigers.
Tell that to the Seuss family who raised Bart (Ledgend of the Fall, the Bear) and Tank ( Dr. Doolittle )
every animal is capable of being a pussycat and being a killer, that all depends on the environment and it’s the same reason why you can’t throw ANYONE in a bag (or a pytel, if you will) and assume that things are only black and why. They’re not. The gray area of life is hard, it’s something you need to make yourself available for and open to and when you do, you finally get to know people and animals for that matter as individuals not as labels, that is why I have friends republicans, democrats or liberals, because to me those are nothing more than labels.
As for your little IQ test type riddle :PPP
If most green people are criminals and most blue people are good people, and some green people are blue people, would you say that blue people are criminals?
Tell that to the Seuss family who raised Bart the Bear (Ledgend of the Fall) and Tank ( Dr. Doolittle)!
ANY creature can become a pussycat if shown love. Love teaches love.
Now you got me sounding like a hippie :PPP , but damn straight!
It’s when you can see past labels that you get to know people (and animals for that matter) as individuals.
There is nothing worse than throwing people into a bag – that is how prejudice grows.
I hope I am not misunderstood here, it would truly make me sad to not want to return.
I have grown to like this group, but sometimes, pointless arguments drain me.
As for your cute little IQ test type riddle:PP
If most green people are criminals and most blue people are good people, and green people are also blue people would you say blue people are criminals?
that is so funny that both my draft and my actual post, have posted. Interesting to see how I think when I re-think LOL
Marika, does it take you 13 minutes to write a discussion post? 😉
Dude do you know how much writing and translation I do? I work from home, so I start a post, then something happens, I get a call, I go to pee pee or my cat cuddles up with me, then I think I posted the damn thang or not and I write it again. Come you on brotha, don’t hurt me like that! 😛
(Um, that was a joke. Oh wait, you’re Czech, you know.)
U tell me if you could EVER resist this!
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i250/stagesamurai/2006_0910masha0009.jpg
If blue people will become green people, yes, then they will inherit attributes of green people.
And USA is a melting pot of the world. That’s why we Americans are such a rainbow 🙂
The “melting pot” thing is a double edged sword. One of the possible outcomes will be, that America will be the most interesting country to live in unless the balance in the rainbow will be destroyed.
Did we mention American junk food? I love love it. I love hamburgers, Chinese food to go, fries, donuts, hot dogs …..
Regarding hot dogs. There goes a story, that 2 East European immigrants just arrived to JFK airport and as they were hungry (they flew with “beep” airline) they decided to buy something to eat.
Since each of them arrived only with one dollar in their pocket , they could afford only a cheap food to buy. After a cab ride to Central Park, they went to a “food” vendor cart and saw a sign “Hot Dogs”….They saw the price, 50 cents one dog (it was before the depression) and made the choice. Each of them bought their hot dog. They got the serving in a brown bag and walk to a closest bench in the park.
They took a seat and quite embarrassed looked around. It was the first time in their live they ate a dog.
One of them opened the bag and quite scared asked the other guy: “What kind of part of dog did you get?” 😉
Marika, thank you for the link. Still I think dogs are hotter 🙂 (just kidding) 😉
Hm, a very predictable joke or suchy humor if you will 😉
Another thing I miss is Czech Sylvestr – I used to laugh my butt off to some really good jokes.
But speaking of dogs …
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2012382155067
for those not FB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DERMWiRIw-E
After reading all of the comments I just have to say that, although this is an intersting and fun topic, comparing life in the US to life in the CR is really like comparing apples to oranges. To understand my perspective here is some background on me: my parents are Czech and I was born here in the US. My wife is also Czech and I speak/read/write and have been immersed heavily in the culture. I have spent serveral months (usually summer vacation) in the former Czechoslovakia during communism and also in the CS/CR after the revolution in 1989. Here is why I have concluded that comparing the US (as a whole) to the CR is a futile debate. First of all the CR consists of about 96% Czech ethnicity (Czech, Moravian, Slovak) (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez.html), there is no such majority enthicity in the US and as such there is a “melting pot” of cultures and norms. Second the population of the CR (~10 million) is equivalent to that of some states in the U.S., much less than say New York or California and minisucule compared to the US (~300 million). The point I am trying to make is that it is very hard to make generalizations of the US as a whole. On the other hand it is somewhat easier to do so when looking at the CR e.g. the weather, culture, norms, etc. Having said all of that, many of the things that people have mentioned in here are the same things that I like or dislike about my life in the US. The beauty is that I can simply fly to the CR occassionaly if it is something that I just can’t live without. Finally, here is my general feeling about the US: The US is the worst place to live with the exception of all other countries.