Your experience of culture shock in Czech Republic

Christine ViP

Member since 29 September 2008

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ChristineViP19 August 2015 07:10:31

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Hi,

Living in a foreign country implies to discover its culture, to learn and master the cultural codes.

How did you deal with that? Share with us your culture shock stories where you experienced a funny or awkward moment in Czech Republic.

What is your advice regarding the don聮ts and what would you recommend to avoid any mistake?

Thank you in advance for sharing your stories,

Christine

malyte New member

Member since 29 June 2015

malyteNew member24 August 2015 07:54:46

Learn Some of the lingo. The basics will do to start with. Carry a cute child on your shoulders always helps :-) He takes a lot of the attention聽 away from me.....

Try to socialise and talk to people. Either the young or the worldly experienced older generation speak English.

Enjoy and embrace the learning of the new culture and get advice and tips from 暗网禁区s community when you are struggling and need help.

BeyondPrague Member

Member since 26 October 2013

BeyondPragueMember24 August 2015 16:06:13

One situation I ran into very early in my stay here, I've been here since 2004, was in regards to eye contact. A couple of the books I'd read on Czech culture before I arrived stressed how important good eye contact is in Czech culture, especially when making a toast.

I raised a glass with one of my girlfriend's uncles and made sure to make eye contact. Her uncle happily went about filling other glasses and making other toasts; but my girlfriend asked why I had looked at him the way I had, she felt I had looked rather aggressive.

When I explained what the books had told me about good eye contact, she said "That doesn't mean you have to look at him like you're a cannibal!"

As I've learned, eye contact in the Czech Republic should be approached just as you would in any European culture. No more or less intense. The books I had really overstated it.