This past week I had the pleasure of getting to know about 30 teenagers from the Czech Republic. My church helped give me this opportunity, as we are helping another church in Prague put on an ESL and American sports camp for the teens there. As one could imagine, there were many things I quickly learned from being immersed in their world, even if only for a few days. I hope these entertain you as much as they did me!
1. "Ano" in Czech means "yes" in English.
It honestly can't get more confusing than this.
2. My water is your water.
When we were playing sports, we would often bring water bottles out to the fields with us. It was to our dismay that when we would finally stop for water breaks, our water would already be gone. We later found out that the Czechs are quite comfortable picking up any random person's water bottle and just chugging it. That takes courage, I'll give them that.
3. They don't have marshmallows/s'mores.
As devastating as this is, we brought them some good ole Hersheys, jumbo marshmallows and graham crackers and taught them the American way. P.S.They loved it!
4. Sandwich meat/cheese goes on top of the bread, not in it.
I know what you must be thinking — this is an outrage! Yes, I thought so too at first; however, with some types of bread (like this kind), it's actually a pretty good idea. 1- Czechs, 0- Americans.
5. Kofola is king!
This cough-syrupy concoction is a Czech favorite. It looks a little like beer, but it's actually just a soda. They tried to describe it to me by comparing it to Dr. Pepper. If you ever pay the Czech Republic a visit, don't fall for that lie.
6. Though they recently got their name changed to Czechia, they still call it Czech Republic.
And if you still call it Czechoslovakia, just go home ...
7. You haven't played Uno until you've played Czech Uno.
They make the game much more interesting with a few added rules: everyone puts their hand in the middle when 7s are played (last one to do so gets carded), everyone has to be silent on 4s (or else you also get carded), and a 0 being played forces everyone to switch hands with the person to their left. Okay, so now Czechs- 2, Americans- 0.
8. They only drink lukewarm milk.
I know, it's quite upsetting. Because of the way it's pasteurized, it doesn't technically have to be refrigerated. Regardless, lukewarm milk and I are something that just don't mix. No more milk for me until I'm back in the U.S. of A.!
9. Liver paste is a ... Czech delicacy?
Not only is there just regular liver paste, but there is also spicy liver for your enjoyment as well. Sounds amazing, right ...
10. They think our desserts are way too sweet ... Example: They don't like icing on their cakes or make brownies. That's okay, more for me!
11. They are the original starters of the socks and sandals trend.
If you love socks and sandals but hate getting made fun of by your friends, just move to the Czech Republic! You'll fit right in.
Despite all the ways we are different, it has been made even more clear to me how we are all the same on the inside. We all love to laugh, to learn, to love, and to be loved in return. And no language barrier or foreign nationality could ever change that.
Until we meet again,
Claire
