- Czech Republic has about 10 500 000 inhabitants (slightly larger the Michigan). 10 % (nearly 1 300 000 = Dallas, TX) lives in Prague, the capital of CZ. The second most populous city, Brno, has about 400 000 inhabitants (= Raleigh, NC or Oakland, CA).
- Area of Czech Republic is about 30,450 sq miles (78,866 km2), slightly smaller than South Carolina.
- Czech language is considered one of the most difficult languages in the world, because of it's grammar and irregularities. On the other hand there's no difference between written and spoken spelling.
- Major religion is catholic, but Czech Republic is the most atheistic country in the world.
- The White House equivalent is the Prague Castle, where Czech president (Václav Klaus) seats. Prague Castle is the world's biggest ancient castle.
Money
- 1 USD is about 18-20 Kč (CZK, Czech Koruna/Crown). It's good to search for the best exchange rate or know where to go, otherwise you can get very bad rate! Never exchange money with a stranger on the street.
- Most stores accepts Visa and Maestro payment cards (charge, credit, debit), some of them Diner Club and American Express as well. Many stores accepts euros, almost no one accepts dollars.
- Tax ("DPH", 20 % standard rate, 14 % reduced rate) is already included in a price. What you see is what you'll pay.
- Czechs use primary cash (Czech Koruna) and debit cards (even if they say "credit card"). Very popular are wire transfers (money transfers from one bank to another). Checks are almost unknown thing in CZ, known just because of presence in movies.
- Average salary is $16,000.00 per year, however 2/3 of population don't reach it. Netto median salary (after taxes) is about $10,200.00. I know it might look like poverty, but everyday living costs in CZ are much lower, than in the US. The salary is often paid every month (usually about 10th of the month); monthly salary is a prime way of earning measurement. Czechs have about a half of Americans purchase power.
Food and Drink
- Lunch is the main meal of the day.
- Typical cost of lunch in non-tourist areas is $4.50 (soup and/or drink may (or may not) be included in the price).
- You don't need to give a tip at all. If you're satisfied, round the price up to tens (twenties, fifties... depending on level of your satisfaction), no policy/standard, like 10 % from total amount, applied in CZ.
- "Soda" means carbonated water ONLY. No extra flavor at all.
- In CZ there are McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Subway, T.G.I. Friday's, Hooters; staff usually speak English. No Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts, 7-Eleven, Taco Bell, Arby's, White Castle etc.
- McDonald's has something like „Dollar menu“, for 20 CZK you can get e.g. cheeseburger. Big Mac menu costs about $6.00. Apple pie in CZ has seasonal different flavors too.
- You can find free refill at Subway and some KFCs, but nowhere else; it's mostly uncommon thing.
- Every store sells Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola brands, but no caffeine-free versions. No global possibility to buy root beer in CZ as well as in Europe, Dr Pepper has been re-introduced in Globus and Billa store chains.
- "Light" beverage means "Diet" (Pepsi Light = Diet Pepsi).
- Drinking alcoholic beverages incl. beer is not prohibited on public (!), you can drink whatever you want wherever you want. Also you can buy beer or liquor in every supermarket; more expensive bottles are kept near cashiers (usually register no.1 - for security reasons). Don't forget to taste Slivovice (hard liquor from plums) and Becherovka (herbal bitter)!
- Beers are sold mostly in 0.5 l (16.9 oz) bottles. Czech beer is known as the best in the world and Czechs are the best in beer consumption in the world.
Transportation
- If you need to use a taxi, find a "Fair Place" sign. Unfortunately, Prague is well known for huge overcharging, and "Fair Place" is guaranteed and controlled.
- Public transportation is safe (except for few pickpockets). Safety in CZ is very good in general.
- In Prague, public transportation costs about $1.70 for 90 mins (free to change) and $5.70 for a day. Kids up to 15 years of age travels for discounted price, kids up to 6 years are free of charge. If you have Czech SIM card in your cell phone, you can use SMS Ticket.
- Bus 119 will get you from the Ruzyně Airport to nearest subway station (Dejvická, line A - green), it's about 20 minutes. You can ask in DPP (Prague public transport company) kiosk at the airport (public area of the arrival hall).
- Compared to US, in CZ is everything very close. You can drive 4 or 5 hours from one end of the country to the other.
- Speed limit on highways is 80 mph (130 „kph“ or „km/h“ - kilometers per hour), planned to be raised in some sections to 100 mph (160 kph). In towns a speed limit is 31 mph (50 kph), off towns 56 mph (90 kph).
- No turn right on red, no 4-way stops. Traffic lights are in front of crossroads. Pedestrians have absolute right to go (where no lights are).
- Czechs used to drive smaller cars than Americans. Most popular is domestic brand "Škoda", part of the german Volkswagen Group Company.
- Fuel is more expensive, costs about $6.60 / gallon. Primary unit of volume is 1 liter = 0.26 gallons (1 gallon = 3.78 liters).
Expectations
- Almost no air conditioning, usually except for supermarkets, malls and some restaurants or small casinos (it's usually written on the window or somewhere).
- Cell phone frequencies are 900 and 1800 MHz. If your phone is only 850/1900 MHz, it won't work in CZ, you'll need a quad band phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). You can get prepaid SIM card with no personal data required for about 250 CZK (cca 15 USD).
- Wall sockets are different and electricity is different too - 230V, 50 Hz. Cell phone chargers and laptop AC adaptors usually works just with socket converter, but for shavers or blowdryers you'll need an electricity convertor.
- Everybody under 30 should speak or at least understand English, even a little. If you need to ask, focus on high school/college students (especially at subway endstation Dejvicka, which is closest to the Prague Airport and serves for 3 colleges as well)
- No skyscrapers in CZ, tallest building is City Tower in Prague, 27 floors / 436 ft (109 m) tall.
- No amusement parks like Disney or Six Flags in CZ. You can find rides (mostly mobile, usually from Netherland) every spring in Prague-Výstaviště during the Matějská pouť event. There is the only Czech permanent roller coaster too.
- Czechs don't use to chat spontaneously with strangers about stuff, especially not in public transportation during rush hour (don't try, you may get different response than you expect :). But they're usually very helpful, so don't worry to ask for help or directions. Focus on people bellow 30.
- Gun keeping is prohibited except for gun license holders.
- Many American movies in cinemas are translated only by subtitles, except for dubbed movies for kids or 3D movies. Average price of a movie in cinema is about $9.00 ($12.00 for 3D).
- CZ is full of white (Caucasian) people. You can find many cultures here, but usually not too often. Czechs are tolerant to all different races usually but gypsies (no offense, bad experience :)
- You don't find Czech flags as often as American flag in the US. Czech flag is respected Czech symbol, hanged just for special occasions, like national holidays, sport events (except for hotels, along with other flags). Czech flag is protected by law, it's illegal to modify it (e.g. writing or painting on it).
- In CZ there are popular Do-It-Yourself, so there are 4 different store chains similar to The Home Depot.
- Czech Republic is a member of NATO (1999) and European Union (2004). In addition, within EU is part of Schengen Area, which brings no border patrols inside member states. It's good to know that EU is not the same system as USA has. USA acts like 1 country, but EU is a group of independent sovereign states.
- You don't need entry visa to enter Czech Republic.
- Czech health care is public (except for some private clinics). People pay health insurance from their wages every month (13.5 %).
- CZ uses metric system and different paper format, than US - A4. US letter paper is 8.5 × 11 in, A4 is 8.27 × 11.69 in.
- CZ uses 24-hour clock ("6" = 6 AM, "12" = noon, "18" = 6 PM, "0"/"24" = midnight)
Education
- Czech education is in general very good. There is a shift in naming between English and Czech language - elementary school is called basic school, high school is called middle school and college is called high school. Grammar school in CZ is called „Gymnasium“ - it's nothing about P.E.!
- After optional kindergarten there are 9 mandatory years of elementary school (5 years 1st level, 4 years 2nd level), starting at age 6 or 7. During 9th grade, kids (age 14-15) are choosing a high school.
- High school is optional, but required for, let's say, non-minimum-wage jobs. High school is 3 years without graduation (mechanics, cooks, plumber... optional 2 year upgrade for graduation) or 4 years with graduation (grammar school, technical school). Graduation is like final exam, consists of usually practical exam and/or essay and finally 4 verbal exams (Czech language - literature and grammar, foreign language and 2 depending on type of school (accounting, economics, computers, math, art etc.). The exam's output (if success) is a school-leaving certificate, which is required for college entrance exams or for employer as a proof of education.
- College is 3 years for bachelor (Bc.), next 2 years for magister (Mgr.) or masters (Ing.), next 3 or 4 years for doctorate (Ph.D.) and so on. Top level is professors (Prof.), who are nominated by president of CZ.
Famous Czechs
- Karel Čapek [chapek], writer. His brother Josef invented the word „Robot“ for Karel's novel R.U.R.
- St. Václav (Wenceslas), Czech patron - celebrated on September 28 (national holiday).
- Václav Havel, former president
- Jaromír Jágr, hockey player (#68)
Public holidays
- Jan 1: Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State; New Year's Day
- Mar, Apr: Easter Monday
- May 1: Labour Day
- May 8: Liberation Day
- Jul 5: Saints Cyril and Methodius Day
- Jul 6: Jan Hus Day
- Sep 28: St. Wenceslas Day (Czech Statehood Day)
- Oct 28: Independent Czechoslovak State Day
- Nov 17: Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day
- Dec 24: Christmas Eve
- Dec 25: Christmas Day
- Dec 26: St. Stephen's Day (Czech: "The Second Christmas Day")
Unlike many European countries, sunday shopping is common in Czech Republic. Some Tesco stores (similar to Walmart) are opened nonstop, usually except Dec 25. Typical supermarket business hours are from 7 AM to 8 or 9 PM (20 or 21 in 24hr).
Further reading
If you want to know more from a "back stage" of Czechs, I recommend a book "The Xenophobe's Guide to the Czechs" by Petr Berka, Ales Palan and Petr Stastny. It describes quite accurately all ups and downs of Czechs.
