Living and Working in Czech Republic
American expatriates and long-term visitors have been coming to the Czech Republic in droves for generations, and many of them will tell you that there is nowhere in Europe with more to offer in terms of hospitality, entertainment, culture, sports and outdoors activities, cost of living, and the ability for someone from outside the country to blend in almost perfectly after learning the language.
There are a few American customs which are looked upon askance here and which American newcomers will have to avoid. One is American informality. Czechs never put their feet on their desks. Women and men should not walk into a church with their hands in their pockets, it is considered disrespectful. In the old days women were not supposed to smoke on the streets – this has changed among the young. Czech women never cross their legs across their knee when they are in pants.
One thing that puts Americans off is that Czechs will tell you exactly how they feel when you ask them how they feel – Jak se mate? Yiak se mate? how are you?
Most Czechs will tell you, just o.k., or bad or not good or so so, because in fact, life is tough on them here, and often they don’t feel fine and are honest about it. Following that, Czechs are very likely to go on to tell you in some detail about the medical problems that their family, children or friends have. Very rarely would they tell you any other detail about their personal lives, but they seem to delight in discussing their maladies…
would love to know if the Czech republic and other countries out there need an Orthopaedic surgeon or a physician executive as myself so I can put to best use my US, Hopkins fellow, MD.MBA.
Keep me posted please.
Thanks and much success in all your ventures as well.
I know you posted this a while ago, but they may be in need of lots of surgeons and doctors soon as a large number of doctors are threatening to mass exodous from the Czech for better paying opportunities in places like Germany. Many of the doctors there believe that they are overworked and underpaid.
On the other side of the dispute, many Czech patients believe that the doctors are self-centered and usually not worth the higher pay they demand.
This probably isn’t very encouraging, but if you don’t mind a cut in pay for a while, it could be an otherwise rewarding experience.
Best of luck!
Go to the UK or Ireland or work for an American clinic in Prague. One warning, the Czech language is challenging. That problem aside, the Czech Republic is a great place, much better than the Peoples Republic Of America under Chairman Obama!