The Struggles of Living and Moving to Prague as an Expat
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.พ. 2024
- In this street interview, I asked foreigners and expats living in Prague, what they dislike about living there, what makes living in Prague difficult, and how it was to transition to this place.
From finding housing, to difficulties with Czech people, culture, and language, rising prices, bureaucracy, Brexit, and more.
Interviewees are from the UK, Germany, France, Argentina, and Greece.
Let us know in the comments what you dislike about living in Prague, and how it was to move there.
And I would highly appreciate a thumbs-up, or sharing one of my videos.
Our guide to improve your mental health (made by a team of psychologists):
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Why everybody thinks, that coming to different country with different language to stay for years or for good means that..the "home"people should adjust??? Would English or Ameriacans comunicate with me on professional level in Czech???Nope...And I would not even expect them to do so....
100% přesně
Yea, all i hear is a lot of stupid whining. they come to our countries and expect everyone to talk with them in English...
@@_forester_ Go to Germany and tell them that... or even better France. I am not saying it's bad to know present day lingua franca ...i am saying they came to another country... they should be more humble and integrate or gtfo.
English is the universal world language. In every country you learn english in the school. For the most foreigners in Czech Republic is english also not the first language, but like I said its the universal world language. Of course you can not expect that every one speaks english or is willing to speak english but that they refuse to speak english in the Foreigners' Registration Office is a big shame.
You have to registrate within weeks and they expect you to speak czech with them. I say it again, english is the universal world language and at least in the Foreigners' Registration Office they should be able to speak that language.
@@goodtf1 and? Not everything has to follow same logic of efficacy.
I think that not knowing a language before coming is forgivable, but you should be trying to learn it while there, to show respect. You are living in their country.
From 🇸🇪
100% agree
❤ exactly
100% bro especially hard language like Czech badly widely available anywhere to learn !! Say with some other languages maybe be much easier to learn before coming also depends on where you from and what’s your first language
Agreed, I always find it weird when people comment like this. But it’s especially ironic when the guy saying it is French! :) There are not many Czech people living abroad but if they do, they usually learn the local language fast. For some reason, a tiny percentage of foreigners in Prague learn even the simplest phrases and then complain about this. Is it really surprising that people want you to at least try to learn their language?
I get really annoyed when British expats move to Vinohrady and complain that Prague is so expensive and imposible to own your own property. I bought a flat very easily... I just don't live in the swanky centre.
The way these videos are cut, wow - this is a really smart story telling style. Five stars to the author 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
You're making me blush 😊
"They only use Czech language here, which does not make sense because we are foreigners..."
He's talking about the immigration offices
@@TheMovementHub But immigration office has obligation comuncate only in official language in a counry .. And now suprice.. in Czech rep. is Czech.. BTW when I did work in Ireland, I did not expect immigration and social office speak with me in Czech lnguage.. not even for 1s, Only spoiled or not so clever kids move to any coutry and expect special sevice...BTW we talk about ppl who is not a tourist, but imigrants for few years now... funny
I lived 2 years in China, 1.5 years in South Korea, 1 year in Ecuador and I never complained locals don't speak neither Czech, nor English.
OMG this is the channel I was waiting for, please could you do all the major cities, you should do Barcelona, it's so similar to Berlin actually in may ways... good and bad. Anyway can't wait for your channel to develop 💟
Thank you so much :)). That is exactly my plan, to cover all major cities. Although it will obviously take some time. And you know what's funny. Barcelona is the next place I planned for my interviews.
About all the "administrative things" being in Czech, hospitals, police etc speaking czech, it’s not about the people not being welcoming. It’s a law here in Czechia, all the state institutions have to speak czech because it’s the official language. For all the foreigners who come to Czechia (especially to Prague) there are many organizations specializing in integrating foreigners. They help you: provide you with basic information, a translator for all the administrative tasks, language courses and counseling. Something is free something is not but i suggest you to look into it yourself.
CIC and inbáze are the organizations I know, but there are plenty of others
I used to live in Prague for 2 years and half. My struggle was first of all to get along with Czech people which they were very cold, closed off and also scared of anything that is not Czech. Thats why many expats they stick with ther expats as its much more easier. What is surprising is how "insular" czech mentality is. I also knew many expats that were fluent with Czech and somehow struggling to integrate so language is not really that big thing when the root is just simple: you dont have interest or dont like anything that is not 100 made in Czechia. Also between expats yes of course there are many events but I felt the city was little bit dull. Nothing much happens if you like cultural and english friendly events. The city is nice, clean, safe but people somehow were harder to get or to just have deeper connections.
While the rest of the world was busy exchanging ideas and developing in the post war period, this country was hermetically sealed from the outside world for the best part of the 20th century so it's no wonder they're so insular. Add to that the woeful foreign language ability and you end up with a very inwards looking country. Although it might not seem like it at first, it's the cultural barrier that is far more difficult to overcome with Czechs than the linguistic one. I'm convinced that they much teach this "Prague is the heart of Europe" nationalism in school because they all repeat the same nonsense.
That said, it is a decent, quiet place to live with alright working conditions if you have some marketable skills. As you've already mentioned, the country is a cultural backwater and it's clear that Vienna is the true capital of the region.
@@ShunShufen I never understand the mentality of sticking in the past which is very common in the area and very lame I would say. For example, Im from Sicily. An island that was conquered by Greek, Romans, Arabs, Phoenicians, Normans. So many different rulers. So what? I should be closed mided? I should hate everyone? This mentality is pathetic and I will never accept.
And where are you from
@ForeverNihil Having lived there almost 2 years (or, if you want, 3 years with 1 year gap), I actually think that the language is definitely a game-changer. Attitude towards me is really different once they see I can interact in reasonably good czech. Apart from that, the general cultural attitude is “introverted”, but as usual “introverted” does not mean “refusal of any kind of interaction”. Of course one can’t expect immediate smiles, casual invitations to hang out etc. This is not Holland, this is not central-southern Italy.
Also, I would not say that “they stick to the past”. Their cultural products are actually quite diverse and interesting, and not only the ones from XIX and XX century.
@@FrancescoGenovese Yes we're all familiar with their spicy cultural imports from the 90s onwards 😂
Yeah we do have to do something with the mortgage situation for first time buyers under certain income, rather no deposit first purchase or first purchase grand by municipal office ! With that being said said I think this would be beneficial for most European states
Actually British citizens who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement and have Article 50 rights do not have to pass the A2 language test in order to apply for permanent residency. Someone should tell Lydia this.
I will make sure to let her know. Thank you :)
A2 level should not be difficult to achieve. That is actually quite a low level of proficiency.
@@grafplaten It still requires many hours of time and effort and is just a box ticking exercise especially for someone who loves in Prague and presumably lives her life entirely in English.
@@grafplaten It's not about imperialism. It's simply the reality that the people in the video live in the expat bubble and will probably not stay long term.
The other major factors include the difficulty of the language, near 0 economic utility and complete pointlessness of the language outside of Czechia and Slovakia (unlike German, French, Spanish and so on).
A2 is also nowhere near enough for social interactions which Czechs are not interested in with foreigners anyway.
Oh wow, coming to a new country you expect to get away with talking a foreign language and to be embraced like a local here? As a foreigner in Prague, I completely support the locals expecting Czech in communication. I’ve made an effort to learn basic Czech to understand and be understood and I’ve faced great support from all locals along the way. Unlike the Germans, they don’t switch to English immediately but patiently let me speak in Czech, which I appreciate a lot. Good luck coming to UK as an expat not speaking English.
I would not be surprised at all because even those who were interviewed. Their countries were not that friendly either. Especially Germany and France. it is hard. The only country that I could say is better for ex-pats is the Netherlands or Denmark.
Im a Czech, Prague born, but i do travel a lot and lived in two other countries (plus i watch travel content all the time). I definitely agree we Czechs are quite reserved and its hard for foreigners to make friends here between the locals. Its a mentality of rather small country that was separated from the world for 40 years through communism but lately became kinda popular especially thanks to Prague, almost nonexistent unemployment and good geographical location (also culturally we are heavily influenced by German/Austrian mentality, which is also reserved, but they didnt have 40 years of communism, so they are a bit less cold). Czechs are still getting used to foreigners and we have what we call "hobbit mentality", which basically means Czechs love to have beautiful, rich, peaceful place but they are kinda ignorant to the outside world and tend to not accept outsiders and feel a bit snobby/proud and passive aggresive when the world comes to us. Basically The Shire and Hobbits in LOTR movies/books. As i consider this as kinda negative trait and ive always worked to integrate and connect people when ive lived in Spain and Germany, im trying to do the same here. My advice is you dont need to find a group of Czechs, but rather one person with a strong connection and let him/her introduce to his/her friends. Also its easier to find friends between younger generations who are today less than 30. These people like me already grown in open border free society and traveled more with parents/done Erasmus/studied abroad and so on, so they will integrate you easier than people who are 40,50 plus. I would say that young Czechs are not very different from other young Europeans like Belgians, Austrians, Germans, Dutch and so on.
Open border culture society bring a destruction of your own culture. But I understand since young generation almost completely lost a sense for national pride and culture preservation. It's only matter of time that people from outside you welcome in your country they bring they own culture with them and transform your place to shithole they come from and destroy everything your ancestor build and fought for.
As a Czech, 100% agreed. I’d also add that people really should try to learn about these cultural differences. The communist history did shape the mentality in post-communist countries. Our parents grew in a society where you were constantly spied on by the secret service and could go to prison for saying the wrong thing to a stranger, so no wonder they are reserved. And this does get passed to their children, although in a diluted form. But a person coming there should accept this like a cultural difference. Coming to the UK of France or Italy, you also accept their culture is different. But yes, I agree and also view these things negatively myself, but also feel a little protective of our country haha :) But you gave excellent tips, that’s exactly what I also like to do: introduce foreigners to my friends. And all my foreign friends now say that Czech people are the friendliest they know. But you just need to get through the outer barrier.
Best thing Czech people can do is to stay the way they are. Let Western Europe sink in mass migration and awful birth rates.
As a Czech person born in Prague, I would NEVER come here to live if I were a foreigner because I know how racist, xenophobic and unaccepting Czech people can be. That unfortunately counts to Prague as well! This is a post-socialism place with people full of personal complexes and rage. Most of the people live in a very small bubble and would need to travel a bit to gain some respect to the outer world.
Moreover, the rent prices are approaching the ones in West Germany, where people can NATIONWIDE earn sometimes 2-3 times more money than here.
Our government increased taxes and in the same time sends the supportive money to the corrupt leaders in Ukraine.
State workers no salary growth...
We could continue like that..
There are some nice things here too...😅 I just think that the negatives exceed the positives.
That is true for all Europe. Culure is closed and not welcoming to foreign people from outside.
Besides the last 30 years, Europe has never got along with its neighbors, or its internal self.
More true for central and northern europe. But not because people are not welcoming, it’s because people in general are very closed. Many people in these countries, even locals, struggle to find friends. I‘m German but with „migrant background“ and still I find it hardcore to find German-German friends. All my friends are like me, Germans with migration background.
@novosib9017 And the rest of the world is living in Peace 😂
@Akrus15 No, it is because some idiots think that everyone must learn and reply English. City's are always different that country places. Everywhere.
There's a reason for that.
400 euro in capital city is pretty low (average monthly salary in Prague is at least 1500 euro)
Well for a single room in a shared apartment.. :)
For spear room … well standard price like anywhere else for example Paris ,Copenhagen or Amsterdam
@@carlislebailey8902 those places have atleast double the salary
Were you listening to him? He said 400 for just a bedroom, meaning not for the entire flat, just one room within the apartment. 400 and still having roommates? That's a very bad deal in Czechia.
@@mk6022 400 EUR is about 10.000,- CZK. That is a typical price for the inner center of the city, nay even on the cheap side - since I've seen 12.000,- CZK (480 EUR) to be more the going rate around Prague 1 and Prague 2. Considering studio apartments now go for min 14.000,- CZK and 1+1s at 18-20.000,- is not uncommon just for rent itself, 10k for a room is not a bad deal at all, especially when it is "warm rent", utilities included.
Prices of Groceries expensive, Rent Expensive, Public transport expensive. Totally waste
Stop complaining that people working there dont know czech like just hire or ask sb to help out
Superfun!
Make move videos like this, please.
French complainants about state services not speaking English 😁😁😁😁
Nobody wants to hear your winning? No way 😁😁😁
Local language is necessary? Unbelievable!
Local language is not easy enough to pick up on a run and real effort is needed? 😁😁😁😁
Stop calling yourself “expats”. You are foreigners, not more than that
I live in cz nearly 8 years but my cz language is horrible ( cz is one of the hardest language in the world) my guess is cz people are more reserved mentality specifically old generation(chumya)they don’t know English but younger generation is going overseas more they know much more English but it’s won’t help you if u r alone in cz and don’t have at least know little bit of cz basic..living costs specially rent housing is getting expensive.. I can say food /.medical/ travel..is still affordable then lots of country..They sewer lots if u hear Pece means my be fuck..don’t surprise..😀
M8, its ot important how "horrible" is your CZ, but most important is If you try, at least ;)
Omg this is painful to watch, you took the weirdest people to ask these questions. It’s not difficult to learn a few phrases in Czech to interact with Czech people in the Czech Republic. I mean, what were their expectations?
Their expectations were that everybody would adjust to them. That Czech people would learn perfect English for them and all of Czech society would welcome them with chocolate and gummy bears. Smh... shows how incredibly privileged these people are. It's disgusting.
Tah yes, a bunch of forester whining about the Czech Republic and how inconvenient it is when everyone doesn't accept to their language, and how horrible it is to have to learn the local language. Don't like it? Go somewhere else.