Once school is done, I am going to work to try to be more regular with my updates…I am also hoping to have more adventures to write about as well!
Something I want to cover is a few other similarities and differences between living in the states and living in Prague.
Public Transportation
As mentioned, the public transit system in Prague is extensive, clean, and efficient. The system is a network of 3 main metro lines (A,B,C), many above-ground trams, and bus lines. While metro runs from 5am-midnight, both the trams and buses run regular service from about 5am-12:30 am, followed by night service (service is a bit more spread out but still better than taking a taxi, which hold a bad reputation for trying to rip people off).
What makes this system different from home is that the system here is called an “Open System“. This means that riders must buy and validate their tickets before entering the metro platform or at a box when you enter a bus or tram. Some call it an “Honor System” since there are no turnstiles or gates that prevent entry without a ticket. One can easily ride the metro system for free if they want. However, there are uniformed and plain clothed inspectors that can demand proof of a validated ticket at any point and failure to produce one results in a hefty fine somewhere around 1500kc (~$70USD) if not paid on the spot (if so, then it’s roughly 800kc ($36 USD)). Since the concept of buying a ticket and validating it at a later point can be new to many tourists, they are typically the ones who fall victim to a fine (even if they bought the ticket but failed to validate it).
Riding the metro is fairly inexpensive and there are ticket machines at all metro stops and at many tram stops. There are a variety of ticket options to choose from to suit your travel needs (e.g. 30 minutes for 24kc (~$1USD), 90 minute for 32kc, 110 for 1 day, etc.). Since I plan on living here for several months, I opted to buy a more permanent ticket called an “opencard”. For 550kc (about $25USD), I can have unlimited rides on the subway, trams, and buses for a month. Considering that I already ride the metro at least 2x a day, I thought it was a worthwhile investment, costing me less than $1 USD/Day.
Supermarkets/Grocery Shopping
There are 3 main supermarkets in Prague: Alberts, Billa, and Tesco. Since Tesco is the only one I have visited (closest to my flat) I can only comment on them. While Tesco is a company out of the United Kingdom, it isn’t really a local company but still carries some similarities and differences. Tesco carries many of the same items we would find back home and has a large selection of fresh fruits, meats, and cheeses. However, I found the bakery section to be larger than what I am used to back home. They bake everything in house each day and the aroma of fresh breads can be smelt throughout the store. A fresh loaf of french bread can be bought for about 14kc ($0.65USD). The Tesco nearest my flat is like a hybrid between Stop & Shop and Target. The first floor comprises of the grocery store and the second floor is completely dedicated to home goods, some HBC (health & beauty care), electronics, clothing, etc. While Target (and Walmart) have groceries in their stores to some extent, it still doesn’t equal the range Tesco offers. Prices are reasonable for what you’d expect living in the Czech Republic and I believe that you can buy a weeks worth of groceries for about $35-40 USD.
Besides supermarkets, there are a number of local shops and smaller convenience stores (aka markets) that offer on-the-go food and drink offerings (including fruit). I have frequented these on a couple of occasions and while you pay a bit more for the convenience of location, they are helpful when in a hurry.
Influence of Western Culture
As I’ve mentioned to a few friends already, the world is a smaller place than some of us initially think. On my bus ride to the hostel I stayed at when I first arrived in Prague, I was met with the bright signs of McDonalds, Starbucks, and KFC along the way…heck, there is even a KFC on the bottom floor of the building in which I am taking my TEFL course and a Subway on the street corner. While I have no intentions of visiting these American establishments during my time here (or maybe once for “investigative purposes”) it does bring to light the notion that we are all people and have similar needs (greasy food and overpriced coffee haha).
One other thing is the presence of Western music. At almost every bar or club I’ve been to, you hear American songs. I was at a 80’s/90’s night a few weeks back and while the group I was with didn’t know all the songs, all the other people in the club (mainly locals), knew the songs and were belting out the lyrics…talk about irony.
Pharmacy
Ever since our course started, a bad cold has been made its way through the school…unfortunately I fell victim to it by the end of the third week of class. I decided that I needed to find some medicine to ease the discomfort and started researching what was available. I found a few differences from what we are used to in the states.
First off, you cannot go to a local supermarket and expect to find stocked shelves with different types of medicines. In the Czech Republic, they are only sold in a pharmacy (like CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.). However, pharmacies here do not carry all the other stuff that you’d find in pharmacies back home (no snacks, toiletries, cards, office supplies, etc.).
Next, do I go to a drogerie or a lékárna? A drogerie sounds like it would sell drugs, but it is actually shop for toiletries, health care products, and health food. A lékárna is a pharmacy and you can easily find one by spotting the green cross with a snake wrapped around a staff and 3 bowls.
Once I found a nearby pharmacy (there are plenty in central Prague), and made my way inside, I was met with 2 counters. One for non-prescription medicine (under the sign “volně prodejné”) and the other for prescription medicine (designated by “na předpis”). I do have travel insurance that covers medical needs should I need to visit a doctor to get a prescription but since I was not in dire need, I figured an OTC remedy would suffice. Prior to coming here, I looked up some common cold/flu medicine names so I could refer to them when speaking to the pharmacist. I found Coldrex to be a suitable remedy to treat my symptoms and asked the pharmacist for that.
My adjustment here has been going well and as I enter my 4th week, I cannot believe how fast time is flying! It has been a good, but busy month with class and I look forward to several things in the coming weeks: securing an apartment, finding a job, applying for a visa, and having some more free time to explore. I hope to not only see more of this great city, but some of the surrounding countries as well in the coming months. So here’s to many more good months ahead!
Travelnues 