One Year Anniversary...A Look at the Pros
Now, there are certainly a lot more pros than cons as we enter our second year and there have been many changes that are noteworthy. However we will start with the (3) Pros mentioned in the last post and go from there...
Pro 1 - Fulfilling a Dream
Most people only dream about living in a far off country, for us this became a reality. We have a great opportunity to explore all the places that we read about and are providing a unique experience for our children. Hopefully we will all get on board and start learning not only Czech, but languages of the surrounding countries that we visit and our educations will never end! The unbelievable amount of knowledge that is at our fingertips is overwhelming and we plan on taking full advantage while we are here!
Pro 2 - A Most Beautiful City
Sure, most have never fantasized about living in Prague or the Czech Republic but to them I can only say you have no idea what you are missing. The "City of One Hundred Spires" is nothing short of an architectural wonder. No matter where you look there is something beautiful and breathtaking that will catch your eye. Each part of the city has its own personality from the style of the buildings to the pattern of the cobbles on the main streets. There are castles, churches, statues, and fountains the likes of which you have never seen. There are so many green spaces it is hard to believe that there is a busy crowded city nearby. There are so many things to do and see without leaving the direct area that it all seems unreal at times. This is one of the easiest 'jumping off points' to other cities, countries, and all the amazing sights they have to offer. To top it all off, the beer is incredibly good and unbelievably cheap and a short drive away you can experience the amazing wines of Moravia while basking in the beauty of that region.
Pro 3 - Someone else paid to get us here
Without someone else footing the bill for the beginning of this adventure, it would have never happened. I do not know the extent of the expenses involved and I hope I can say the same for when we are packed up and moved to our next location. Surely it was not cheap - that much is a given. So Thank You Monster :)
Pro 4 - Prague is Home
Strange but true, it feels like home. Granted a somewhat dysfunctional, something is missing, not quite right type of home...but it is home nonetheless. On the few visits we have made back to the States we felt disjointed...we no longer quite fit in there and there is no easy way to explain that. Yes, our families are there. Yes, our best friends are there. Yes, even the vehicles and most of our belongings are still there. However, there is something very out of sync. Perhaps it is the fact that we no longer have a true home base there. We are still financially stricken with 18 Hardwood Road and our Drivers Licenses say NH but the house is empty and there is no returning to that place or time in our lives. It has become one of those "It's a nice place to visit but..." scenarios. After our fill of driving and paying for gas, eating the majority of meals out, and buying up Walmart we all start itching to get back to our Public Transportation, our view of St Vitas and the Summer Palace, and yes, our new friends that we have made. It is a very strange phenomenon that we never thought would happen but it has and we are prepared for a long stay in Europe.
Pro 5 - Out and About
Now that the Winter Season has subsided and Spring has come to Prague, we are all feeling quite happy about getting out of this flat and seeing more of what this city, this country, and what Europe has to offer.
Sure we are dealing with allergies but that is nothing compared to the Norovirus, the Severe Otitus, and the never-ending head-colds of early 2008! It is getting time for a final wash of the winter coats and clothes, we are starting to open windows, and best of all we are walking again. There is nothing quite like being healthy enough to bypass a few tram or metro stops in favor of fresh air and sunshine :)
In 11 days we start our 2nd big Holiday. Alex is extremely excited because she is finally going to see London and she is also returning to Spain. I am extremely excited because I am finally getting to see London which has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I also am looking forward to the second portion of the Holiday since our resort has a Kid's Club and we may actually get a few hours to relax on our own. Ben is pretty much excited in general to have so many days off...and still have more vacation days to use further on in the year!
This year we plan on visiting some nearby towns, spending a weekend in Moravia so that Ben and Alex can meet the Spevak Clan and enjoy the beauty of that area as Logan and I did, and doing some tourist-type things around the city. I am sure there will be some other long weekends to neighboring (and not so neighboring) countries and we are definitely getting to Dresden by the end of June. We also are trying to plan a visit back to the States so we are really looking forward to our upcoming months.
Pros 6 & 7 - Little Slices of America
American Television
For us nothing quite beats the fact that we can still access our favorite shows...albeit a few days after they actually aired...and as long as no one talks or writes about the episodes you are allowed to enjoy them as if they were being viewed on regular broadcast. However we truly get to enjoy this more than the average viewer thanks to the fact that ALL COMMERCIALS have been cut out. Not only does this cut down on the actual amount we are sitting in front of the 'boob tube', it also takes away the potential brainwashing of advertisements that may have one or all of us clamoring for the latest new fad back in the States! we have yet to think of a show that we cannot obtain - and we have time to enjoy all the ones we have on queue as we wait for the new seasons to begin. Oh this also works for movies as well and we have even been able to view a few of them before they were mass released on DVD or even to theaters so that is pretty cool :)
American Foods
With enough visitors - whether friends and family or Maynard employees - we have been able to place some shopping requests for items we just cannot live without and so far things have remained pretty well stocked. As long as we never run out of Annie's Homegrown Mac & Cheese we will be in great shape.
Now this is not to say that you cannot find a lot of things over here, because you can. However, the prices are astronomical and I refuse to pay for things that I can readily bring here myself or that will not take up too much luggage space or cause an excess baggage charge for those willing to be our pack mules. However, you cannot get Annie's, Quaker Oats Granola bars, Sun Maid Raisins, Mrs Buttersworth or better yet, real Vermont Maple Syrup, Brianna's Salad Dressings, Luna Bars/Z-Bars, Fruit Snacks & Yogos, and a whole bunch of HABA products that we are accustomed to using so until my email inquiries to these companies come back with "Yes Mrs. Hodson, of course we can ship that out to you" or "Here is the list of current distributors in Prague" I will be relying on the kindness of others and our visits back to keep us all stocked up!
With other things, we have finally learned what their closest equivalents are and have made the change over quite nicely. For other items that I did not mention above we have high hopes of finding them in Germany or Poland...cheaper than flying to the States and gives us the needed push to visit these two countries sometime soon.
Pro 8 - Expanding Group of Friends
We have been working on meeting new people and this has really provided us with some great new friends. When we first arrived, we were limited to what we could do and when we could do it. Logan was 7 months and took up a great deal of time, and we had never had a babysitter and were not quite ready to tackle that hurdle so we had to do kid-related things with people willing to be subjected to them. With the primary group of Monster Employees being young, single, and male the first 5 months were very difficult. There are a great bunch of co-workers who we did things with but we held back a bit since we did not want to make anyone feel like they had to babysit the entire Hodson Clan.
However, between some work contacts, school contacts, the other employees from the States, and some chance encounters we started having other people to hang out with. A lot of them have children close in age to Alex and Logan so that has been an extra bonus. We have play dates, we have adult nights out, and we have people who can relate to our experience. This has certainly made the biggest difference to our lives here and we look forward to adding to our circle of friends in the future.
Pro 1 - Fulfilling a Dream
Most people only dream about living in a far off country, for us this became a reality. We have a great opportunity to explore all the places that we read about and are providing a unique experience for our children. Hopefully we will all get on board and start learning not only Czech, but languages of the surrounding countries that we visit and our educations will never end! The unbelievable amount of knowledge that is at our fingertips is overwhelming and we plan on taking full advantage while we are here!
Pro 2 - A Most Beautiful City
Sure, most have never fantasized about living in Prague or the Czech Republic but to them I can only say you have no idea what you are missing. The "City of One Hundred Spires" is nothing short of an architectural wonder. No matter where you look there is something beautiful and breathtaking that will catch your eye. Each part of the city has its own personality from the style of the buildings to the pattern of the cobbles on the main streets. There are castles, churches, statues, and fountains the likes of which you have never seen. There are so many green spaces it is hard to believe that there is a busy crowded city nearby. There are so many things to do and see without leaving the direct area that it all seems unreal at times. This is one of the easiest 'jumping off points' to other cities, countries, and all the amazing sights they have to offer. To top it all off, the beer is incredibly good and unbelievably cheap and a short drive away you can experience the amazing wines of Moravia while basking in the beauty of that region.
Pro 3 - Someone else paid to get us here
Without someone else footing the bill for the beginning of this adventure, it would have never happened. I do not know the extent of the expenses involved and I hope I can say the same for when we are packed up and moved to our next location. Surely it was not cheap - that much is a given. So Thank You Monster :)
Pro 4 - Prague is Home
Strange but true, it feels like home. Granted a somewhat dysfunctional, something is missing, not quite right type of home...but it is home nonetheless. On the few visits we have made back to the States we felt disjointed...we no longer quite fit in there and there is no easy way to explain that. Yes, our families are there. Yes, our best friends are there. Yes, even the vehicles and most of our belongings are still there. However, there is something very out of sync. Perhaps it is the fact that we no longer have a true home base there. We are still financially stricken with 18 Hardwood Road and our Drivers Licenses say NH but the house is empty and there is no returning to that place or time in our lives. It has become one of those "It's a nice place to visit but..." scenarios. After our fill of driving and paying for gas, eating the majority of meals out, and buying up Walmart we all start itching to get back to our Public Transportation, our view of St Vitas and the Summer Palace, and yes, our new friends that we have made. It is a very strange phenomenon that we never thought would happen but it has and we are prepared for a long stay in Europe.
Pro 5 - Out and About
Now that the Winter Season has subsided and Spring has come to Prague, we are all feeling quite happy about getting out of this flat and seeing more of what this city, this country, and what Europe has to offer.
Sure we are dealing with allergies but that is nothing compared to the Norovirus, the Severe Otitus, and the never-ending head-colds of early 2008! It is getting time for a final wash of the winter coats and clothes, we are starting to open windows, and best of all we are walking again. There is nothing quite like being healthy enough to bypass a few tram or metro stops in favor of fresh air and sunshine :)
In 11 days we start our 2nd big Holiday. Alex is extremely excited because she is finally going to see London and she is also returning to Spain. I am extremely excited because I am finally getting to see London which has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I also am looking forward to the second portion of the Holiday since our resort has a Kid's Club and we may actually get a few hours to relax on our own. Ben is pretty much excited in general to have so many days off...and still have more vacation days to use further on in the year!
This year we plan on visiting some nearby towns, spending a weekend in Moravia so that Ben and Alex can meet the Spevak Clan and enjoy the beauty of that area as Logan and I did, and doing some tourist-type things around the city. I am sure there will be some other long weekends to neighboring (and not so neighboring) countries and we are definitely getting to Dresden by the end of June. We also are trying to plan a visit back to the States so we are really looking forward to our upcoming months.
Pros 6 & 7 - Little Slices of America
American Television
For us nothing quite beats the fact that we can still access our favorite shows...albeit a few days after they actually aired...and as long as no one talks or writes about the episodes you are allowed to enjoy them as if they were being viewed on regular broadcast. However we truly get to enjoy this more than the average viewer thanks to the fact that ALL COMMERCIALS have been cut out. Not only does this cut down on the actual amount we are sitting in front of the 'boob tube', it also takes away the potential brainwashing of advertisements that may have one or all of us clamoring for the latest new fad back in the States! we have yet to think of a show that we cannot obtain - and we have time to enjoy all the ones we have on queue as we wait for the new seasons to begin. Oh this also works for movies as well and we have even been able to view a few of them before they were mass released on DVD or even to theaters so that is pretty cool :)
American Foods
With enough visitors - whether friends and family or Maynard employees - we have been able to place some shopping requests for items we just cannot live without and so far things have remained pretty well stocked. As long as we never run out of Annie's Homegrown Mac & Cheese we will be in great shape.
Now this is not to say that you cannot find a lot of things over here, because you can. However, the prices are astronomical and I refuse to pay for things that I can readily bring here myself or that will not take up too much luggage space or cause an excess baggage charge for those willing to be our pack mules. However, you cannot get Annie's, Quaker Oats Granola bars, Sun Maid Raisins, Mrs Buttersworth or better yet, real Vermont Maple Syrup, Brianna's Salad Dressings, Luna Bars/Z-Bars, Fruit Snacks & Yogos, and a whole bunch of HABA products that we are accustomed to using so until my email inquiries to these companies come back with "Yes Mrs. Hodson, of course we can ship that out to you" or "Here is the list of current distributors in Prague" I will be relying on the kindness of others and our visits back to keep us all stocked up!
With other things, we have finally learned what their closest equivalents are and have made the change over quite nicely. For other items that I did not mention above we have high hopes of finding them in Germany or Poland...cheaper than flying to the States and gives us the needed push to visit these two countries sometime soon.
Pro 8 - Expanding Group of Friends
We have been working on meeting new people and this has really provided us with some great new friends. When we first arrived, we were limited to what we could do and when we could do it. Logan was 7 months and took up a great deal of time, and we had never had a babysitter and were not quite ready to tackle that hurdle so we had to do kid-related things with people willing to be subjected to them. With the primary group of Monster Employees being young, single, and male the first 5 months were very difficult. There are a great bunch of co-workers who we did things with but we held back a bit since we did not want to make anyone feel like they had to babysit the entire Hodson Clan.
However, between some work contacts, school contacts, the other employees from the States, and some chance encounters we started having other people to hang out with. A lot of them have children close in age to Alex and Logan so that has been an extra bonus. We have play dates, we have adult nights out, and we have people who can relate to our experience. This has certainly made the biggest difference to our lives here and we look forward to adding to our circle of friends in the future.
posted by Pam at
3:32 AM
1 Comments:
Great work.
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