Why is Prague so popular nowadays? People seem to be travelling to this city in wonder of its beauties and charms. Is it really the golden city of Europe? What is the truth about this city? The city of Prague has seen so many changes over the years. Since the end of communism, the city has been re-born with a huge interest in tourism and foreigners who want to explore the hidden wonders and beauty of this city. But Prague has evolved and changed in so many different ways. There is a danger that the original and traditional culture of the Czechs could be lost, as the new capitalist state has been so desperate to catch up with the modern world and push its tourism industry. Foreigners are being sold a dream vacation and expats are finding a new life in this great new city. Prague has become a golden city in central Europe. But, is this really the golden city or just the dream and idealistic vision of a perfect place that has been sold?
I am an expert in the city of Prague, and I have lived here for over 8 years. When I first moved to this city, I knew nothing of its history, culture and expat scene. But I started to learn and I became very interested in the whole world of being an expat and exploring every aspect of the Czech culture and the growing expat scene. I was overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of this great city. But is it really great or is there some misconception of what really is Prague? Prague has been referred to as the golden city by expats, but not everybody agrees with this term. Communism in the old Czechoslovakia was a big bad period. The Czechs have always found this to be a difficult topic of conversation. But, it explains so much about the current behaviour and mentality of Czech people. They seem to take every chance and opportunity to embrace the international and expat scene. The new capitalist state of this country has opened the door to new levels of tourism and also great business opportunities.
However, with this freedom there is also the black market and corruption. For most tourists, the city of Prague has become a great escape where one can enjoy the beautiful sights and architecture during the day… and then later in the night, one can indulge in the bars, clubs and adult entertainment. The post-communist era of Prague has given rise to a new level of tourism in the city and a heightened sense of pleasure with the growing adult industry. Many foreigners seem to come to Prague just to enjoy the adult industry and this industry has given the city a huge economic boost. A large proportion of the economy in Prague is due to the new tourist industry and a major part of this is the adult entertainment that is now available. Communism was a difficult time for Czechs and they had to suffer. Prague was a completely different place before the revolution which ended communism. One could say that Prague was a very pure and traditional Czech city full of beauties and great history. However, this great history and beauty has been unlocked to the world and we can all now enjoy this.
Being an expat in Prague can be difficult at the start. Although the Czechs have opened their doors to foreigners and tourists, we can still see a certain trace of the cold communist behaviour. In fact, the country still has a communist party, but it is just not large enough to be in power!! The tourist industry has become very necessary in Prague in order to keep the country alive and grow its economy. But, there can still be difficulties for expats in Prague. The language is certainly a barrier and difficult. Some foreigners can be confused with Czech customs and attitudes. Suspicion on foreigners is not so unusual. There are many helpful services to help expats, but there is also a slight coldness and suspicion on foreigners in certain places and situations. Many expats seem to find other expats to hang out with. It is very common and even necessary to do this at the start. It can be very difficult to break into the Czech social circle, especially when you do not know the language and culture. It takes time to adapt and settle down. But what do you do and where do you go? Prague has some helpful groups and events that could support people. However, the best advice is to look online for websites with useful articles and tools to help you. Luckily there is a great website which can help foreigners and expats in Prague. The site is called 'Czech This' and it has many useful articles to help people, whether you are planning to visit Prague or you are already in the city. There are forums where you can ask for advice. Also classified ads to help you. You can even find a directory of local businesses who help expats and special offers for members of the site. Visit the site at czech-this.net – free to join.
Martin Wynn
