Happy New Year 2010!

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to wish you all a very Happy New Year 2010--filled with health, happiness, love and peace!

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Clip Art by WordPlay

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Vesele Vanoce

Hi Everyone,
Here are some traditional Czech Christmas carols in the video above. Enjoy!

I would like to wish you and your family and loved ones a very wonderful and Merry Christmas!

Have a great day & Merry Christmas!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

A Walk in the Snow

Hi Everyone,
Today I have a photo post for you to view. I took these pictures yesterday afternoon--the weather was gorgeous, and the sky was a deep blue. The sky here, in New Mexico, is vast and usually a very deep turquoise blue. I'm fascinated with the sky--and have been from a young age. When I'm back in New Mexico the sky has my attention as we don't always see much blue sky in Prague during the winter.

Another of my favorites during Winter is snow. I love snow--call me crazy--I just love it. Have you ever noticed the long, blue shadows cast on the snow in the late afternoon? And the dazzling "diamonds" of newly fallen snowflakes? Snow is beautiful--and there's plenty in these pictures!

That's all for now--you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Photos are property of S. A. Vacik

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Home for Christmas

Hi Everyone,
My trip back to the US to be with my family for the holidays was very smooth this time. I stopped over in Minneapolis and spent the night with my grandma, and then Sunday morning we caught a flight to New Mexico--thankfully it was another very smooth flight. We had a wonderful helper at the Minneapolis airport who helped my grandma and I all the way from check-in through security. He was so patient and good with my grandma. We had to have a wheelchair as Grandma has a very hard time walking now (she's 95). This young guy was very good with Grandma in all ways. His assistance got us very smoothly through the security check and then on to the gate where our plane was waiting. When we reached New Mexico, my Dad and Beka (eldest daughter) were waiting for us. It was so great to see them and receive their hugs and give ours in return! We met the rest of the family when we got to our house. Great to be back!

I must say that each time I've come back home has been a little bit easier. The first trip back was pretty hard as I hadn't fully dealt psychologically with the idea of living overseas at that early point. Not having come to terms with living overseas, when combined with the language and culture differences, made things very difficult for me. But now, with a little more experience going back and forth, it seems I'm adapting much faster to the changes between our home in Prague and our home here in the States. This is a good feeling--a bit like an accomplishment for me. I now love living in Prague, and am able to cope with the culture/language changes more smoothly. I can "flip the switch" much faster and smoother now--this is a great relief on all levels.

Beyond the "flipping the switch" factor, it is sure great to be home and spending time with my family. I'm enjoying nature here--which I really miss living in Prague. We have deer visiting every day in the front yard. They are so pretty and fun to watch! The mountains are beautiful and covered with a thick blanket of snow. Even as I type, the sun's just making the first glimpses over the mountains into our valley. The sky is shot with clouds and golden orange rays from the sun. So beautiful! I went outside and took the pictures you see above. Just a glorious start to the day!

That's all for now...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Pictures property of S. A. Vacik

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Third & Fifth Annniversaries in Prague, Czech Republic

Red Rose by BabyMj2k5 on Photobucket

Hi Everyone,
Today is the third anniversary of moving to Prague--so hard to believe three years have gone already. Where has the time gone? Well, it has and here I sit typing--still feeling very much like a "newbie" (in some respects) in this expat adventure. This year has been a very active and busy one. The very first of the year started with three weeks of quarantine at home--ordered by my doctor, we had some fun trips to Rome and Paris, and I went back to the US for a visit in late summer, upon returning home to Prague Jiri ended up in the hospital for a week! This third expat year has seen some very stressful times and some very fun times. There have been some lessons learned, too--some of which deal with Jiri and I.

Along with being my third anniversary of moving to Prague to be with Jiri, today is also our 5th wedding anniversary! Our relationship has been anything but normal--it started out from a blurb on a genealogy page, then continued growing through an email friendship that led us to falling in love. We had a very lengthy courtship before deciding to marry. I was a divorced mother with two kids, and Jiri had his work in the Czech Republic, plus had to look after his elderly mother. Somehow, with the workings of time, we managed to finally come together in one time zone, in one place--Prague. What an adventure it has been--and continues to be--for Jiri and I. We continue to work on our relationship and our cultural differences. We continue to adapt to those differences and to one another. I'm very blessed to have found a wonderful husband who is very loving, supportive, understanding and protective. Happy anniversary, Dear.

That's all for today! My next posts will be written from the US. I'm flying off in the next few days to be with my family for the holidays. It will be great to be home with them, though I will miss Jiri very much. In order to take care of our families, Jiri and I have opted to spend the holidays every other year with our Czech and American families. This year, though, Jiri is not able to come with me, but said I must definitely go back and see my family. This is how it works being an expat at times--but I've adapted to it and it's OK. Jiri and I will stay in touch via the wonderful Internet!

Have a great day in your part of the world!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Bridgie--See You on the Other Side

Lazy Bridgie by Beka

Hi Everybody,
Last night my daughter had to put her 18 year-old cat, Bridgit, to sleep. Bridgit has had numerous health troubles for the past couple of years--and really, it is a miracle Bridgie lasted as long as she did. Bridgie had recently had so much stomach trouble and just the other day had a seizure. During the vet's exam, and via subsequent tests, they found that Bridgie had bone cancer--with a huge tumor on one of her hind knees. The vet told my daughter, Beka, that there were options: 1. amputate that leg and do chemo, 2. just leave Bridgie on pain meds--she could probably live a bit longer, and 3. put her to sleep. When looking at the big picture, Beka decided that the only viable option was to let Bridgie go. To amputate the leg of a cat who is 18 can be very traumatic--and when she has other health problems, too...quality of life might go down very quickly. Beka, and some friends from Texas (whom I'm very thankful for) took Bridgie to the vet yesterday. Beka told me Bridgie went off very peacefully. This was a very hard decision for Beka to make--we've had Bridgie since Beka was 5 years old. They've been together through thick and thin--and were very dependent on one another. Now my daughter's feeling the loss of this precious friend and I'm trying to help her from here, in Prague, via the Internet.

Suffering loss while living overseas is a very difficult experience. It is something you hope will not happen while you're living away from home, but inevitably loss will catch up with each one of us. Suffering the loss of a beloved pet is not new for me. Being one who loves animals I've had many pets. Saying good-bye is one of the hardest rites of being a pet owner. Even so, I will always have animals as companions. The loss of a pet can be quite devastating. And being overseas at a time like this is a new experience for me, and I'm not exactly sure how to deal with it. Lessons learned from Life help to sustain during times like this. One of the most important lessons I've learned is to keep moving--putting one foot in front of the other day by day. Another of Life's lessons is not to isolate yourself--but reach out to those around you for help and support. I'll share these things with Beka. Also, staying in touch with the loved ones back home in whatever way possible can be very helpful. Thank heavens for the Internet. I'll be able to console and counsel my daughter online till we can meet back in the US in a week or so. The Internet can be a wonderful tie to family and friends at such a time.

This has been such a hard loss for me, personally. Bridgie was my cat before she was Beka's. Bridgie was about 2 months old when we first got her. The very first night in our home, Bridgit slept on my hair on my bed pillow--and she was putting her small paws on my (with claws!) and kneading and nuzzling my neck as she would have her mother during feeding time. Such a funny memory of that little ball of fuzz that was baby Bridgie. Bridgie was a very helpful ball of comfort during a very trying time of divorce and loss for both Beka and I. At the age of around 12 or 13, Beka became Bridgit's "official" owner--in charge of feeding, keeping the litter box clean, etc. Beka and Bridgie were naturally made for one another. Bridgie even accompanied Beka to university after Beka got her own apartment. They were literally inseparable, till yesterday.

Thank you, Bridgie, for being a wonderful companion and friend for Beka and I. You helped us both through some very trying and difficult times. You were always there with your "meh" and saucy ways--you were always there to cheer us up or comfort us. We love you, Bridgie, and I'm looking forward to seeing you on the other side one day.

God bless,
Sher

Photo credit: Bridgie by Beka

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Czech Thanksgiving

Hi Everyone,
I've been very busy since last writing on November 17th/18th about the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. It's funny how "busyness" come in spurts sometimes.

Directly after the 20th anniversary celebration of the Velvet Revolution my husband, Jiri, and I had one of my Czech friends and her mother over for a Saturday lunch. We all had a great time--and everyone said the food was good--which is a wonderful compliment when considering it was all gluten-free. This meal set off an entire week of cleaning, shopping and cooking--a real whirlwind of activity last week. The next episode of cooking was Wednesday when my husband brought home a couple of colleagues from work. This was my first business entertaining, and I must say that it was a bit intimidating. But we had a wonderful time and everyone enjoyed the meal.

The next big dinner was last Friday when we celebrated the American Thanksgiving (which was really on Thursday). Jiri and I invited two couples for dinner--one Czech couple and one English-speaking couple. You can guess which language we used that evening. I cooked a very traditional Thanksgiving meal--turkey and all. Cooking for this meal really started on Thanksgiving, and again, it was all gluten free--desserts and all.

There were some cooking adventures while making this Thanksgiving meal. The first adventure was picking up the fresh turkey. I ordered a 7 kg turkey (about 15 lbs). This is a good-sized turkey, however, in the US we sometimes have turkeys as big as 25 lbs to feed a huge gathering of family and friends. The fresh turkey I had ordered seemed huge to me, though. When I got it home it was too big for the roaster I had. Ach jo (Czech for, "Oh no, what's to be done now, etc.") I had to make a run to Tesco trying to find a bigger roaster that didn't cost too much. I finally found one, only to find that while it was big enough for the turkey, it was almost too big for my Czech oven. Our ovens here are small compared to the ovens we have in the States. The ovens back home are big--with racks and shelves that are able to accommodate a medium-sized turkey, along with a casserole or two. My Czech oven has one rack and the inside is about 2/3 the size of my oven in the States. Anyway, after moving the rack to the lowest position possible, and turning the roaster at an angle, I was finally able to fit the roaster and turkey into the oven. All was well with the world...until....

The next hurdle to preparing our Thanksgiving dinner was again the turkey--it decided to finish cooking way too early in the day. That was almost a disaster. I had started the oven on the highest temperature possible, put the turkey in the oven for 30 minutes at that temp., and then turned the oven temperature down to around 180 C. That is around 350 F. I was tired and didn't realize what I had done--and that's why the turkey was finished early. The temp should have been set to 140 or 150 C. Now with the turkey done early in the day (supper was to be at 7PM), I had to figure out what to do to save the meat and have it edible for supper in the evening.

This type of problem would usually be resolved by calling my Mom for advice. However, she was sleeping as it was the middle of the night for her. Calling Mom for turkey advice in the middle of the night would be very cruel, indeed. So, I turned to the Internet for help. Trying to think of the proper search term to use, I typed in "turkey emergency," "turkey help," "turkey done too soon," etc. Some very interesting websites were brought up, as you can imagine. Finally, I found one website that had some excellent advice. The advice came from a lady who didn't like the hustle and bustle or the stress of fixing the whole Thanksgiving dinner in one day. Rather, she enjoyed cooking most everything a day ahead--including the turkey. OK...how to do this without the turkey tasting like warmed up poultry on Thanksgiving? This wonderful lady makes her turkey and then takes all the meat off the bones. The meat is then put into a roaster. After this, broth (with the same spices used in cooking the turkey and used for the stuffing mixture) is poured over the meat. Then the whole is covered with foil and put into the fridge (refrigerator) till the next day. About an hour and a half before the big meal, this kitchen maven puts her turkey in the oven at a low temperature. She said this would ensure that the the turkey was brought to the proper serving temp without cooking the meat any further. The foil is left to cover the meat as it heats. OK..this seemed like it might work, but I was still worried the meat would taste like it was warmed up--and not fresh.

I must say that this lady's advice was great. I can't remember her website's name--I would surely include it here. But a hearty thank you goes to this cooking maven who saved my traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I did everything she said, and the turkey came out just like it was fresh off a cooked turkey. Thankfully, everything else came out OK, too. Jiri and I and our guests all had a fun time, and everyone said the food was excellent. The highest compliment was that all the food tasted just like a "real" traditional American Thanksgiving feast! My food is definitely "real," but it is all gluten free, and therefore is not "real" in the sense of using wheat, oats or barley.

This was my third Thanksgiving to spend in the Czech Republic, and it was as enjoyable as the second. The main thing I've learned about celebrating the holidays away from home is to be flexible, creative, and adapt the traditions with Czech traditions whenever possible. Everything is very different here compared to my home in the US, but I'm learning how to bring the traditions of my Czech and American family together--everyone benefits--but most of all me. Both my American and Czech families having a wonderful time while celebrating the blend of Czech and American traditions that has come to our lives. This blend is bring life and fun to both sides of the "Pond."

That's all for today--you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher

PS I'm trying to help a friend win a contest called "Oes tsetnoc." This looks like Czech, doesn't it? :0) But it's not! This phrase is really the words "Seo Contest" spelled backwards! You can read more about this contest by visiting Hospitalera's Blog!


Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path Travel Store
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Happy 20th Anniversary Czech Republic

Hi Everyone,
Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism in what was then Czechoslovakia. It was an exciting day, with celebrations taking part all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia. People were out en masse to enjoy the festivities and commemorations which took place. Jiri and I took part in the re-enactment of the fateful walk thousands of students took back on November 17, 1989. Again, there were thousands of people--covering all ages and walks of life--who took part in this walk yesterday. It all began at Albertov, then went on to the Vysehrad, and ended at Narodni Trida--following the original path of the first peaceful demonstration. Banners and flags waving and fluttering attended us along the route. Some of the slogans on the banners were sometimes in support of the current politicians, sometimes asking for a return of communism, and even demanding that former President Vaclav Havel "return to the castle" to become president once again. It was all very exhilarating for me--to see all of this taking place, when just 20 years ago freedom of speech did not exist in this country.

Jiri shared with me his memories of the day of marching 20 years ago. He was a young 30-something working in academia, and so was tied directly to students and their causes. There had been rumblings against communism for some time, only making a firm appearance in 1988 and carrying on into 1989. Jiri was very much in touch with the sentiments of the students and stood with them in solidarity. One of his friends called and suggested that they join the march on November 17, 1989. There was a feeling that there would be some fighting with police, even though the demonstration's intent was to hold a peaceful march. So, Jiri and his friend decided to attend the march to support the students.

Jiri explained to me that the march, of about 10,000 people, was very peaceful until it entered onto Narodni Trida (National Street), in downtown Prague. At this point, the student marchers were stopped and blockaded, by police, into an area about the size of two city blocks. There was a crush of people. I'm not sure how long the students were there--something like 30 minutes--before the police began to attack the crowd. Jiri described the marchers as varying in age from students to elderly people, and even included some children. Even so, when the police received orders to attack, anyone and everyone became targets for a very brutal beating. The demonstrators were shocked when the police began to charge at them with rubber batons. The beating doled out by police was brutal. Many hundreds of demonstrators were injured, with many sustaining terrible injuries which maimed them for life. We've been watching videos of this eventful beating for the past few days on Czech TV. The images are quite shocking and horrific. Jiri also received a blow from the police, but was not injured. Police did not let anyone escape, and even kept the injured from leaving the area to be treated for their injuries. Mass confusion and beating continued on Narodni Trida for about two hours before it ended. I would not call this a "Velvet Revolution," though the government did not stage any major retaliation against the demonstrations that took place on and after November 17, 1989.

Last night Jiri and I were a part of the massive crowd of thousands who gathered on Narodni Trida to celebrate. It was once again a place of mass confusion and a crushing crowd, but this time it was a party atmosphere. The crowd was very well-behaved and everyone enjoyed the spectacle of lights and sound. There was a fireworks display to symbolically mark the fall of the Iron Curtain, with the national anthems for both the Czech Republic and Slovakia being sung. After this, the marchers came down to the area of Narodni Trida where the beating had taken place--to finally end at a stage where singers were performing. We were literally crushed in the midst of that crowd, but it was a great and happy experience!

I was not here when the Velvet Revolution took place, but it was a momentous time for me, none-the-less. Back 20 years ago, none of us thought the Iron Curtain would fall in our lifetime. The Iron Curtain was an established fact that seemed as indestructible as the Great Wall of China. The will of the people was released back in 1989, and continues to make forward progress into the future. The Czech Republic is not finished evolving--the process will be several generations before the marks of the communist regime are removed from the psyche of the people. Even so, the Czechs are moving right along--I feel--on the right path to a brilliant future. They have birth pangs, but what country has not? As long as the people have a voice and a will things will continue to evolve in this beautiful country--the Czech Republic.

Happy 20th anniversary, Czech Republic!

God bless,
Sherry :0)

All photos property of S. A. Vacik

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path Travel Store
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Berlin Wall Celebrations

Hi Everyone,
Yesterday marked the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Amazing that twenty years have passed since that first moment of people chipping away and bulldozing the Wall. I was living in Oklahoma at the time, and had two young children--ages three and one. I was in the midst of fixing a meal for the kids and I when the news came on TV that the Wall was coming down, and that people were crossing over from East Germany to West Germany and vice versa. I can remember standing in the living room in shock. The Berlin Wall was such an enigma--and one that seemed as if it would last forever. It was like a miracle to see people standing on the wall at work dismantling it. That was the biggest and most shocking news story of the day.



Now, back to the present and yesterday's celebrations in Berlin. Jirka and I watched the celebration live, on TV, last night. The place of the celebration was in front of the Brandenburg Gate--the area was full of boisterous people yelling and screaming with excitement. The crowd and the very air were filled with celebratory eagerness. Some of the world's older dignitaries (from the days of the cold war) were present at the lively celebration--these included Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, and Hilary Clinton. Jirka and I listened to several speeches, and then watched as giant dominoes (symbols of the original wall) were set to fall along the old path of the Berlin Wall. Talk about excitement. The crowd burst out with more celebratory screaming and excitement. We enjoyed watching this symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall from Prague.



The felling of the Berlin Wall had a direct impact on the people of the Czech Republic. For the first time, they saw that communism was actually coming to an end. The rumblings of dissatisfaction were coming to fruition. The Soviets did not retaliate with a full military occupation and crackdown of Germany as had happened in the Czech Republic in 1968--the Soviet crackdown of the Prague Spring. Jirka has told me that the Czechs really did see that the regime had no hope of surviving once the wall came down. Things were definitely going to change--and they did...on November 17th, 1989.

The fall of the Berlin Wall also had a direct impact on my life, but I had no inkling of this twenty years ago. I was in a bad marriage and had two very young daughters, and was living in the middle of Oklahoma. Who would have thought that one day I would be living in a former Eastern bloc country--one that had been behind the Wall and completely off-limits? If it wasn't for the fall of the Wall, I would not be here now--married to my Czech husband, Jiri. Our lives would have gone completely separate ways. It is amazing how something like the destruction of the Berlin Wall can have such far-reaching effects--even to bringing two people together years later. I, for one, am very thankful the Wall came down--not only for those who won freedom, but also for my husband and I. We were able to come together due to this historical event--I was able to experience the freedom of a life free from abuse, and find new life with a husband who loves and treats me well. I've been able to find love and adventure in midlife--brought about, in part, by the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago.

That's all for now...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

WBSD Wrap Up

Hi Everyone,
WBSD was a success once again! Thank you to all you expat bloggers who had posts up on Saturday! All the comments and reactions were very positive to our ring around the world! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as Hospitalera and I did! We got together to celebrate WBSD 3--it was so much fun watching all the posts go live and then surfing from blog to blog!

And a huge thank you to Karen, from Empty Nest Expat, for being our live Twitter reporter! You did a great job, Karen! You worked long hours on that...thank you so much!

We're planning the next WBSD for just after the holidays--sometime in January. Hospitalera and I will be working on putting together on a new official WBSD website! That's very exciting and will also make things easier to work on. Plus, it will be a site that hopefully everyone will be able to access. We'll keep you all updated. If you'd like to participate again, be thinking about some topic suggestions. We'll probably run a poll again for the next one--if you enjoyed that! Let us know with your comments!

Well, that's all for now. A big thanks to all of you who participated!!! You all did great work!!!!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Všech svatých--All Saints Day

A very lovely, old Czech cemetery by S. Vacik

Hi Everyone,
Welcome to Czech Off the Beaten Path! Today, I'm participating in World Blog Surf Day--an event where expat bloggers come together from around the world. We come together and write on a common theme--the theme for today is "Holidays & Celebrations." All the posts, from the participating bloggers, will be very interesting as we have a very eclectic bunch writing about their favorite holidays in many countries!

Happy 2nd Anniversary CZOBP!

Another important event, today, is the second anniversary of when I began writing this blog! Hard to believe that it's been around that long! Happy birthday Czech Off the Beaten Path!

Photo by edelweiss on Photobucket

Czech Off the Beaten Path is about my life and adventures in the Czech Republic. I'm an expat who has lived here for almost three years. My husband is a Czech--so we have many adventures in our married life with trying to work out the cross-cultural aspects of our personalities and countries. We have learned how to combine most of the "foreign" aspects of our lives. 

Our marriage has become a very nice mix of Czech and American practices--including a blending of holiday celebrations. My favorite holidays are Christmas and Easter. The Czech versions of these holidays are very fun and interesting. I've written a couple of posts about these in past post you can find here. 

Today, being Halloween, it would seem logical to speak of that. But Czechs do not typically celebrate Halloween--it is mostly celebrated among the American expats who have moved to the Czech Republic. I would rather like to talk about another holiday--Všech svatých, in English "All Saints Day."

Všech svatých

Všech svatých, or All Saints Day, is celebrated around the world in many forms, one of the most notable being the Mexican Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Each country has their own way of celebrating this holy day, including the Czechs. Their version of All Saints has become very personal for me.

On All Saints Day, my Czech family all gather together to visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried. Each grave is cared for--cleaned and put in order. Then they lay flowers and wreaths on each plot and also light small candles that are left burning on the graves. I was shocked by the lit candles being left like that--the fire hazard was very worrisome. But each grave in the cemetery will have at least one lit candle. 

The effect of the softly flickering candles is beautiful amongst all the flowers and the Fall colors. On one such holiday, my husband and I took the bus back home to Prague in the evening. As we were driving along, we passed many cemeteries that were lit up in the night with hundreds of those small candles. The effect was so beautiful--and a new experience for me--to view a cemetery as a place of beauty. Each cemetery looked as if it was full of fireflies as we passed by.

Candles by S. Vacik

After visiting the cemeteries, my Czech family gathers in a local restaurant--it is a great place, with a small pub, located in a very small village in south western Bohemia. The place is very quaint and small, but has wonderful traditional Czech food at great prices! Our family reserves a room there each year, where we typically have a large meal and spend hours just sitting and talking--over several glasses of beer and wine, of course! There is talk about the loved ones who have passed on, and about family things...so it's nice and pleasant. Všech svatých is also a Catholic celebration--and is specially celebrated in the Catholic churches in the Czech Republic.

Chancel of Starokatolicka Cirkev, Petřín Hill by S. Vacik

Back in the States there are some churches (even Protestant) that celebrate All Saints Day. I came to this tradition later in life, at a United Methodist Church, and loved the idea of celebrating our dearly departed. It's wonderful to remember our loved ones--and to give thanks for having had the blessing of these people to guide us. 

My family back home has not really celebrated All Saints Day, but there is the tradition of taking care for the cemetery plots and leaving flowers, plus speaking about our loved ones and various memories--keeping them alive in our hearts. Americans also have Memorial Day, which really began as a holiday to remember soldiers who died in service to their country, but the holiday later came to include remembering all of our loved ones who have passed on.

Red rose by BabyMj2k5 on Photobucket

I have come to greatly appreciate the Czech way of celebrating All Saints Day--at least the way my Czech family celebrates it. This holiday, in the Czech Republic, is a kind of peaceful, sometimes solemn day. It is a day when we can all gather and share memories and stories about those who have passed on and keep their memory alive in our presence. It is a lovely way to celebrate All Saints Day—one that I have been readily able to adapt into my more American ways of being and doing.

Part of being an expat is learning how to live in and adapt to the new country of residence. This is not an easy process at all. For me, it has helped being married to a Czech—the adapting process begins a little bit faster in some ways. Adventure is also part of the expat life—one that I've been enjoying at this point in my life. My life has become much richer for having married my Czech husband. The tapestry of our lives is being woven together as we learn to live with one another and adapt to the cross-cultural differences we both bring into our relationship. Having new ways to celebrate holidays brings more meaning and depth to such days as All Saints Day, or as we call it here, Všech svatých.

Well, that's all for now! Please visit the next blog, by Sparrow, called The Spotted Sparrow and read about her favorite holiday or celebration! And thanks goes to our Twitter Reporter, Karen, from Empty Nest Expat . She will be busy sending out provocative Tweets on Twitter about each WBSD participating blog! Karen is an American expat writer last seen in Prague. The Wall Street Journal said "her blog makes a fun read for anyone looking for reassurance that change can be a wonderful thing—and also anyone interested in visiting the Czech Republic."

Thanks so much for coming by! Have a great day and enjoy surfing the world on World Blog Surf Day! Follow that link to find a master link list--if you come across a blog with no post for WBSD, then refer back to the master list to find the next blogger!

God bless,
Sher :0)
Photos of cemetery, candles and church property of S. Vacik. All rights reserved.

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

© 2009 by Sher Vacik

World Blog Surf Day Link List

Hi Everyone,
Three days left till World Blog Surf Day! How are you coming along with your posts???!!! I'm working on mine--and can't wait to post it, along with all of your posts!

For those of you who have not heard about World Blog Surf Day, this is an event where expat bloggers, from all over the world, come together on the same day, write on the same theme, and then link their blogs to form a chain of blog posts that will let you "travel" the world from the comfort of your own home! So, be sure to come back on Saturday to enjoy some great reading and learn about life in far away places!

Here some interesting stats for this WBSD. This is our third WBSD event, and we have 48 bloggers signed up, while last time we had 33. Expat bloggers are taking part from the following countries:

Switzerland-7 bloggers
UK-5 bloggers
USA-5 bloggers
Czech Republic-5 bloggers
Argentia-4 bloggers
Netherlands-4 bloggers
Canada-2 bloggers
Turkey-2 bloggers
Indonesia-1 blogger
Burlgaria-1 blogger
China-1 blogger
Australia-1 blogger
Belgium-1 blogger
Germany-1 blogger
One blogging network-8 bloggers from various countries

Our group of bloggers is very eclectic--just like last time! All this variety makes for a fun and interesting trip for readers surfing the world! The theme for this WBSD is Holidays & Celebrations--what is your favorite new holiday and how it is celebrated? Don't forget, this topic can also include events such as weddings, etc. And your posts can take any form that can be accommodated on a blog--this includes videos and pictures. Our event is family-friendly--so be sure to keep this in mind when preparing your post.

Here is our link list--please link to the person who comes after you on the list (Jackamo, please link back to Roz--creating a circle)--when you link to the next blog, please be sure to include the blogger's name along with the name of their blog:Moving to Australia on a 457 Visa by Roz Andrews

Bali Expat Blog by Bali Expat

On the Fringe by Global Gal

Internation Musing by Hans

The Skaian Gates by Yarzac

Bulgarian Slivatree by Martin

Sezinia by Sezin

Rickyyates by Chaplain

Workingnomad by Hospitalera

Empty Nest Expat by Karen

Czech Off the Beaten Path by Sher

The Spotted Sparrow by Sparrow

Swissstory Blog by Jessica

Peterhals in Zurich by DRosie

Swiss Family Mac by Mrs Mac

Who'd Say by Carla

Juanita Tortilla by Juanita

A Swissstory by Kylie by Kylie

World Wide Westfields by kookykrys

BBE's Video Snapshots by BBE

A Flamingo in Uthrecht by Oranjeflamingo

Fatbrideslim by Lily

Misadventures of Mub by Mub

Just a Plane Ride Away by JaPra

Emm in London by Emm

Rantings from Afar by annmucc

Eyeflare Travel Tips & Advice by eyeflare

Little London Observationist by Steph

Success Abroad by Zuzanna

Czechmate Diary by Tanja

A Malaysian Abroad by *lynne*

From Ohio with Love by Ivanhoe

Lateral Window by Lilian

Earth to Danie by Barkhouse

Affordable Calling Cards by Expat Calling

Winning Away-Expat Tips & Resources by Emmanuelle

Expatriate Life by Judy

Exile Lifestyle by Colin

The Future is Red by Red

Expanish by Expanish

Jackamo on the Move by JackamoNow, be sure to have your post go live at midnight Friday night (Oct. 30th) in your timezone, if at all possible. If that's not possible, then have your post go live as early as you can on Saturday morning so we have no breaks in our chain of blogs. This is very important. Also, please be sure to include our Twitter Reporter, Karen, in your blog post--with a link back to her blog "Empty Nest Expat." Here is the information to include about Karen: Karen is an American expat blogger last seen in Prague. The Wall Street Journal said, "Her blog makes a fun read for anyone looking for reassurance that change can be a wonderful thing--and also for anyone interested in visiting the Czech Republic." Including this information about Karen is our way of thanking her for being our Twitter Reporter on Saturday! She will read all of our posts and make Tweets on Twitter throughout the day about each of our blogs! How awesome is that!

So, that's it for now...good luck with your posts--and please write me, leave a comment, or Tweet if you have any questions or need more information about Saturday's World Blog Surf Day!

Can't wait!!! See you all on Saturday!!!!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

WBSD is Coming Up Fast!

Hi Everyone,
Phew, things have been very busy around here! I've definitely not been on vacation, but have been working very hard on some freelance projects that came my way. You know how it is--when it rains, it pours. Well, this is one of those times when it's pouring--but in a good way. I won't complain! Things will calm down in the next week or so as I process the work. It definitely feels good to be here with you all again!

World Blog Surf Day is only a few days away...we're counting down now...5 days till the big event! Our theme for this WBSD is "Holidays & Celebrations--what is your favorite new holiday and how is it celebrated?" I would like to mention that this topic includes holidays, but you can also write about celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, etc. Are you preparing your posts? Your posts can be in any form...written, pictorial, etc. Creativity is what World Blog Surf Day is all about! I'm working on my post...but it has a ways to go before it will be ready. Like last time, it would be great if you could have your posts go live around midnight in your time zone on Friday night. This will allow for all the posts to be "live" on Saturday morning at the same time...well, that's the theory, anyway! That worked well for our last WBSD...so we'll try that again this time.

For all of you new WBSD participants, I will have the link list posted here and on the WBSD site by Wednesday. That list will show who you are supposed to link to in your post. Each blogger will include a link to the next blogger in the chain--this will create a circle, so that a reader can surf from blog to blog and travel the world!

We have a bit of news for WBSD--we have an official Twitter Reporter! Karen, from Empty Nest Expat, will be our live reporter on Saturday! As a way of expressing our thanks for Karen's work, it would be great if each of your blogs would include a link to Karen's blog. Also, please include this bio for Karen in your post: Karen is an American expat writer last seen in Prague. The Wall Street Journal said, "Her blog makes a fun read for anyone looking for reassurance that change can be a wonderful thing--and also anyone interested in visiting the Czech Republic." Our Twitter Reporter will be reading each of your blog posts and Tweeting a blurb about them on Twitter!

That's all for now! If you have any questions or comments please leave them here in the comments, or drop me an email...or a Tweet!

Have a great day--looking forward to your posts on Saturday!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Blog Action Day 2009

Hi Everyone,
Today is Blog Action Day--and this blog is participating (even at the last minute). What is Blog Action Day? The website says, "Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion." There are 8,565 bloggers signed up to participate in this event. What a powerful event way to spread the message about climate change and living a more "green" life to help the planet.

Since moving to Europe, my entire life, at every level, has changed drastically. My life in the Czech Republic has become much "greener" and environmentally friendly here. For instance, back in the States, I had an electric washer and dryer, a Jeep Cherokee, air conditioning, etc. Well, I have some of those same things here, but my use of these appliances and the car has completely turned around. Electricity is very expensive here, in the Czech Republic, and in most of the rest of Europe. People are very careful about the way in which they consume energy due to the expense, but also more and more Europeans are becoming more aware of climate change and the damage we are all doing to our planet. Back to my life here in Europe, I no longer have a car. That was one of the first major changes when I moved to the Czech Republic. My husband and I live in Prague. Prague is a beautiful city that has a wonderful public transit system. We don't really need to have a car in order to get around. And truly, I don't miss driving too much. The city drivers are a bit scary in the way they drive. I'm not sure I could keep out of their way, and I'm afraid I would bring one of those round-abouts to a stop since I'm not exactly sure how they work! Anyway, this was one ways that my life became much "greener" and more climate friendly right when I arrived in Prague. Along with the public transit we also do a lot of walking around the city. Prague is a beautiful place, so walking here is usually a pleasure. There's always something new to see or experience as you run your errands.

Another area that changed drastically is the way we do laundry here compared to the way it's done in the US. We have an electric washer, of course, but it is one that tumbles the clothes (the washer's basket sits sideways in the washer). This means there is less use of water. In the US, my washer had a huge basket that would hold several gallons of water per each cycle for one load of clothes. One load of wash back home would take about 30-45 minutes. Here, the washer takes at least an hour, and more for washing sheets and towels. Even so, my washer here is much "greener" than my washer back in the States. The washer here doesn't use as much water or electricity. So, we save water, energy and money--and still have very clean clothes. The next step in doing laundry is drying. I had an electric dryer back in the US, but here, we have a drying rack or clothes lines on which to hang our clothes. The clothes will air-dry, rather than using electricity or gas. Again, this saves energy and money! Air-drying clothes isn't as convenient. It took me a while to get used to doing laundry in this way, but now I actually prefer it to the way I did laundry back home.

I must say that we also don't have nearly as much waste as I did when living in the US. I can't say for certain why that is. But back in the US, just my daughter and I, and our dog, produced a Jeep load of trash in just a few days! Here, though, my husband and I, and our two gerbil boys produce only about 1/3 of the amount of trash we had in the States! Packaging of products is much better here. There's not nearly the amount of cardboard, paper and plastic in our trash. Czechs are also very good about recycling many items such as plastic and glass. They will also use things up until they have to be replaced, rather than constantly purchasing new things. This, too, is another way that we live greener here in the Czech Republic.

These are only a couple of ways that my life has become much "greener" since moving to the Czech Republic. I must say, that we really don't use nearly as much electricity even to light our flat or cook, etc. We try to save where we can--to save the environment and to save money. This has given me a new perspective on the way I once lived compared to how I live now. My life has definitely become much more "earth-friendly" than it used to be. I hope to continue to become more energy efficient, more "green" in my ways of living and being so that the Earth might be a more pleasant place for my kids and their kids--and for everyone around the world.

Thanks for stopping by--visit another blog--and learn how other expats are learning to live "greener" lives around the world. Please support Blog Action Day!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Busy Days & WBSD

Hi Everyone,
Wow, things have been very busy lately! It's been about two weeks since my last post and that's due to my being so very immersed in work and Life. Currently, I have a small freelance project going that is taking up most of my time, and I have acquired a student(a son of a friend)--and I've become a tutor of English. This is a development I never thought would come about--me as a tutor? Yes, now I am! Along with that, I've fought a stomach virus, and watched our neighbor's cat for a few days. Jiri and I also took a trip to Okor Castle a couple of weekends ago. I have some pretty pictures from that trip and I'll write a post to go with the pictures, too. I've also not forgotten about the Rome pictures! There's a lot to catch up on!

World Blog Surf Day is only a couple of weeks away, too! We have thirty-six expat bloggers who have signed up so far. Hopefully a few more will come and join us. I will work on getting the word out about WBSD, and if you could also help--that would be great. The more bloggers we have the merrier and more fun WBSD will be! I'll write a post, in a few days, about how World Blog Surf Day will work--just as a reminder and update for everyone. I'm very excited about WBSD and am looking forward to when it will go live on October 31st!

Another note about World Blog Surf Day--we are looking for a Twitter reporter! Last time we had Anastasia Ashman (Thandelike, on Twitter) as our reporter. She is busy this time around, so we would like to find another blogger who would be interested in becoming our Twitter reporter. This would entail reading all the blog posts, and posting interesting and intriguing Tweets (about each blog) throughout the day of WBSD on October 31st. As compensation for your work, we would include a link back to you (your blog/Twitter page--whichever you would like) on each WBSD participating blog. Let me know if you're interested!

That's all for now...I wanted to get caught up with you all and let you know what's been going on. It's a very busy time!

You all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

World Blog Surf Day Topic is....

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for taking part in the WBSD poll to choose the topic we'll all be writing about on October 31st! It was surprising to see the outcome of our voting...really...and interesting! Can you make a guess as to which topic came in #1? Drum roll please..................

Well...maybe I should do a break down of the poll for you...that might be more interesting! We had a total of twenty-six votes--this includes some bloggers who have signed up, but whose blogs are currently in the review process. Here is the break down of votes:

Fifth place, with one vote: How do people in my new country work to change the place for the better?

Fourth place, with one vote: What is your favorite kind of music that you've discovered in your new country, and why do you like it?

Third place, with five votes: My new country's strangest custom.

Second place, with six votes: Festivals & Celebrations-how does the new country deal with death, ghosts, and other worldly, creatures?

First place, with six votes: Religion & Society-what role does religion play in your new country? (This the one I voted for!)

Now, the winner that will be our topic for October 31st....

Drum roll please...I can't stand the suspense.....well, you should have figured it out by now...so here goes....

And the winner is, with seven votes: Holidays and Celebrations-what is your favorite new holiday and how is it celebrated?

You can see the voting was hot and furious...and very close on the last three topics. It was a toss up a couple of moments! Thank you all for participating in the vote!

That's all for now...I'll go over the next set of details (for those of you who are new) in the next post!

Have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

World Blog Surf Day Topic Poll

Hi Everyone,
The World Blog Surf Day poll is finally ready! We have an eclectic bunch of topic choices to choose from. Any of these will provide very interesting topics for our next WBSD. Please visit the poll here:WBSD Poll or by clicking the title of this post. Vote for your favorite topic of choice! And if your idea isn't chosen this time, it will be included as a topic choice for our next WBSD. The poll will close on Monday morning (Prague time), and I will post the results here! So be sure to come back on Monday to see what our topic will be. Remember, you need to have your post ready to go live on Oct. 31st--but more about that in upcoming posts!

That's all for now...you all have a great weekend!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Poll for WBSD

Hi Everyone,
We have ten bloggers now confirmed to participate in World Blog Surf Day! The countries that are represented, so far, are Argentina, Bali, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Turkey and the US. That's a great start! We can use more bloggers, though...so keep getting the word out to all your expat friends and contacts!

So far we have only a couple of topic suggestions for WBSD. The suggestions so far have been Religion & Society, and Celebrations/Holidays. Last week, I said we could take suggestions till Thursday, but I'm leaving it open for more suggestions till this coming Thursday, September 24th. I'll put the poll up over the next weekend and have the results posted on Monday, September 28th. Spread the word about WBSD--get your friends and contacts to sign up, and leave your topic suggestions here, in the comments--or email them to me at czechoffthebeatenpath at gmail dot com--or you can Tweet your suggestion on Twitter--look for czechoffthebeat.

One more note, I'm making a list of WBSD participating blogs--you'll find it in the right side bar. You'll find the name of each blog is also a link that to specific blog.

That's all for now! You all have a great weekend!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

World Blog Surf Day Update

Hi Everyone,
World Blog Surf Day sign up has begun. We have five bloggers who are confirmed to participate in the next WBSD. Here is a list of the first six to sign up:

Sezin	Sezinia	Czech Republic
Chaplain	Rickyyates	Czech Republic
Tanja	Czechmate Diary	USA
Hans	Internation Musing	Turkey
Sher	Czech Off the Beaten Path	Czech Republic
Hospitalera	Workingnomad	Czech Republic

The topic for our upcoming WBSD is still up for a vote. So far, we have one suggestion--religion/society--for our theme. Please feel free to offer other suggestions--you can send them in via email to czechoffthebeatenpath at gmail dot com; send a Tweet on Twitter to czechoffthebeat, or leave your suggestion in the comment section on this blog. The deadline for topic suggestions will be this Thursday, September 17th, and I will have a poll ready here on Friday. Everyone can cast their votes from Friday to Monday, September 21st, when I'll have the results recorded here.

Just a reminder--the sign up deadline for the next World Blog Surf Day will be October 24th. Be sure to spread the word about WBSD to your expat friends and readers! The goal is to create a chain of expat bloggers that goes around the world! The more bloggers we have the better!

That's all for today...you all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day Website
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

World Blog Surf Day Sign-Up Ready

Credit: Art by Beka

Hi Everyone,
Are you expat bloggers ready for the next World Blog Surf Day? I am! Sign-up is now open for the next WBSD, which will be held on October 31, 2009. You can visit the WBSD site for more information on what World Blog Surf Day is and how to participate.

The theme for this coming WBSD is still under consideration. This time we'll hold a poll (next week) so participating bloggers can vote on what our next theme should be. If you have any suggestions for the theme, please leave them in the comments here, or send me an email...or you can also Tweet them to me on Twitter! We've had a couple of bloggers suggest the theme of religion and society--which would be very apropos for October 31st! So, please send in your comments and suggestions for a theme. The deadline for submitting theme ideas will be next Thursday, September 17th. This will allow me to get the poll up on Friday (here on Czech Off the Beaten Path), September 18th--then everyone can vote over the weekend--and I'll post the results on Monday, September 21st, here on this blog.

All expat bloggers who sign up for WBSD will need to have a blog that is active and has frequent posts. Each blog will be reviewed to ensure that this rule is followed. So, be sure that your blog meets these qualifications before signing up. Most expat blogs are accepted--so don't worry about being rejected. We just have to make sure the blogs are active. If an inactive blog is included, then there is a high probability of that blogger not posting on October 31st--and this would break the chain (of blogs around the world) we are trying to create for our readers. Once your blog has been reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email that your blog's been accepted for WBSD. You'll also receive an email if you blog is not accepted, with an explanation of why it was rejected. We need this rule in order to keep WBSD the best experience possible for our bloggers and our readers.

This is an added note: it has been brought to my attention that Google Sites is banned in Turkey. Is it banned in any other countries, too? That's a problem, but if you would like to sign up, and can't get to the sign-up form, then if you would feel comfortable with it, send me your information via email: your blogging name, blog name/address, email address, and your home country and your new country of residence. Also, if you would like to have the WBSD logos, let me know...I can email those to you. We have several color schemes to choose from: blue, brown, pink (my daughter's favorite color), and green. If you need/want a different color scheme, let me know. Beka will come up with it and I can email it to you. Sorry for this inconvenience!

That's all for today! This WBSD will surely be interesting and fun...and the sign-up is now ready...and we will vote on the theme! Once we have the theme, we can all get to working on our posts and be ready for the fun traveling around the world from blog to blog! I'm really excited and looking forward to our next WBSD! And if you'd like to get the word out, there are logos available for you to use...and if you use social media, then please tell all your friends and followers about World Blog Surf Day!

You all have a great day and a great weekend!

God bless,
Sher :0)

PS I have been watching the stats on this blog for quite a while, and have found there is one post that continuously brings in the most search traffic. That is the post "Garlic Soup--Cure for the Common Cold." For those of you interested in the recipe for traditional Czech garlic soup, you can find it by clicking the link in the upper left-hand sidebar! Enjoy!

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
World Blog Surf Day Website
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath

Health Emergency & a Czech Hospital

Hi Everyone,
Wow, it's been a whirlwind lately with traveling home to Prague and dealing with health issues. Things were very crazy last week after I came home. A week ago Sunday, Jiri ended up at the emergency room (where his mother lives) for severe abdominal pain. They found it was his gallbladder causing the problem and gave him some shot (what--he doesn't know) and sent him home. Monday, Jiri was back in Prague and trying to get ready to meet me at the airport. The whole day he was ill and in great pain. When we met at the airport (he hadn't yet told me about the Sunday emergency room visit), I could tell that he was sick and urged him to go to the doctor. But no--he's a very stubborn guy--and said he was fine.

Tuesday morning Jiri went to work, still feeling pretty bad (though he said he was fine). But something made him visit his doctor, and his doctor immediately sent him to the hospital for tests. At the hospital, they discovered a stone was causing the problem...it was blocking bile from leaving the gallbladder. The bile was very infected and the infection and inflammation were spreading to other places in the abdomen. Not a good scenario. Jiri had to stay at the hospital and began receiving high doses of antibiotics and other meds. Everything was getting better, until Thursday morning when blood tests seemed to show more trouble. Thankfully a sonogram showed things were OK, and surgery was averted--for the time being. Friday Jiri was able to come home. The doctors have urged that surgery is necessary, but Jiri has some things at work that need to be taken care of before he will have the surgery. Ach jo...now it looks like the surgery will have to wait till November. I'm hoping and praying that Jiri's gallbladder will cooperate and wait to be taken out in November!

This is what I walked back into last week when I got home here, to Prague. It's been a very interesting experience--one of the first health emergencies (dealing with one of us) Jiri and I have had to deal with as a married couple, and this was my first experience with a Czech hospital. Last week was very stressful and then dealing with my own current health situation--has left me kind of drained. However, everything is going OK and things are gradually improving (including me)...so I can't complain at all!

Jiri was in Bulovka Hospital, in Prague 8. This is a typical Czech hospital in that there are many buildings on a "campus" setting. We have similar settings in the US. However, the difference comes when looking at the age of the buildings. Jiri was in a very old building that actually looked more like a former castle or hotel. I'm not very good at judging the age of a building, but it looked like this "castle" might have been built in the 1700's or 1800's. It was a nice, grand old building. Once inside, the building was kind of dreary, but immaculately clean. Jiri was in a ward for internal medicine, and there were probably about six other patients there, in the same room. Actually, Jiri had a small side room (with three beds in it) all to himself. That was really nice. Private rooms are available, but they are very expensive. So, Jiri stayed in the ward.

All the beds in the ward looked as if they were from the 1940's--no kidding. They were adjustable, but only with hand cranks...no electric beds. There were no TVs in the ward, and a single window. Of course, I'm used to US hospitals where we have two people to a room, or even a private room, with TV, a bathroom for that specific room, privacy curtains, everything is very modern, etc. This is all I've known, never having lived outside of the US before moving to the Czech Republic. What surprised me more was what was necessary to pack for Jiri's stay in the hospital. The list included soap and shampoo, a towel and wash cloth, and toilet paper. These were surprising for me! These are automatically part of a stay in a US hospital. Of course, you end up paying for these, but they are supplied at the hospital. Czech hospitals, in asking patients to pack even their own toilet paper, are trying to keep the costs down for the hospital and patients. This is a good thing--just something very different than what I've been used to in the US.

Jiri's small room off the ward was not depressing--it was painted with nice, bright colors and was so clean you could eat off the floor! There was plenty of light, and a small sink near his bed (that served the whole room of three beds). All the medical equipment was very modern (aside from the beds, and each bed did have a call button to call a nurse), and the doctors and nurses were all very nice and helpful--very pleasant people. One nice thing, too, was that Jiri was able to keep his cell phone and use it there, in the ward.

All in all, it was a good first experience with a Czech hospital. Now, I'm not sure how I would do in such a setting--I'm used to privacy and am a very modest person. But for a first experience with a loved one in the hospital it was OK. Jiri was very well taken care of and looked after...and everyone was very nice to me, too. I can't complain at all, and am happy that the doctors were able to "patch up" Jiri till he will relent to have the necessary surgery!

Well, that's all for today! I'm working on the WBSD sign-up, and will have that ready later this week. I'm also getting back into dropping Entrecards--and will get that caught up this week, too!

You all have a great day!

God bless,
Sher :0)

PS My health situation is still unfolding...but is slowly improving. My doctor said it will take another five to ten days before I'm really feeling better. He is ordering more tests since my blood work showed some signs that need further investigation. I still have no wrinkles in my face...but am hoping some will show soon...I'm tired of the "moon face!" :0)

Czech Off the Beaten Path Website
Czech Off the Beaten Path T-shirts & More
Sher's Stuff

(c) 2009 by czechoffthebeatenpath