| By :
Tomer Harel
Moving to a new country always brings new experiences and challenges. Moving to the Czech Republic is no different - you can expect things to be different and you must try to be flexible. Rather than behaving like a tourist, your goal is to act like a citizen. This will make it easier for you to fit in and make friends. In turn, you will then be a little more prepared to move to your destination country. 1) Every country is unique. When in the Czech Republic, it's not necessary to spend a lot of money on clothing. People there tend to dress very casually and if you dress up too much, it will be assumed that you are a tourist. People in this country don't consider it necessary or expedient to buy high-dollar clothing. Dress simply and down to earth. 2) Whenever you enter the building of a small business establishment, greet the people by saying "Dobry Den" in a very polite fashion. This simple means "Good Day" and you will be treated with more respect, even if your accent is not the best. Those who don't use this greeting are automatically assumed to be tourists. When you leave the building, you should say, "Na Shledanou" or "Goodbye." 3) When you need to purchase train or bus tickets, it's best to take a local person with you, if at all possible. The reason for this is because otherwise, you may be charged up to double for your tickets. A monthly pass is probably the best way to buy because you get a better rate and you won't have to worry about being charged extra each time you need a ticket. 4) If you decide to visit a local restaurant, be sure and check for the daily menu. It will likely be written outside the cafe in the Czech language; and can easily be translated with a bilingual dictionary. If you don't, you will be given the more expensive a la carte menu. If you cannot find the daily menu, then ask for the "Denni Menu Prosim," which translated is simply "Daily Menu Please." 5) Czechs are not unfriendly people, but they aren't overflowing with emotion either. You will definitely be taken for a tourist if you are extra friendly or emotional in public. Sometimes people who move to the Czech Republic are a little taken back by the sour faces, but it's just their way. They prefer to keep to themselves and not be expressive in public. Quite frankly, it's very likely that you will not do things the right way when you first move to the Czech Republic. That's okay, however, because you will learn from your mistakes. You will learn the differences between being treated like a tourist and a local. People will never be rude or unkind to you, but you will make friends quicker and feel more at home if you can learn to do things like the locals. When in doubt, remember the saying, "When in Rome - or the Czech Republic - do as the Romans - or Czechs - do."
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