The one thing Prague definitely isn't lacking is a vibrant nightlife. However, the other thing Prague isn't lacking is a huge chasm of difference in pricing for essentially the same entertainment products and services. It's reassuring stepping into a place where everyone speaks English but that doesn't always mean that you are going to receive a fair price or quality of service - usually quite the opposite. I've been living in Prague for over 16 years and I have compiled a list of places which I completely recommend as places to socialize - places where you can expect above average service, places which are non-Czech friendly, and places which are away from the typical tourist and newbie expat haunts. Please note that the majority of places recommended are located in the Vinohrady/ Vrsovice/ Zizkov districts of the city.
For convenience this list is numerical, but numerical position is not an indication of preference. I have listed each place with name and contact details and then a few lines of place description. In true Spinal Tap style this list goes to 11:
1. Dobra Trafika
Korunní 42
120 00 Praha 2
- Charming Tea House/ Coffee Shop on bustling Korunni street. Very reasonably priced with smoking and non-smoking sections. A great place to chill practically any time of the day and any day of the week. I recommend the Pita Syrova (cheese pita) and the wide selection of coffees and teas. This place also doubles up as a tobacconists and magazine vendors.
2. Cafe Sladovsky
Sevastopolská 17
110 00 Praha 10
- Cafe Sladovsky is a bar (slash) restaurant (slash) cafe, serving up mainly tapas and (very bravely) Czech wine. Actually, if by just going by their menu you might assume that you were in a Portuguese Tapas restaurant. This however is tapas and wine Czech style and while there is nothing wrong with that I think the main draw of this place is the Bohemian ambience of its clientele and top quality beer and cocktail menu - as well as its excellent breakfast brunch menus.
3. Lokal
Dlouha 33
120 00 Praha1
- It's simple. A place with a homely vibe and where they serve up divine Plzen Urquell. Yes, your students go on about how Czech beer is the best in the world and this might just be the place to put that very bold superlative to the test. The beer here is sublime bliss - it makes you want to immediately contact the management and request how much a section of the bar would cost to rent as an apartment so you could have more time on this planet to sip the delights of this other worldly amber nectar. Staff are very friendly and the food ain't bad either. A recommended stop but if you plan to eat then reservations are a must. If you only plan to drool over your perfectly poured Urquell then you can normally find a standing place by the main entrance. Drool, drool, drool :-)
4. Clown and Bard
Bořivojova 102
130 00 Praha 3
- When I first came to Prague I stayed here for a couple of weeks before I hooked up with similar minded people and found a shared apartment. In those days the Dorm room was on the top floor and between the main entrance of the Hostel and the stairs to the Dorm was a well-stocked bar and lively room of expats and locals. I'm glad to write that this hasn't changed. This place is still a great place to meet expats and locals and bridge the gap between being an expat and local. It's also a great place to try absinthe :-)
5. Big Lebowski
Slavikova 16
130 00 Praha 3
- Big Lebowski boasts a very unusual USP. This is that they are the only place in town where you can choose how much you pay. If you drank 10 beers and thought they sucked then technically you could leave without paying a single Crown. If you had 1 beer and had a beer satori moment then you could show your appreciation and hand over the deeds to your Gulf access waterfront home. I imagine that's how it works :-) Either way the system must work on both sides because they are busy every night of the week and showing no signs of going out of business.
6. Duende
Karoliny Světlé 30
110 00 Praha 1
- Duende is a great place to spend an afternoon over coffee and drinks while you people watch both inside and outside the place. Located a few minutes walk from the Charles Bridge this is one of the 'hidden' gems of Prague 1 and that's exactly how the regulars want to keep it. However, if you do find yourself wandering in here and if you are not of the obvious tourist genre then you will receive a very warm welcome. Part of the fun of Duende is working out who are the movers and shakers and who are the floaters and fakers. Expect late nights/ early mornings here. Everything except dancing on tables is accepted. The beer on tap is ok, the food better, the atmosphere on a good night to die for.
7. Cafe Louvre
Narodni 22
110 00 Praha 1
- This is one of the only places in Prague 1 (in fact maybe in the city) which lists its Daily Menu both in Czech and English, clearly presented on the premises. And what a daily menu it is! Recipes often stem back from the first Republic when Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka would have been poring over a similar menu - both of whom were regulars of Cafe Louvre. Prices are very affordable. Quality is high. There is a pool table area and board games upon request. The cake stand is impressive. Toilets are immaculate. Service mostly impeccable. My recommendation from the a la carte menu is the very reasonably priced and very addictive hamburger with fries.
8. U zavesenyho Kafe
Úvoz 6
118 00 Praha 1 - Hradčany
- This place is perhaps the only non-rippoff restaurant in the Prague Castle area. They serve great beer and great honest soul-lovin' food. OK, the service can be a little on the abrasive side at times but when the food is good you don't mind and anyway, this is the Prague castle area where you expect a bit of attitude. Located around a bend from a castle exit road it is easy to miss but well worth the journey when you do find it. Just make sure to apply the Dobry den rule and you should be fine. Menus are listed in Czech/ English/ German. Prices are local Czech restaurant prices.
9. U Peronu
Nadrazni 40
150 00 Praha 5 - Smichov
- This place is a recommended stop if you are taking the train from Smichovske Nadrazi or if you fancy a wander down to Prague 5 one evening. Friendly staff, good beer and food.
10. Akropolis
Kubelíkova 1548/27
130 00, Praha 3
- Akropolis is a Zizkov institution. Their fried cheese (smazeny syr) is legendary. Akropolis consists of bar(s)/ restaurant/ club/ music club - the likes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have played here.
11. Original pivnice Budvarka
Wuchterlova 336/22
160 00, Praha 6
- Correct me if I am wrong, but there is a general consensus among Europeans that American beer tastes like something not dissimilar to the liquid which seeps from the behind of a gnat. As a frequent traveler to the States I firmly know and believe that this is just a myth and that there are some fabulous micro breweries in the States which easily rival the best which the European giants have to offer. My favorite tipple on the East Coast for example is Coney Island Lager (best served in my humble opinion in Katz's Delicatessen, Lower East Side). BUT, and don't sue me here please ( :-) ) it is clear that the Budejovice Budvar (Budweiser) in the Czech Republic, where btw Budejovice Budvar originated from (Ceske Budejovice), is far superior to the Budweiser which is available in the States. Outside of Ceske Budejovice the next best thing is probably found at Original pivnice Budvarka, in Prague 6. AND they serve great bar food - local Czech prices with a bilingual Czech/English menu. Here they really care about the quality of their beer and even better news is that the tourist route goes nowhere near the place. This is a highly recommended stop off for any Castle/Prague 6 trip.
Na zdravi! / To your health!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
Earn your International TEFL/TESOL certificate with ITTP TEFL Online! Voted #1 Student's Choice Online TEFL Course 2015.
Sunday 20 November 2011
Monday 14 November 2011
ITTP TEFL Prague: When in Rome... or how to live like the locals in Prague
As with most new destinations you can expect to be paying over the odds in your first few days when you first arrive on Czech soil. That might mean tipping more than you should, shopping in the wrong places, going out in tourist areas, buying from expensive local shops, or eating in Western restaurants. While there is nothing completely wrong with this - and we have all I'm sure at some stage in our travels headed for example into a McDees for culture relief and ordered something familiar - it does of course pay in many ways to try and live like a local as soon as you can so that you gain a more authentic local experience and so that your bank balance remains consistently healthy. I often advise people to live like the locals but what does that actually mean for Prague?
Here are some numbered tips for a speedier integration into Czech life:
1. Announcements. When entering the vast majority of small establishments you should announce yourself with a politely spoken Dobry Den. This literally translates as Good Day and as a local you will 'announce' yourself like this when entering a small grocery store, pharmacy, bar, etc. If you don't then it will automatically be assumed that you are a tourist. Even if your Czech accent isn't that hot as long as you demonstrate that you have a grasp of this rudimentary cultural concept then you will more than often receive a warmer welcome than if you hadn't said anything. When leaving you should announce Na Shledanou (Good bye).
2. Tipping. Czechs don't tip nearly as much as people do in the USA for example. If taking a taxi and the bill comes to 238 CZK then round it up to 250 CZK. If the bill comes to 228 CZK then round it up to 240 CZK. Downtown waiters sometimes play the annoying habit of requesting tips or giving large change from a bill in coins in the hope that you will leave a large tip. For restaurants you should work on giving a 10% tip if the service and food was of a good quality. If the food or service was bad then tip or don't tip accordingly. It is important to watch if the bill includes a service charge because if it does then the tip has already been included in your meal calculation and there is absolutely no need to tip. If the meal was exceptional and the service was divine then tip anywhere up to 20%. In most cases though you will find that the 10% rule applies.
3. Dress down. OK, gone are the days of Czech business people flooding the Western European market with their purple suits but with an average working wage for the country of around just US$1,000 per month per person, there are not a lot of people who can afford to splash out on brand names such as Levis, North Face, etc. Czechs do in general tend to look a bit disheveled. Tourists often stand out from the crowd not because of their camera equipment and maps spread open, but instead because their clothes are usually of a high quality or branded. If you walk into a restaurant with a North Face Jacket on then expect to get the newbie tourist treatment.
4. Transport. Tourists tend to get charged extra for Prague and inter-city transport. Often when ticket machines are illegible for non-Czechs then Prague transport ticket vendors charge tourists a higher rate for a local metro or tram trip - something like selling you a 32 CZK ticket when you really only needed one for 24 CZK. The same rule definitely applies for some national bus and train routes and especially the main tourist ones. Whereas a local might be quoted a Praha-Brno train ticket for under 250 CZK a tourist might be fleeced for almost double. In this case I recommend taking a local with you when buying train tickets and buying bus tickets through the recommended studentagency.cz company. If using the Prague transport system regularly then I strongly advise buying a monthly pass - covering all train, tram, metro and bus travel within the city limits and costing around US$30 only for the month.
5. Grocery shopping. Always try and shop outside of the city center. Tesco, which is a British style Wallmart, has supermarkets bang in the center of town and hypermarkets on the outskirts. The hypermarkets are much more affordable (and less crowded). When shopping at small grocery stores it is important to use the shopping baskets provided as all locals do - if you don't then don't be surprised if you are closely watched or followed. As an additional note always watch your change, even in supermarkets and grocery stores - it definitely isn't unknown to be short changed.
6. Driving. If you have suicidal tendencies and decide that you want to drive in Prague, or if you just fancy getting out of town and decide that it might be economical to rent a car if there are a few of you together then it is absolutely essential to know that in the Czech Republic you must have your car lights on at all times (when driving). In Prague trams have absolute right of way. Pedestrian crossings are optional stops (pls bear in mind when walking around the city). Unless there are specific road signs you must always give way to the right. On the highways it is the right lane which is the main lane and each lane to the left increases in the speed of traffic. If you drive in the fast lane then expect almost bumper-to-bumper hints to move to a slower lane from faster cars coming up behind you.
7. Unique etiquette. It seems at times that Prague is clothed in mysterious layers of unfathomable etiquette. The main areas to watch if you want to fit in as a local are: always walk on the right side of steps/stairs/escalators. It is an unwritten rule that on a 2-person wide escalator for example that the right side of the escalator is for the majority of traffic and the left side is for people in a rush. Standing on the left side and blocking the 'fast Lane' will bring cusses and collective public wrath. On public steps/stairs oncoming traffic comes to your left side and you walk on your right. Equally important is to always give up your seat on a bus/tram/metro if an elderly person, child, handicapped person, or pregnant woman gets on. It is also customary to assist Mum's and Dad's with baby's in push chairs/strollers if they look like they could do with a hand.
8. Restaurants and bars. In bars it is usual to order drinks and hold a tab until it is time to leave and pay. Pls note: always check your bill to make sure that the tab is correct. In restaurants the waiter will come and take your drinks order first so it is advisable to sit down and quickly work out what you are going to have to drink. Of course in top end restaurants it is your decision when you order but in standard restaurants where high turnover of customer might be the key to profit the key is speed. Your waiter will bring your drinks and then take your food order. Desert is always presented as a separate order. During the day when restaurants offer Daily Menu's and when speed of food delivery truly is premium, you will be expected to eat up, pay, and leave promptly - so that the next hurried lunchers can seat and be served. Any hanging around will certainly raise eyebrows and result in a cold approach.
9. What to order? At lunchtime the vast vast vast majority of restaurants offer a Daily Menu or Special, typically consisting of a soup and main - the total of which can be found commonly for around 100 CZK. However, many waiters will not give you the Daily menu if you look foreign and will instead pass you the a la carte (which offers more expensive versions). The Daily menu is usually either a separate piece of paper or piece of paper attached to the standard menu, and it changes every day. Most restaurants list the Daily menu on the outside of their restaurants so you can check beforehand what is on offer. The Daily is always written in Czech but easily understandable with a bilingual dictionary. If you are not offered the Daily Menu then ask for the Denni Menu prosim (Daily menu please). Lunchtime.cz offers a good selection of restaurants listed with their daily menus.
10. Don't look so happy! :-) The one thing almost everyone remarks on when they first come to Prague is that the locals are, well, a little grumpy. True, smiles do tend to bloom more the further the week unravels to Friday afternoon but even at the weekends it ain't exactly smile city. If you follow all of the above points and look as though someone just ate your lunch without your consent then you will fit right in. That isn't to say that Czechs are unfriendly. Quite the opposite. It's just that in public they are just not expressive and would rather keep themselves to themselves.
These are the main etiquette areas which immediately spring to mind and cover the essentials. If you follow these points then you will definitely find yourself experiencing a more authentic and more affordable Czech experience.
Enjoy!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
Here are some numbered tips for a speedier integration into Czech life:
1. Announcements. When entering the vast majority of small establishments you should announce yourself with a politely spoken Dobry Den. This literally translates as Good Day and as a local you will 'announce' yourself like this when entering a small grocery store, pharmacy, bar, etc. If you don't then it will automatically be assumed that you are a tourist. Even if your Czech accent isn't that hot as long as you demonstrate that you have a grasp of this rudimentary cultural concept then you will more than often receive a warmer welcome than if you hadn't said anything. When leaving you should announce Na Shledanou (Good bye).
2. Tipping. Czechs don't tip nearly as much as people do in the USA for example. If taking a taxi and the bill comes to 238 CZK then round it up to 250 CZK. If the bill comes to 228 CZK then round it up to 240 CZK. Downtown waiters sometimes play the annoying habit of requesting tips or giving large change from a bill in coins in the hope that you will leave a large tip. For restaurants you should work on giving a 10% tip if the service and food was of a good quality. If the food or service was bad then tip or don't tip accordingly. It is important to watch if the bill includes a service charge because if it does then the tip has already been included in your meal calculation and there is absolutely no need to tip. If the meal was exceptional and the service was divine then tip anywhere up to 20%. In most cases though you will find that the 10% rule applies.
3. Dress down. OK, gone are the days of Czech business people flooding the Western European market with their purple suits but with an average working wage for the country of around just US$1,000 per month per person, there are not a lot of people who can afford to splash out on brand names such as Levis, North Face, etc. Czechs do in general tend to look a bit disheveled. Tourists often stand out from the crowd not because of their camera equipment and maps spread open, but instead because their clothes are usually of a high quality or branded. If you walk into a restaurant with a North Face Jacket on then expect to get the newbie tourist treatment.
4. Transport. Tourists tend to get charged extra for Prague and inter-city transport. Often when ticket machines are illegible for non-Czechs then Prague transport ticket vendors charge tourists a higher rate for a local metro or tram trip - something like selling you a 32 CZK ticket when you really only needed one for 24 CZK. The same rule definitely applies for some national bus and train routes and especially the main tourist ones. Whereas a local might be quoted a Praha-Brno train ticket for under 250 CZK a tourist might be fleeced for almost double. In this case I recommend taking a local with you when buying train tickets and buying bus tickets through the recommended studentagency.cz company. If using the Prague transport system regularly then I strongly advise buying a monthly pass - covering all train, tram, metro and bus travel within the city limits and costing around US$30 only for the month.
5. Grocery shopping. Always try and shop outside of the city center. Tesco, which is a British style Wallmart, has supermarkets bang in the center of town and hypermarkets on the outskirts. The hypermarkets are much more affordable (and less crowded). When shopping at small grocery stores it is important to use the shopping baskets provided as all locals do - if you don't then don't be surprised if you are closely watched or followed. As an additional note always watch your change, even in supermarkets and grocery stores - it definitely isn't unknown to be short changed.
6. Driving. If you have suicidal tendencies and decide that you want to drive in Prague, or if you just fancy getting out of town and decide that it might be economical to rent a car if there are a few of you together then it is absolutely essential to know that in the Czech Republic you must have your car lights on at all times (when driving). In Prague trams have absolute right of way. Pedestrian crossings are optional stops (pls bear in mind when walking around the city). Unless there are specific road signs you must always give way to the right. On the highways it is the right lane which is the main lane and each lane to the left increases in the speed of traffic. If you drive in the fast lane then expect almost bumper-to-bumper hints to move to a slower lane from faster cars coming up behind you.
7. Unique etiquette. It seems at times that Prague is clothed in mysterious layers of unfathomable etiquette. The main areas to watch if you want to fit in as a local are: always walk on the right side of steps/stairs/escalators. It is an unwritten rule that on a 2-person wide escalator for example that the right side of the escalator is for the majority of traffic and the left side is for people in a rush. Standing on the left side and blocking the 'fast Lane' will bring cusses and collective public wrath. On public steps/stairs oncoming traffic comes to your left side and you walk on your right. Equally important is to always give up your seat on a bus/tram/metro if an elderly person, child, handicapped person, or pregnant woman gets on. It is also customary to assist Mum's and Dad's with baby's in push chairs/strollers if they look like they could do with a hand.
8. Restaurants and bars. In bars it is usual to order drinks and hold a tab until it is time to leave and pay. Pls note: always check your bill to make sure that the tab is correct. In restaurants the waiter will come and take your drinks order first so it is advisable to sit down and quickly work out what you are going to have to drink. Of course in top end restaurants it is your decision when you order but in standard restaurants where high turnover of customer might be the key to profit the key is speed. Your waiter will bring your drinks and then take your food order. Desert is always presented as a separate order. During the day when restaurants offer Daily Menu's and when speed of food delivery truly is premium, you will be expected to eat up, pay, and leave promptly - so that the next hurried lunchers can seat and be served. Any hanging around will certainly raise eyebrows and result in a cold approach.
9. What to order? At lunchtime the vast vast vast majority of restaurants offer a Daily Menu or Special, typically consisting of a soup and main - the total of which can be found commonly for around 100 CZK. However, many waiters will not give you the Daily menu if you look foreign and will instead pass you the a la carte (which offers more expensive versions). The Daily menu is usually either a separate piece of paper or piece of paper attached to the standard menu, and it changes every day. Most restaurants list the Daily menu on the outside of their restaurants so you can check beforehand what is on offer. The Daily is always written in Czech but easily understandable with a bilingual dictionary. If you are not offered the Daily Menu then ask for the Denni Menu prosim (Daily menu please). Lunchtime.cz offers a good selection of restaurants listed with their daily menus.
10. Don't look so happy! :-) The one thing almost everyone remarks on when they first come to Prague is that the locals are, well, a little grumpy. True, smiles do tend to bloom more the further the week unravels to Friday afternoon but even at the weekends it ain't exactly smile city. If you follow all of the above points and look as though someone just ate your lunch without your consent then you will fit right in. That isn't to say that Czechs are unfriendly. Quite the opposite. It's just that in public they are just not expressive and would rather keep themselves to themselves.
These are the main etiquette areas which immediately spring to mind and cover the essentials. If you follow these points then you will definitely find yourself experiencing a more authentic and more affordable Czech experience.
Enjoy!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
Monday 7 November 2011
ITTP TEFL Prague: Preparation for the ITTP TEFL Prague course - before you leave
ok, so you have got yourself booked onto the course and you are wondering what you should bring, what will be difficult to find over here, and perhaps what you shouldn't bring to avoid over-packing and incurring additional airfare fees. Here is my list for you of 10 travel preparation tips before you hop the pond:
1. Travel documents. Make sure that you have a valid passport and that your passport has at least 6 months validity from your date of travel. Don't book the course and then scramble around for your passport - get your passport in order first before committing to the course so that you avoid this unnecessary stress. I also strongly recommend as a precaution making scanned copies of your passport photo page and any other important documents which you will be traveling with and emailing these to yourself so that you have easy access to them in your inbox should you lose them. All work permit documents can be arranged on the ground in Europe if you decide to teach here. This might not apply if wishing to teach outside of Europe so please feel free to pop me an email if you are planning on teaching outside of Europe after taking the course so I can help you out with any pre-course documentation advice. Thank you.
2. Set up an email account with a name which represents your professional side. If you have a hard to spell email address, or one which might give off the wrong impression then I would recommend keeping that email address for your personal affairs and getting a separate one set up for your professional affairs. When applying for jobs this might have an influence on whether employers take your application seriously and remember that you never get a second chance at a first impression.
3. You will get homesick. It's a fact of traveling and even the most hardiest of travelers find themselves missing friends and family back home. Get a free Skype account to keep in touch with folks back home and make sure that your family and friends also have Skype.
4. Most commodities in Prague are very reasonably priced but clothes are not one of these. Clothes here are relatively expensive and the quality tends not to be overall that great. As an example, a pair of jeans here will sent you back from US$50 upwards. A standard pair of Levis sell for around US$130. It can get very cold and wet in the Winter months so I definitely definitely recommend bringing a warm Winter coat and good pair of boots. For interviews you should plan a smart/casual approach - again, that first impression is really important. Once you begin teaching it is fine here in the Czech Republic to wear casual clothes.
5. Invest in a laptop or ipad. Electronics are also quite pricey over here in Europe in general. All Mac products are approx 25% more expensive here. You can find cheaper alternatives so if you are not a Mac lover then HP for example do some great deals on excellent compact computers (again, more affordable in the States). To save you the stress, buy a universal adapter before leaving so that you don't have to run around when you are here trying to find a shop which sells them. Continental Europe has the 2 prong plug sockets.
6. If your phone will work in Europe, bring it. This means that if your phone will work on the Europe network, and in that case if you can replace the sim card with a European one (if the phone is not locked to a particular provider). Don't worry though because mobile phones can be picked up for an affordable price here but having your own phone which you are familiar with does have its advantages (plus you save money on a new one).
7. Bring an affordable and compact camera. You are going to be visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world so take snaps. Also, you will probably want to take snaps of your fellow teachers and students.
8. Booking your airline ticket. This is a really important area which unfortunately usually boils down to simply price and date of flight. There are many airlines plying the Atlantic route but not all of them provide the same service. If you don't want to transfer then there are some airlines which fly direct to Prague. I regularly fly the Atlantic route and find that Lufthansa and Swiss tend to offer the best price/service ratio. Airlinequality.com is a useful resource website for airline reviews and seatguru.com is essential reading if you want to make sure that you get the best possible seat for yourself. Unfortunately these days airlines rarely offer complimentary upgrades but some Economy seats are a lot different in comfort than others. As a general tip, try and get an Emergency Exit seat or bassinet seat. For British and Irish travelers we recommend either British Airways, Easy Jet, or Aer Lingus. For S.African, Australian, and New Zealand travelers we recommend flying Emirates.
9. Arranging travel and health insurance is important for piece of mind. Both can be easily purchased upon arrival to Prague for a fraction of the price that they can in the USA/UK/Australia/New Zealand. You might however want to be covered for your flight just in case it is subject to cancellation or baggage loss - not essential but if you want to then it will provide additional piece of mind.
10. Over-packing. If you over-pack then you run the risk of running up additional charge at the airport. Remember that most of the daily items which you need can be found in Prague. Even Lifesavers as an example can be found in some Expat stores and for the Brits like myself we can stroll into any Marks and Spencers and walk out munching on a packet of Walkers crisps. I would definitely stock up on clothes and of course invest in a compact computer, but I wouldn't worry about bringing too many toiletries or books because these take up space and add to weight. One of the most important things to bring is an open mind and remember that when in Rome to do as the Romans do.
Happy travels!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
1. Travel documents. Make sure that you have a valid passport and that your passport has at least 6 months validity from your date of travel. Don't book the course and then scramble around for your passport - get your passport in order first before committing to the course so that you avoid this unnecessary stress. I also strongly recommend as a precaution making scanned copies of your passport photo page and any other important documents which you will be traveling with and emailing these to yourself so that you have easy access to them in your inbox should you lose them. All work permit documents can be arranged on the ground in Europe if you decide to teach here. This might not apply if wishing to teach outside of Europe so please feel free to pop me an email if you are planning on teaching outside of Europe after taking the course so I can help you out with any pre-course documentation advice. Thank you.
2. Set up an email account with a name which represents your professional side. If you have a hard to spell email address, or one which might give off the wrong impression then I would recommend keeping that email address for your personal affairs and getting a separate one set up for your professional affairs. When applying for jobs this might have an influence on whether employers take your application seriously and remember that you never get a second chance at a first impression.
3. You will get homesick. It's a fact of traveling and even the most hardiest of travelers find themselves missing friends and family back home. Get a free Skype account to keep in touch with folks back home and make sure that your family and friends also have Skype.
4. Most commodities in Prague are very reasonably priced but clothes are not one of these. Clothes here are relatively expensive and the quality tends not to be overall that great. As an example, a pair of jeans here will sent you back from US$50 upwards. A standard pair of Levis sell for around US$130. It can get very cold and wet in the Winter months so I definitely definitely recommend bringing a warm Winter coat and good pair of boots. For interviews you should plan a smart/casual approach - again, that first impression is really important. Once you begin teaching it is fine here in the Czech Republic to wear casual clothes.
5. Invest in a laptop or ipad. Electronics are also quite pricey over here in Europe in general. All Mac products are approx 25% more expensive here. You can find cheaper alternatives so if you are not a Mac lover then HP for example do some great deals on excellent compact computers (again, more affordable in the States). To save you the stress, buy a universal adapter before leaving so that you don't have to run around when you are here trying to find a shop which sells them. Continental Europe has the 2 prong plug sockets.
6. If your phone will work in Europe, bring it. This means that if your phone will work on the Europe network, and in that case if you can replace the sim card with a European one (if the phone is not locked to a particular provider). Don't worry though because mobile phones can be picked up for an affordable price here but having your own phone which you are familiar with does have its advantages (plus you save money on a new one).
7. Bring an affordable and compact camera. You are going to be visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world so take snaps. Also, you will probably want to take snaps of your fellow teachers and students.
8. Booking your airline ticket. This is a really important area which unfortunately usually boils down to simply price and date of flight. There are many airlines plying the Atlantic route but not all of them provide the same service. If you don't want to transfer then there are some airlines which fly direct to Prague. I regularly fly the Atlantic route and find that Lufthansa and Swiss tend to offer the best price/service ratio. Airlinequality.com is a useful resource website for airline reviews and seatguru.com is essential reading if you want to make sure that you get the best possible seat for yourself. Unfortunately these days airlines rarely offer complimentary upgrades but some Economy seats are a lot different in comfort than others. As a general tip, try and get an Emergency Exit seat or bassinet seat. For British and Irish travelers we recommend either British Airways, Easy Jet, or Aer Lingus. For S.African, Australian, and New Zealand travelers we recommend flying Emirates.
9. Arranging travel and health insurance is important for piece of mind. Both can be easily purchased upon arrival to Prague for a fraction of the price that they can in the USA/UK/Australia/New Zealand. You might however want to be covered for your flight just in case it is subject to cancellation or baggage loss - not essential but if you want to then it will provide additional piece of mind.
10. Over-packing. If you over-pack then you run the risk of running up additional charge at the airport. Remember that most of the daily items which you need can be found in Prague. Even Lifesavers as an example can be found in some Expat stores and for the Brits like myself we can stroll into any Marks and Spencers and walk out munching on a packet of Walkers crisps. I would definitely stock up on clothes and of course invest in a compact computer, but I wouldn't worry about bringing too many toiletries or books because these take up space and add to weight. One of the most important things to bring is an open mind and remember that when in Rome to do as the Romans do.
Happy travels!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
ITTP TEFL Prague: TEFL Prague ITTP Reviews-Testimonials-Press
At ITTP International Tefl / Tesol Program we are extremely proud of all of our graduates who take and pass the course.
1. To begin with, ITTP TEFL Prague has featured in the international press: article in the New York Post Star (the New York Post Star serves Warren County, Washington County and Saratoga County in New York state.)
2. We have video testimonials from both graduate and language school owner and these can be viewed here.
3. We also have collected together a list of written/photo testimonials from past students for our updated website pages and these can be viewed here (a few years back we decided to totally update our website pages and so our second site tefl-tesol-online.com was born. The original plan was then to transfer that data to tefl-prague.com but clients continued to show interest in the tefl-prague.com website layout so we now run the 2 websites parallel with each other and both are official ITTP international TEFL/TESOL websites.)
4. Finally, you can catch up on the latest TEFL Prague and beyond goings-on on this company blog where for example you can read monthly Guest Writer articles (The last 2 month's articles were submitted by our business partners UniCredit Bank and Lufthansa airlines). The blog is also an excellent way to catch up on TEFL Prague and beyond goings-on, such as where to obtain your Prague monthly transport pass, where to eat and drink in Prague, where to rent and how to rent in Prague. The blog also features the weekly updates of Friday Questions and Monday TEFL Prague Tips.
Again we want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who sent in your photos and testimonials. Also a huge THANK YOU for Sophie and Martin for taking the time out of their busy schedules to film their video testimonials and of course just as huge a THANK YOU to Mary Ellen for taking the time and initiative and contacting the New York Post Star to share her TEFL/TESOL training experience. THANK YOU!
If you have any questions then pls feel absolutely free to give us a poke.
Alternatively if you have already made up your mind to begin your exciting adventure with ITTP then pls feel free to complete the application form.
Hezky den!/Lovely day!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
1. To begin with, ITTP TEFL Prague has featured in the international press: article in the New York Post Star (the New York Post Star serves Warren County, Washington County and Saratoga County in New York state.)
2. We have video testimonials from both graduate and language school owner and these can be viewed here.
3. We also have collected together a list of written/photo testimonials from past students for our updated website pages and these can be viewed here (a few years back we decided to totally update our website pages and so our second site tefl-tesol-online.com was born. The original plan was then to transfer that data to tefl-prague.com but clients continued to show interest in the tefl-prague.com website layout so we now run the 2 websites parallel with each other and both are official ITTP international TEFL/TESOL websites.)
4. Finally, you can catch up on the latest TEFL Prague and beyond goings-on on this company blog where for example you can read monthly Guest Writer articles (The last 2 month's articles were submitted by our business partners UniCredit Bank and Lufthansa airlines). The blog is also an excellent way to catch up on TEFL Prague and beyond goings-on, such as where to obtain your Prague monthly transport pass, where to eat and drink in Prague, where to rent and how to rent in Prague. The blog also features the weekly updates of Friday Questions and Monday TEFL Prague Tips.
Again we want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who sent in your photos and testimonials. Also a huge THANK YOU for Sophie and Martin for taking the time out of their busy schedules to film their video testimonials and of course just as huge a THANK YOU to Mary Ellen for taking the time and initiative and contacting the New York Post Star to share her TEFL/TESOL training experience. THANK YOU!
If you have any questions then pls feel absolutely free to give us a poke.
Alternatively if you have already made up your mind to begin your exciting adventure with ITTP then pls feel free to complete the application form.
Hezky den!/Lovely day!
Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com
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