Service...with a frown?

I’ve been at home now for a few days, before my next adventure, which has given me an opportunity to look back on my time in Prague. Overall it was a positive learning experience, but I wouldn't be a good blogger if I didn't take off my rose-coloured glasses once in a while and give the people the truth... right? I also wouldn't be a good traveller if I didn't take the good with the bad.

After my delightful weekend in Dublin, I hit a bit of a slump and couldn’t wait to come home. Although Prague looks like something out of a fairy-tale, it isn't perfect (and of course, no city is)! 

So, what in particular is irking me? What’s up with that title?

Well, first of all, I think the best way to put it is to say that there is a certain warmth missing in the Czech psyche. I am speaking generally so don't take offence if you don't fit into the mould of the typical Czech. Or, maybe, South Africans are just extra friendly people and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. They may have just met you and they’ll already be inviting you to a braai.   

Fancy a braai? You bring the potato salad!

Not "What can I do for you?", but "What do you want?"

It seems that most waiters couldn't care less whether you were giving them service or not. I lingered for about 5 minutes in the door of a (fancy) restaurant, waiting for someone to say that I could have a seat or show me to my table. In those few minutes, at least three waiters passed and ignored me. When I went up to one and asked if I could have a seat anywhere, he answered "no, only where there aren't people"... No duh.  

No thank you, Grand Café Orient!

We, the customers, clearly aren't keeping them in business. They also don't pay you any attention until you want the bill! Since it’s rude to wave to the waiter, you have to contort yourself in order to make eye contact. Then they make sure to tell you that "tip is not included". This is directed at foreigners since most Czech people don't tip in restaurants, apart from rounding up the bill. 

Be warned: Nobody will tell you if a restaurant is cash-only or if they only take Koruna. So, best you check with them before you sit down and eat a whole meal. 

And it's not only the waiters. The shop assistants sigh heavily when you don't understand them and the beautician plainly refuses to help you because you are "Anglický" (English), even though you've learnt the Czech name of the treatment that you want. I know that I don't look like a Czech person at all, but that's no reason for people to openly stare in the streets... or to scowl at me for that matter (see my previous post). 

You try asking for a wax in Czech! 

And there's more! Poop all over the cobbled streets, because people can't be bothered to pick up their dog's business...  

And the cherry on top; the physical abuse in the streets. More than once during my stay, I saw well-dressed couples arguing and actually physically fighting in the middle of the road in broad daylight. One man even spat in a woman's face. Another time I watched, horrified, as a man tried to knock down a tram-stop post, because he was so mad at his girlfriend! 

I wonder what the tram stop ever did to him...

I decided to bring the matter up with one of my new Czech friends. She said that because the Czech people had been under a communist regime for so long, there is no culture of service. Czech people don't know how to serve others, perhaps because the previous government looked after them under communism. 

Anyway, it made me proud to be South African. There’s so much that goes on in the way of community service here. There is no shortage of places to volunteer at and so many people I know are engaged with community projects; you could build houses in the townships, read to children in hospital, or help them with their homework. 

Painting a children's playground in Cape Town.

I think that the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award could be pivotal in changing the attitudes of the Czech youth. The Award helps to grow a culture of service and social responsibility. Young people learn the importance of helping others, over themselves. And when we help others we learn to be grateful for what we have and I think that makes us happier people. 

40 Czech students were awarded their Gold Awards, by HRH the Countess of Wessex,
at the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award's Gold Award Ceremony on 20 May 2015.

Rant over. 

Dublin Decided 2015

As soon as I exited the airport in Prague, I felt my Dublin-smile turn upside down. My frown only deepened after the bus ride, two metros and the walk back to my apartment alone, dragging my suitcase behind me, over the cobblestones.

My friend, Paco (a Mexican who has lived in Prague for four years), is right: once you’ve been in a city for a long time, you start to pick up small mannerisms, like walking around with a scowl on your face and glaring at people for no reason. 

My weekend escape to Dublin was a much-needed breath of fresh air, after a very hectic week leading up to the Royal Visit and all of the festivities for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ceremony. For the next week in Prague, I was terribly homesick and heard the Friendly City* calling my name.

Of course, my few days away were so great, because I stayed with family, who I hadn’t seen in ages. My Aunt Mags has three sons, and so I filled the gap of the perfect shopping companion, cappuccino-drinker and honorary daughter. I was thoroughly spoilt, from our movie-style reunion at the airport to eating at the best restaurants (Fade Street and Taste at Rustic Stone), as well as being treated to home-cooking, with just the right amount of chilli.

Smoked Japanese Cheesecake with Banana and Salted Caramel Sauce
from Taste at Rustic Stone.

Even the chocolate had chilli!

Everywhere you go in Dublin, people ask how you are and they really want to know. When Mags and I went for a coffee in the morning or paused at a park bench, we were often joined by students and grannies alike who struck up conversations and who thought it was just “lurv-ly” that I was from South Africa.

I was also lucky to see history in the making that weekend. Dublin was buzzing and Irish citizens from all corners of the world had turned up to vote on the legalisation of same-sex marriage. After the ‘yes’ vote was announced, you could not walk down the street without a smile on your face. People filled the pubs and restaurants and crowds spilled out onto the streets. Almost every shop that we passed had a ‘YES’ sign displayed in the window and one of the gay clubs had a giant billboard flashing ‘YES’ against a background of the rainbow-coloured LGBT flag.

Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote that weekend. Ireland joined 18 countries in the world and I was there to see it happen! [The South African parliament voted for this in 2006, 230 to 41.]

The Friendly City became even friendlier that night!

*In 2013, Dublin was named the 8th friendliest city in the world and Cork, also in Ireland, number one. 

Saving the World Two Tanks at a Time

Perhaps you're wondering what I'm up to when I'm not doing walking tours of Prague, visiting Bone Chapels or being called a Step-geek. 

Well, I am an intern at an NGO, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for Young People: Czech Republic (it’s called the President’s Award for Youth Empowerment in South Africa). I have completed the gold level of the Award, which means that I completed 5 tasks: learned a new skill, did 72hrs of community service, went on a 5-day adventure hike, participated in a sport and spent one month at a residential project. All these tasks had to be completed within the space of 18 months and I had to show progress in each component. 

I'd never really thought about doing the Award until half way through my second last year of high school. The main reason I hadn't considered it, was because of the adventure hike. I am a city-slicker through and through. Hiking is not my cup of tea. But I thought "it's now or never" (I seem to do that a lot) and decided to do the Award. 

Image: http://www.holidaybug.co.za/the-best-hikes-garden-route/

For the residential project, I got to spend one month in Thailand and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I found myself in a small village in the north of Thailand, in the mountains. The village had no drinking water, no electricity and no showers. It was really basic. The week before we arrived, they had built one flushing toilet. I bet you're thinking "Wow. Is this the same girl who hates hiking?" Well, something changed that year. 

    

Our task was to provide the village with clean drinking water. This entailed finding a water source, digging trenches from the water source to the village, laying down pipes and building two large water storage tanks. Standing in front of those tanks and hearing the water run into them and knowing that the village would have fresh water long after we left, must be the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Perhaps not the most stable-looking scaffolding. 
Don't look now, mom!

The Team

The Thai people were so warm and accommodating and although we did not speak the same language, we managed to get by with smiles. I stayed in the same little house as the grandfather of the village, with two other girls on the project. Every night, without fail, Gramps would shake the entire house with his thunderous snoring, and every morning, the village rooster would crow right underneath us. Oh, did I mention I’m not too keen on birds either!

With Gramps

I really believe that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award has played an important part of who I have become in the last few years, and it doesn't hurt that it looks great on my CV. But who would have thought that I would land up interning in Prague!

8 million young people from 140 countries around the world have participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Check the Award out at: http://www.intaward.org/

On my way to save the world...

So, why am I here?

Not why am I on this earth (that’s an existential question and post for another day), but why am I in the beautiful city of Prague? 

Beautiful, right?

New Beginnings and a New Me

Equipped with a confident new voice and bright red lipstick, I've set off to see the world. Well, 5 of the world’s countries that I've never been to before.

I really like this map. It's like the one I look up and see every time I'm in my dentist's chair. 

In December I graduated from the University of Cape Town (UCT) with a Bachelor of Social Science degree. My time there certainly wasn't all smooth sailing, but it was exciting to be a university student.

This year, I felt like I needed a break from studying to “get my life in order” before I took on another degree. So, with one degree under my belt, I thought, “here’s my chance!” To be completely honest, I didn't know what I wanted to do or study this year (if I did decide to carry on studying).  

In South Africa, it is more common for people to take their gap years straight after high school, but when I left high school, I didn't feel that I was ready to go off into the big wide world on my own. I wanted to go to UCT, and I was determined to get in. It was the only university I applied to. My parents went there and I wanted to go there.

So, there I was, my 22^nd birthday was around the corner and it was pretty much a now or never kind of situation. However, it wasn't as easy as it sounds to decide on a gap year. All of my closest friends decided to carry on studying, including my boyfriend. So, questions like “Am I making the right decision?”, “What is the right decision?”, “Shouldn't I just carry on studying and get it done all in one go?”, “Won’t I be lonely?”, and “Can I leave behind my family, my boyfriend and my friends?” all filled my mind. But also, “When will you ever get this opportunity to travel the world again?” In the cycle of life, it’s school, degree, work, marriage, family… maybe go on a few holidays in between, but no travelling the world for a whole year, by yourself, to find yourself.

Anyway, back to the present. This is no ordinary gap year! You won’t find me waitressing in some pub in England or travelling aimlessly around South America or sitting on the couch at home getting fat. In total, I will visit 5 countries that I've never been to before (and I've travelled a lot!) and in each, I will be doing something totally unique. First stop = Prague.