Pottery Lessons

Ceramics can be one of the most creative and fun arts. Although it may seem more intimidating to get into, once you learn the basics and get some materials it is very easy to continue and learn. Practically anything can be made in ceramics, from sculptures of people and animals, to objects such as model houses, cars, furniture. The trick to have fun while you make it and not be afraid to make mistakes and try new objects.

Me and the boys had a go of it and had a blast. Here are some of our creations which we learned to do from SCRATCH!Cups we made after throwing the clay, shaping, and painting. They are not dried or fired yet. It takes two weeks to get the finished product. I'll upload the photos then.





A local ceramic studio, Ceramic Studio Prague, offers courses from the beginner to the advanced artist. The proprietor, Ivan, is a very patient, funny, and talented person that is fluent in English, Czech, Bulgarian (native) and Serbo-Croatian.

Location:
CTIRADOVA 6 , Prague 4

Contact:
Ana/Ivan (both speak English) www.ceramic-studio.net There you will find detailed directions to the studio from just about anywhere in the city.
Please go to their web site and register for class. They will contact you with any additional information on how to get ahold of them.

Please let him know that you were recommended by me.

Good Luck and Have Fun

Outdoor Market (AKA "Asian Market")

Background:
Many people don’t realize that the Czech Republic has a substantial Vietnamese population, in fact, the Czech Statistics Office estimated that there were 60,258 Vietnamese residing in the Czech Republic in 2008. They migrated to CZ during the Communist period, when they were invited as guest workers by the Czechoslovakian government. Migration was encouraged by the Vietnamese authorities, with the intention that the migrants would return with skills and training, but many decided to remain in the country rather than return home after the Velvet Revolution. This first generation of immigrants has traditionally made a living as vendors and hence many speak fluent Czech and run clothing shops or grocery stores within the city.

Little Hanoi
The main retail center for Prague’s Vietnamese community lies in the south of Prague. Called SAPA, after a northern Vietnamese tribe, this area offers a glimpse into an entirely different face of Prague. Sapa is a wholesale market where you can buy a lot of stuff (the majority of the items sold comes from Asia of course). Actually it’s like a town in a town.
As you enter the area, a welcoming message is inscribed in both Czech and Vietnamese. Here, you can try your hand at haggling but probably won't find the need (besides it hard to do in English) since most items are priced very cheap. An example is the winter jacket that I picked up for 1300 czk that would have cost 4000 czk in the mall. Current fashion jeans for 600czk would set you back about 1150 czk and up in town. You can get thing from seasonal items (Christmas decorations at this time of year), clothes, hand bags, men and women's suits, toys, shoes, ski suits, Asian swords...and the list can go on. If you would like to have an extraordinary experience and don’t mind traveling a bit from the town center, Sapa is definitely worth a visit.
I´m a big fan of Sapa especially because of the food market.
I like the Vietnamese groceries, where you can buy different ingredients for Asian cuisine that you cannot buy anywhere else (or they are way too expensive) – various vegetables and fruits, herbs, sauces, frozen prawns, fish, live crabs, tea, rice, tofu and much more…
Oh, and don't forget the cuisine! Besides checking the shops you should definitely eat there.
The criteria of a good place to eat are simple: eat where local people eat. Places which are oriented in one type of food are usually the strike home.
Address:
Libušská 319/126 | Praha 4
Hours:
09:00 – 20:00 daily
Directions:
Sapa, located in the south surround of Prague called Písnice. To get to SAPA, take the metro to Zelivskeho or Depo Hostivar, then take the 208 bus to the “Tiskarska” stop, which is only about 50 meters from the main entrance. You can park your car there if you are driving as well. Go in the main gate and park toward the back…might be a bit muddy in the parking lot if it is a rainy day

Helpful Hint
1. Bring cash, Czech Crowns only, small bills. Everything is an even number, eg.100 czk, 200 czk...rarely 230 czk for example. They talk to eachother so don't flash your cash and don't be a pushover. Word will travel fast with both.
When discussing price,
2. Have a price in mind as to how much you would have paid in the mall; if it is too much, move on. Resist the feeling that you are required to buy it just because you asked about the price.
3. Learn how to ask about the price and practice it before hand. Learn the phrases:
How much for one? "Kolik stojí jeden?" pronouced "Ko-lick Stoy yedin" or
What is the price for one? Jaká je cena za jeden? pronounced "Yawka ye sena zaw yeden?"
They will probably rattle off the price in an undistinguishable amount so ask them to, "Write it down, please." Napište to, prosím. pronounced Naw.pee.sh.tea toe, pro.see.m
4. They may have a calculator and will show you the price on that.
Remember that in CZ they demonstrate the number one with their thumb and not their index finger. They also show two with the thumb and index finger, three with thumb index, and middle finger and so on showing the back of their hand rather than the palm. Just cultural differences that my appear odd or rude to them if you do it the "American" or western way.
5. Be polite. When entering a store always say, Good day "Dobry Den" pronounced "Dough.brie Den" and when leaving say Thanks "děkuji!" Pronounced Deh.koo.yee. You or they may also reply, See you later! Na shledanou! Pronounced Nah sleh.dawn.oh

Funny Fruit

I'd never see one of these before, but felt adventurous and decided to pick it up when they had a big display in the Albert grocery store (aka Albert Hypermarket).

It is a Honey Pomelo. The fruit is full of juice, sweet and light fragrant taste

Details:
1)Origin: Fujian Province of China
2) Colors: Light green, yellow
3) Juicy, semi-transparent and nice looking, Light sweet and sour taste
4) Round or pear shape, firm, thick-skin
5) Weight 2kg and up
6) Available from October to next February

Nutritional information:
Excellent source of vitamin C and fiber and good source of folate. Easy storage and preparation: They will keep at room temperature for several weeks or a month or more if refrigerated. Best uses: Use for juice or add sections to fruit or green saladas or fruit salads. I hear it is good with fish, but I just ate it in the morning like I would a grapefruit. It is a lot firmer than a grapefruit and is much less acidic. Very nice and a real treat if you get a chance to eat one...take it!

We wish you a Merry October, we wish you...

OMG it is going to SNOW tonight! The kids are thrilled and excited and I just want to hybernate until it is over. Well, since hybernation is out of the question; wrong spicies, I'll have to make the best of it. I'm very pleased to report that the heater in the house is toasty. It is so nice that I forget that it is 4 degrees celcius (39 F)outside during the day.

Expat Expo 2009

If your coming to Prague for an extended stay or just for a short trip don't forget to check out the upcoming Expat Expo www.expatexpo2009.com
They expect attendance projected to exceed 5,000 families this year. You'll be able to find vendors catering to expats in banking, travel, real estate, education, health and a great deal of other fields.

There are stage events and fun activities designed for every age. If you like food, and who doesn't, international food will be available for those missing the taste of home or to try a new dish.

Location:
Holešovice Exhibition Ground
October 31st 2009
From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Entrance fee
•Adult 100 CZK
•Child (age 6-18) 50 CZK

Adults
The evening will bring a unique Halloween Party at the Občanská Plovárna Club (adults over 25 only) .
www.expatexpo2009.com/visitor-info/halloween-party.html discount voucher for 1000 kc entrance fee www.czech-in.org/expat_expo/discount_Halloween.pdf

Stop and say hello when you see me at the Expat Expo!

Unexpected Class

This writing is about the lifestyle and unofficial class system of expat living and that it can cause a unique and unexpected culture shock at first. Here is an example. I was having trouble with the house and couldn't get any resolve from the landlord myself. Speaking to one of the other "Mums" at my kids school, she simply replied, "Well, why should you continue to suffer? Call your husband’s secretary and demand she take care of it straight away!" SECRETARY? My husband doesn't have a secretary. The look on her face was golden. This was an epiphany that I was up against more than just being an American in a foreign country, but an "average" one, one with a husband that was not an executive but rather just a WORKER. I guess you could call this Expat Snobbism (AKA Expat Class System).

Copy and paste this to your browser it is funny and says it all: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ9CxInz23Q&feature=response_watch

Expatriate life can be intoxicating but also come with certain expectations which can include knowing how to entertain, dressing the part, employ all the good table manners your mother taught you, and be cultural sensitivity with a truly international community. You have to learn/behave in a more savvy and experienced manner to be fully accepted - those thing and be expected to have a maid, gardener, personal trainer, and have to be invited and attend every social gathering.

Expats-to-be(certainly corporate sponsored families) will put you automatically on the social ladder and you must be prepared. That’s not just learning table etiquette but also relates to being a good guest for those out of your "class". If you want to fit into expat social circles is very often based on where that person fits into the organization or company which employs him (or her) or sent him abroad. Or not fit, as the case may be.

Like all forms of culture shock, you must strive for a period of adjustment which means acceptance of who you are and what you hope to achieve from your experience abroad. While you may not agree with social snobbery based on position, finance, or just how long one has been around, it comes with the territory. Remember that there are snobs ‘at home’ too. Likewise, there are unwritten Expat class systems.

Learn to rise above pettiness, gossip, and social cliques. This can be a tall order and you must get a thick skin. Keep focused on your goals and don't get caught up in competing socially or financially. Just be yourself and you will be accepted. Spend time with people that make you feel good and that you enjoy being around.

Finally, just as you try to put your outrage on the back burner towards the local customs that make you crazy, it’s best to do that with expat circles too. Remember that in all matters of culture, there is no right or wrong - just different. And that applies to members of an international community who make different choices in the way they choose to live abroad.

Expatriatitis

A New Disease?
Not really, just a term I conjured up to describe the process and stages which expatriate families will likely go through when moving from their home country to their host country. Uprooting your life and moving to a new place, where things are done differently, everything is in a different language is more than just a physical adjustment, but a psychological one as well. Besides changes in weather, housing, food, and even the way people drive, there are different feelings expatriates experience, such as loneliness, homesickness, missing family and friends, difficulty relating to others and making new friends with the common response manifested in stress. I know, I've felt it; even went from a size 14 back down to a size 10 in a matter of months. Not that I'm complaining about that part, but it is a sure sign of stress. Mine showed up in weight loss and anxiety but others I have talked to have experienced true depression and a feeling of loss. It is important to recognize the signs of depression starting to set in and do thing to make yourself happy. Don't let the negatives manifest into alienation. Make sure you don't start to be left out of the normal functioning of your host society. For instance, with my children attending a new school and experiencing new pressures, I began to find myself lacking a social network, and career or personal goals. It is a fact that family-related issues have been found to be the main contributor towards expatriate failure. If the family is unhappy, the employee is not able to perform well in the new job.

How to Combat Expatriatitis:

1. Prepare yourself and your family for what to expect on international assignment, some companies offer pre-departure cultural orientation. Ours didn't so I researched on the internet.
2. Spouses without career or personal goals during the assignment can feel a loss of self-identity. BINGO! This one hit me hard...and I knew it would. In fact, I'd mentioned to anyone that would listen before I left that this was my biggest concern - my leaving work and staying home without my friends. That is why I decided to take up the blog as a form of adjustment therapy. You could even do a personal journal if you wanted it to be more private and to write down your personal thoughts you don't want to share. I guess you could consider this a non-traditional approach, but writing helps you capture (and share if in a blog) your persective on your new home, yourself and others in your new environment.
3. Be realistic about your expectations
4. Be willingness to accept the challenges of intercultural experiences
5. Seek out and enjoy social interactions
6. Have empathy for others. Don't forget the clerk that is trying to communicate with you is frustrated too. Forgive them and you'll forgive yourself more readily as well.

7. Don't move if you are unable to successfully resolve external and interpersonal conflict and are not a people person. It will be very hard to acquire these traits if you don't already possess them.
8. WRITE A JOURNAL...Did I already say that? It is very therapeutic!

A "Must-See" Hrad Karlstejn (Castle Karlstejn)

About 40 meters from Prague (40-50 minute drive)
http://www.hradkarlstejn.cz/history/
The castle was built in 1348 - 1368 by the King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (Also the reason the main bridge in Prague is called the "Charles" Bridge), as a place of safe-keeping for treasures and the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire. As with most castles there comes fables and tales that are hard to tell if they are fact or fiction. Three such stories come with Hrad Karlstejn.

Feminist’s Nightmare
One such fable that women were not allowed into parts of the castle. Women roamed freely around the castle. The only place prohibited to them was one floor of the Great tower. This floor was the seat for only men, the defenders of the precious treasure.

Maid's Nightmare
Apparently one of the kings wives was a mass murderer and tortured and killed 14 house maids. Maybe she was insanely jealous?

Blind man's Dog Nightmare
One of the most popular myths of Karlstejn is the one about a blind musician. The story says that he was followed everywhere by his loyal dog and that he used to play his flute in the castle. A servant tried to poison the King by passing a poisoned goblet to the noble, who hence offered it to the musician instead of the King. The musician's dog jumped up and knocked the goblet out of the blind man's hands. The dog then drank the spilled wine and died. Okay, if the dog was smart enough to knock the poisoned wine down, why was he stupid enough to drink it? That one has a few holes in it.

Lost in Translation


This is a photo of a sign on the castle wall to one of the entrences. It is meaning to say that you can't take picutures, video or cell photos of the inside of the castle. In English it says, "Translation Prohibited"

Feeling Adventurous?

While you are in the area...stop by the Koneprusy Caves (Konepruske Jeskyne)about 10 meters drive from the castle. www.caves.cz/en/caves/koneprusy-caves/

Ticket for adult costs 120 CZK and for child costs 60 CZK. You can pay only
in cash, czech crowns only. Credit cards are not accepted. They have guided tours, it is not difficult at all, but there are about 500 steps in the cave. Temperature inside is 10 above to -5°C wear some jackets and good boots. There are no fixed times of guided tours - it depends on amount of visitors, but usually nobody waits here more than 1/2 hour. They will lend you a paper with basic information about the cave in English, deposit for that is 50 CZK.