One thing you will notice as soon as you arrive in small town Czech Republic is the fact that everyone says hello to you when you meet them. You are walking down the road and meet someone coming in the opposite direction - “Dobry den” you both say with a nod and a smile, even though you have never met before. As you walk into a shop the shop assistant will greet you and you should reply in kind. As you leave she will say “Na shledanou” and again you reply in kind.
This is not just a custom for the older members of the population. It always surprises me when I pass a group of hooded youths, to hear the largest of them greet me with a Dobry Den. This includes our local gypsies, who, whilst having bought into the fashion and air of the Bronx wholesale, have not bought into the “You looking at me?” demeanour, no - “Dobry den” they go.
1 comment:
This is good to hear. My wife, children and I will be moving to Prague in August for the next three years to teach at an international Christian school there. Currently we are teaching in Indonesia (we're Americans) where the people are very friendly. I've read that the Czech are standoffish. To hear that people will great you with a dobry den and na sheldanou as you leave is heartening.
Post a Comment