First experiences in Prague

“What are you most excited for?” has been the most frequent question I received as I embarked on this yearlong adventure with Remote Year. To be honest, I am really excited to go to every location; they all have their interesting and unique characteristics. I have been the most excited to meet and travel with 75 other individuals that are innovative, adventurous, and courageous. We have all turned our lives upside down to go on a trip around the world. After my first few introductions with other participants, I realized how lucky I was to have the full support of my company, Eaton Corporation. Many others have found or are still looking for work as a freelancer or with various startups.

Even though some of the participants are still struggling to find a steady job, everyone is very positive. The “vibe” of everyone in the program is fantastic and so far we have meshed very well. With 75 people you can always count on at least a few others to be interested in similar activities.  I am really excited for all of us to grow into a family and leave the program with very strong global connections.

Just a few observations and comments about Prague:

1. Things are quite a bit cheaper in Prague than they are in the US. Especially when you stay out of the touristy areas. It was a bit confusing at first and felt a bit like I was paying with monopoly money. You quickly understand the exchange rate and are able to roughly translate the cost of an item. Currently the exchange rate is:  1.00 USD = 24.0472 CZK
2. Americans can be really loud and that is easily identified in the Czech Republic. It certainly hasn’t helped that we have often been going places in large groups.
3. The cobblestone streets take some getting used to. Make sure you don’t wear shoes with very thin soles for the first few days. I wore a pair of Anthropologie and Steve Madden Oxfords the first two days; my feet are still suffering. They are cute shoes of course but I wasn’t used to walking in this environment for so long.

Accommodations

Many people have been asking about the housing situation for Remote Year.  No we are not staying in hostels. No we do not have to share rooms. We are not in college anymore and the team at Remote Year has been doing a good job making that distinction. Although, it does feel a bit like college orientation/ summer camp at times. It would probably be a bit strange if it did not feel this way.

I could not be happier with my hotel in Prague. I’m staying at the King Charles Boutique Residence. It has excellent reviews on travel booking sites. I have been thoroughly impressed.

1. The rooms and bathrooms are really large. There is an abundance of space!
2. Also, as this is a hotel, I get my room cleaned daily. I could definitely get used to this.
3. We have free breakfast. Yes, I said FREE!
4. The location is a bit out of the way, but that makes me like it even more. The tram station is right across the street, or I can walk to most places in between 10 – 20 minutes.

Food

Food in Prague is great. Traditional Czech food is very hearty! It is certainly not diet food. Here are a few of my favorite traditional meals.

– Goulash – A thick beef stew with dumplings

– Beef and Cream – Beef sirloin with dumplings and vegetable cream sauce

Coffee Shops

Many of you know that I LOVE finding new coffee shops! Here are a few I have enjoyed so far.

– Kaldi Fresh Coffee Bar – Just opened in May and is right by my hotel.

– Ouky Douky Coffee – Cool vibe!

– Bistro Proti Proudu – Very interesting interior design!

– EMA Espresso Bar – Great coffee! No wifi unfortunately…

– La Boheme Cafe – Gorgeous coffee shop in Prague 3!

Group Activities

There have been many group activities planned since I’ve been here. Some have been planned by the Remote Year team and others just by a group of interested individuals. There really are too many experiences to talk about but the following have been highlights.

Hiking up Sněžka

It was fantastic hiking to the top of Sněžka which is at 1603 meters. Sněžka is the highest point in the Czech Republic and borders Poland. Trips like these always result in some great conversation and relationship building as well.

Women’s NighT

The group is made up of about a 50/50 split male and female. It is really inspiring to be surrounded by so many successful and intelligent women. We had a lovely evening tasting chocolate at Choco Cafe.

Garden Photo Shoot

There are so many amazingly beautiful places in Prague. We happened to come across a lovely garden and decided to have our own personal photo shoot. 🙂 This was taken in Vrtbovská zahrada.

Sincerely,

Cassie

Upcoming Posts:

– Working Remotely – Workspaces and Communication

– Prague Culture – Visual and Performing Art