Six months in Prague…really? I had to double check my dates because a part of me just doesn’t believe it.
Six months is generally accepted as the adjustment period when you move abroad (or move back, or start a new job, or most new things, I think). While I feel at home and settled in Prague, I don’t think it took six months–Prague is just so easy! There were certainly adjustments, and some that will still be happening, but I could easily see myself living here for a long period of time. Will that happen? Who knows!
Anyway, just as I suspected, my sixth month in Prague, January, was a little more mellow than I would have liked, but it was necessary for my health and my wallet. January seems like the month for that kind of thing, doesn’t it?
I still managed to explore Prague a little bit more, and even spend a weekend out of the city!
SIX MONTHS IN PRAGUE: BY THE NUMBERS
ONE NIGHT at a graduation prom in Jihlava. Similar to an American prom where everyone dresses up, but is part a graduation ceremony, and friends and family are invited to be a part of it–fathers are dancing with their daughters, who are also dancing with their dates!
^^my handsome prom date! 
FOUR SLICES of cake from this beauty, won at the raffle at the graduation prom.
2o MINUTES watching teenagers in prom dresses and tuxes scramble for money on the floor in an interesting Czech tradition. During the graduation ceremony, the graduates all line up in their fancy outfits to receive a sash and a glass of champagne from their teachers. As they walk up the line to receive this, their friends and family in the audience throw coins at them (ouch, right?). After the last name is called, and they toast and drink all their champagne, the kids scramble to fill their glasses with as many coins as possible. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of these girls in their giant dresses and manicured nails and heels trying to pick money off the ground!
^^sorry for the blurry photos…they were moving fast!
FIVE HOURS in the beautiful city of Telč.
ONE HOUR walking around the castle in Telč.
TWO HOURS on a train ride through the spectacular, wintry Czech countryside.
36 HOURS of private lessons this month.
ABOUT 30 mini-donuts. We just discovered these at Tesco and now I insist on them every Sunday. What’s better than donuts on a Sunday? Mini ones, I say!
TOO MUCH tomato soup and grilled cheese. My comfort food for when I’m sick, wherever I am in the world!
ENDLESS cups of tea. I have a love affair with both tea and coffee, but I seem to be preferring tea here (perhaps because we don’t have a coffeemaker).
FOUR DAYS of snow! I love seeing my beautiful Praha all covered in the white stuff. The last few days we’ve finally seen some sticking!
SEVERAL slices of pizza from our favorite little spot in Prague. For only 30kc (about $1.50) a slice, it’s hard to resist whenever we’re in the area.
^^normally it doesn’t look this greasy, but you can brush flavored oils onto your slice if you fancy and I got a bit carried away experimenting. Still delicious.
ANOTHER lovely brunch at one of my favorite spots in Prague, Cafe Savoy!
Question:
How was your January? Recharging? Rejuvenating? Chilly? Exciting? Tell me below in the comments!
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Five Months in Prague By the Numbers
Four Months in Prague By the Numbers
Three Months in Prague By the Numbers
Two Months in Prague By the Numbers
One Month in Prague By the Numbers
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Linking up with the Sunday Traveler, Fresh Face Friday and Treat YoSelf Thursday!
Congrats on 6 months in Prague! I’m so jealous of that (extremely cheap) pizza! and the cake. and the snow. and the prague.
Well the snow is gone…so you don’t have to be jealous of that any more ;). But the pizza is a still a regular occurrence! It’s just soooo cheap and delicious haha! And thank you, it feels like a pretty big accomplishment…we stayed alive abroad for six months! 😉
Yay for 6 months! Time really started to fly by for me after those first 6 months. I think January is just a month meant for taking it easy and relaxing:)
I already feel you–I can’t believe we’re halfway through February already!! Which I’m happy with, bring on the sun! 🙂
Wow, Telč is so beautiful! I had never heard of it before. I really enjoyed reading this post and catching up. When I hit my 6 month mark, I was definitely the most homesick- but knew I would be headed home for a break in a few months! I love the pictures of the girls in fancy dresses picking up coins. Such an interesting tradition!
Yes, isn’t Telč really pretty? I hadn’t heard of it before moving here, and it’s still pretty off the radar. It’s funny, when I first saw your comment I was thinking “hmm, I don’t feel that homesick” but now I do! My sister just got engaged so I think I’m really homesick missing all of that. But that’s the price of living abroad, I guess!
congrats on 6 months! Hope you’re staying warm!
Thanks! It’s actually been mild here! It seems like it’s been mild almost everywhere except maybe Boston and Siberia.
Six months, woohoo!
Woohoo, indeed! 🙂
Yay for 6 months!!! I am amazed that I have forgotten about grilled cheese! The humanity, lol!! Now I seriously want some. And some of that cake! Prom looks like it was a lot of fun too!
I could never forget grilled cheese, it’s my ultimate comfort food 🙂 I remember barely seeing cheese when I was in SE Asia–is it easier to find in Seoul?
Yes plenty easy to find cheese thankfully!! But on that note, good cheese is a bit harder.
Ahh yes that’s a bit of a struggle here–even though we’re in Europe, the Czechs aren’t as into cheese as I hoped!
Nice, congrats on 6 months! I feel like that was a sweet time during my transition to life in Paris – the first 3-4 months were so hard, but by 6 months I started feeling like it was home and had adjusted in many ways.
I loved reading about the graduation traditions there – so interesting! Never thought of prom as being a family affair, or involving champagne and a money hunt!
Yes I think you’re right! It is a sweet time. I feel much more adjusted and comfortable, and I’m finally making some friends.
I didn’t know anything about the prom before, except that they kept calling it a “graduation prom,” and the money throwing tradition was definitely a strange one!!
Well done on 6 months, it is good that you feel like you settled there so soon. That is such a funny graduation tradition! Not sure how I would feel about it, looks like good fun though!
Thanks! I admit I’m glad nobody threw coins at me when I was graduating ;).
Yay for 6 months! I can’t remember our adjustment period, since we’ve been here about 2 and a half years now haha
Thanks! You must be pretty adjusted by now, although there’s always adjustments I’m sure 🙂
Yay! Congrats on 6 months 🙂 That graduation / prom dress / money chasing tradition is just too hilarious! I think I’d be highly entertained.
Thank you! It was sooo funny to watch. All of the kids (mostly girls) drank their champagne so fast and then went diving for money! In huge dresses and with long fancy nails, lol.
haha sounds like it was a delicious month! And wow those prom traditions are weird – but I kind of love it! 🙂 Congrats on 6 months!!
Ha I guess it was 🙂 they are so strange but I’m glad we got to go to one! And thank you…you are almost at 6 months too! Although you moved to a whole new city so you’ve had much more upheaval than me 🙂
6 months is a wonderful achievement! By that month into my expat life I started to feel so much better, and now at almost 2-years on it just flew by! Thanks for linking up with us for #SundayTraveler.
Two years! You’re an inspiration, because it doesn’t always feel so easy :). I’m so glad we made it this far, though. Thanks for hosting #SundayTraveler, I always love to take part!
You went to a graduation ball! Now THAT is a Czech experience 🙂 Why all the way in Jihlava? Oddly enough, I was just in Telc today! Happy 6 months!
Oh yeah? I really enjoyed Telc! What did you think?
We taught at an English club in the mountains last September, and all of the students were from Jihlava, so that’s why the random location haha. I’m so happy we got to go! It felt so Czech 😉
January usually is a bit more mellow! I actually had a pretty busy Jan, with my sister being over from Aus!
That’s so great she got to visit, it looks like you had so much fun showing her around and visiting new places!
Wow that graduation ball looks like a fun time! And Telc looks so beautiful. Love all those pretty pastel colours 🙂
It’s so cute! The colors seemed unreal 🙂