Andriy’s Blog

“Next time, you will come here as a guest”, my mom told me before we got out of the house on the day of my departure. New life, adult life, opened its doors for me when the green door of my home, with scratches from both of my dogs, closed itself behind my back.

Prague welcomed me in a different way than I expected – with grey clouds and cold weather. I noticed a regret about not bringing a scarf. With the feeling of being a foreigner and a stranger in a new country on top of that, I felt a bit down. However, when I went to the university and met all the classmates in real life, and not in Zoom or Teams, I was very happy. A couple days later, with warm sun and no clouds, I started regretting not taking my shorts here. And when I saw the interior of the university (especially the Rajska building, of course), I really felt that I study in a very prestigious and wonderful establishment. After some time of listening to either chill indie melodies or strong and recharging hard rock on trams, buses, subway trains and other means of transport (Prague has so many that I cannot even count!), I started becoming familiar with the city, and it no longer felt distant and foreign to me. With all that, there was still one thing to take care of.

Who, out of all these 1.3 million citizens, are my people? Where can I find them? How do I approach them? Thus, my quest began! And so can yours, but I already tried some things, so if you hit me up, I can recommend some venues from my experience, and give feedback on different activities. There are many great places in Prague where you can find some like-minded people. Besides uni, there are events in cafes, speaking clubs, groups of interest, hobbies, and so much more – all of which can be found in English, so that you don’t experience any problems with language barriers. And if you are feeling a bit shy, let me reveal a secret to you: everyone is. We are all just trying to adjust to a new life, and this feeling can actually be a shared topic that ties us together.

“People… why would I need these creatures?”, I feel some of the readers asking. Well, for you there are many marvelous places where you can spend your time in a calm and quiet company with, say, mister Sartre, or, perhaps, Mrs. Woolf. Parks, gardens, an enchanting riverside – each day you can enjoy your cup of morning solitude from a different place!

Hope you find something about the life in Prague that puts you into your own individual flow and creates a connection with the places here. And if you struggle with something, let me know. I’ve been there, and we can totally find something for you!