Upon reflecting on the six weeks that I have been in Prague, here are 12 random things that surprised me about living here.

1. Dogs

As I mentioned in my previous post, most dog owners bring their dogs with them to public places. I’ve stepped over dogs in coffee shops, on the tram, and in the grocery store. I even saw a man waiting at a tram stop with a pig on a leash!

2. Alcohol and coffee shops

Most coffee shops operate as a kavárna during the day and as a bar at night. It’s not uncommon to see someone enjoying a beer or grog before lunchtime (grog is a traditional Czech drink of warm rum with sugar or honey)

3. Payment at the counter

When entering a café or pub, I learned that you are expected to greet the barista (Dobrý den!) and seat yourself at an open table. As you leave, you pay at the counter. This process is foreign to me, and I have left without paying for my coffee once. I returned the next day to pay, although the barista seemed confused why I came back. (Catholic guilt is a powerful motivator.)

4. Thrifting

Secondhand shops are common in Texas, and I was surprised to see that Prague has a growing thrift scene. Here is an awkward photo of a me in a jacket and shirt I bought for 129 CZK each (about $11.50 in total).

5. Crossing streets

I am accustomed to crosswalks with stoplights, and I am learning how to assertively cross crosswalks like a native. Here, drivers wait for pedestrians to cross the crosswalk when there is no stoplight. When I would wait by the curb for the cars to clear, I would get angry looks from drivers for waiting “too long” before crossing.

6. Windy as heck

I was about to compare the average wind speed for Prague with Austin, Texas to prove how windy it is here. However, I am surprised to see that the average is the same for both places- about 10 mph in February. It certainly feels windier here (maybe with the buildings?), and I am quickly running out of hand cream.

7. Postage stamps

The postage stamps adhere to envelopes with water, and not with a sticker backing. I learned this via the Humility Route when a nice lady showed me how to use water after witnessing me picking at the stamp for five minutes.

8. Contact solution

Contact solutions is purchased behind the pharmacy counter. Often, there is a pharmacy near the grocery store, so it is not an extra hassle, unless the pharmacist does not speak English…

9. Coffee and water

Most coffee shops serve a glass of water with your drink. People seem to enjoy sitting in coffee shops for a couple hours, enjoying their coffee. “Take away” coffee is a newer concept here and most of my international friends have not heard of “mobile order pickup.” Europe certainly has a different pace of life than the US.

10. Notebooks

I could not find a school notebook with college-ruled lines. It is common to find grid, blank, or dotted notebooks, but I miss writing in notebooks with thinner ruled lines.

11. Student discounts

Who knew you could get special offers from Burger King and McDonald’s with your international student ID? I have not tried the discount at restaurants yet, but I have relied heavily on the discount for transportation and museums.

12. Spices

Although the packets are harder to use, we have more space in our cabinet for better organization.

I will be in Europe for 10 more weeks, stayed tuned for a part two of this article. 🙂 Thank you for reading, it is a joy to share my reflections with you.