It recently occurred to me that most of my posts deal with teaching, traveling, or mental health. There are parts of my personality that you haven’t really gotten to know. So I wanted to do kind of a fun post where I would open up a bit more. This week, I posted a Q and A on my social media stories and got some great ideas from that. I also Googled some of life’s common questions and will take a gander at those as well. A few of the questions are serious, some are silly, and some will lead to disagreements. But that’s OK. If we all agreed about everything, life would be boring and pointless.
So let’s get into the questions…
Why did you become a teacher?
For those who might not know, teaching wasn’t always the plan. When I was growing up, I actually wanted to be a meteorologist. Around the time I started high school, I changed my interest to journalism. My undergraduate degree is in journalism…sports journalism, to be exact. But as newspapers were being shuttered in favor of digital media, I realized that a simple by-line wasn’t going to change the world or have that much of an impact on others. I wanted to better society and my community. People told me for years that they were impressed with my public speaking abilities and my limited exposure to children had been fun and rewarding. So I went to graduate school, and although I’m still not sure I’ll teach forever, I think it was a good move. I feel like I’m making more of a difference and building human-to-human relationships.
Why did you move to the Czech Republic?
I was growing tired of my normal, ordinary, and stale life in upstate New York. The education degree I had worked so hard for was wasting away. I was 29 years old and had never left the United States. It was time to step outside of my comfort zone. Originally, I had wanted to move to China, but I decided that would’ve been too much of a step. The Czech Republic was centrally located, had a high demand for English teachers, and had a top-notch TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) program. That was good enough for me.
What is the hardest part about being an expat in the Czech Republic?
Isolation. By far. And COVID hasn’t helped with that. I know that no matter how far away I am, I will always have the unequivocal support of my family. But some days, they feel like my only supporters, and feeling so alone while 5,000 miles away from them is gut-wrenching. I’ve had trouble just getting through a lot of days. But after over 800 days of being in Prague, I’m still here. I’ve also forgot how special some of the little things are. I miss driving a car. I miss Taco Bell. I long for Bob Kovachick’s and Steve Caporizzo’s accurate weather forecasts (one thing I’ve learned over here is that if the radar doesn’t have any green on it, that means it’s probably going to rain). Then there’s the language barrier and the fact that many Czech people are so reserved. In line at the supermarket? No one’s just going to strike up a conversation with you.
How much longer are you going to stay in the Czech Republic?
It’s not comforting, but I really don’t have that much of a long-term plan at the moment. My work contract and residence permit expire next summer, so I’ll at least be here that long. Some days, I feel like I really belong here and want to stay forever. Other days, I’m looking for the next flight back to Albany. So I guess a lot of it depends on the day. A better answer would be that I will leave when a chance to significantly better my situation comes along. Whether that’s tomorrow, next month, or next year, I’m keeping my eyes open. Going back home right now, for example, would be a mistake because there wouldn’t really be a great career opportunity for me right now. There’s too much of a chance I’d go backwards. But could it be an option at some point? Sure.
How easy is it for you to say no?
This is one I have to be brutally honest about. I can’t say no to anything. I’m definitely a people pleaser. For instance, I’ve Facebook RSVP-ed to three events on the same day, far well knowing there’s no way I’ll make it to all of them. I crave social interaction and always want to have new and memorable experiences. I generally try to shy away from staying at home on Friday or Saturday nights. People tell me I need to rest, make time for myself, and set boundaries. They’re right. But when you’re a stubborn people pleaser like me, that’s not so easy. I think anxiety has given me the fear that people will be upset with me and won’t want to engage with me anymore if I say no. I know that’s not actually the case, but anxiety messes with your mind and does a good job of tricking you.
Why don’t you drink or smoke?
I stopped drinking a little over a year ago. The decision came after a doctor’s appointment and blood tests that weren’t so great. I just have never really liked the taste of alcohol and don’t like the way I feel after it. I want to be able to remember experiences the next day. Alcohol can also do some horrible things to your body. I’m overweight and have a family history of heart disease and diabetes–I’m up against it as it is. As for the smoking, it’s just never appealed to me. As an asthma sufferer, I don’t think I could afford to smoke, and I’ve seen the lives of multiple family members cut short because of it. Not for me. While my stances on these things have gotten me my fair share of questions, looks, and social exclusions, my health will always comes first.
Have you tried Czech food? What do you think of it?
Czech friends, with all due respect, your food is atrocious. It’s heavy, it’s meaty, and it just doesn’t taste right. I’ve been to summer camps and similar places and just gone without food because the only option has been Czech food. I’d rather not eat anything. It’s that bad. It’s like the Buffalo Sabres of cuisines. Luckily, there are enough American restaurants around here to get by, and Prague does have a wide range of fabulous eateries with other delicacies, too. And if all else fails, you can always hop the border to Poland and grab some pierogies. Oh, and another Czech custom that I dislike is the use of phrase “dobrou chut” when someone gives you your food. Enough already. Just let me have my food.
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
No. A hot dog is a hot dog. It is a piece of meat with a bun wrapped around it. A sandwich involves two pieces of bread with meat or something else separating it. They are two separate things.
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Until recently, I was firm about the answer to this query being no. However, during my trip to Slovenia this summer, I decided to try it. I must say that it was actually really good. I’m a believer!
Paper books or e-books?
I’m a traditionalist–paper books all the way! I need the book in my hand. I need to turn and smell the pages. An e-book is not the same, and staring at a screen often gives me a headache or makes me fall asleep.
Mac or PC?
No preference. I’ve used both and both have gotten the job done. I just need a reliable machine that does what I ask. Although I will say that my new job has given me a really nice Dell i5 computer, which is a change of pace from the Mac I’ve mostly been using the past several years.
Bumble or Tinder?
Now that’s a funny one! I gave up on dating/romantic relationships a while ago.
Playstation or XBox?
I don’t game much anymore. But when I did, Playstation was always the way to go. I remember getting my first Playstation for Christmas when I was eight years old. I grew up with Playstation and become comfortable with it. I did try XBox, but it just didn’t feel right and there was too much of a learning curve. I had to look down at the controller to make sure I was pressing the right buttons, and you can’t really be doing that when you have to be looking at the screen the whole time.
Cats or dogs?
I don’t have a strong opinion on this, but dogs. Dogs are more fun. Cats are kind of boring. Side note: I’ve met some great dogs during my time in Prague.
Do you like turtles?
Of course. Duh.
Do you use the Oxford comma?
YES! If someone tells you it’s okay not to use it, they’re wrong.
You’re from New York–why do you like the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Growing up, I was a bit of a rebellious kid. I wanted to do things differently than the rest of my family. Just going along with them and being a Yankees fan wasn’t an option. The White Sox pick was kind of random, but I was a big Frank Thomas fan. My sister went to college in Indiana, so at that age, Indiana kind of felt like a second home for me. Chicago is close to Indiana and the Cubs were really terrible when I was young, so the White Sox it was. And since I didn’t want to join the club and be a New York Giants fan, the Bucs became my team because my uncle liked them, they had a cool name and uniforms, and they had some players I loved. Boy, rooting for the Bucs instead of the Giants sure looks like a great decision now, doesn’t it?
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you would do with the money?
Help my family. Then pay off my debts. After that, I’d travel. A lot.
If you could have dinner with any three people from history, who would they be?
The Dalai Lama, Albert Einstein, and George Washington.
Where will you be 10 years from now?
Hopefully somewhere I am happy and making a difference in the lives of others. And ideally not shedding too much hair at the ripe old age of 42. My parents will be 80 and my siblings will be in their 50s. That’s a scary thought!
Since that is so terrifying to think about, let’s just live in the present and be focused on the now. It can be difficult some days, but we have no choice. We need to embrace our differences. Not everyone will have the same answers to the questions I just answered, and that’s OK. Yes, we can disagree and still be civil. Diversity makes the world a better place.
And that’s a much more valuable lesson than anything me or my fellow teachers can ever teach out of a textbook.
Czeching Out the World of TEFL 