So, you were accepted into a Czech university. Congratulations! You buy a plane ticket, pack your life into a suitcase, and wave goodbye to your friends and family at the airport. Ten hours and three b-movies later, you arrive. A large sign towers over you: VíTEJTE V PRAZE!
You smile. Okay, but now what? … Your mind begins to race.
I need to find a place to live. How do I get around this city? Do I even know anyone on this continent? I’m all alone. I don’t even know how to say “hello” in Czech. Where can I buy something to eat? I’m hungry. Isn’t today a holiday? Are grocery stores even open? How will I afford my flat? I’m hungry.
You remember that just a couple of weeks ago, you bookmarked a helpful website. What was it called? Something like … Study Here? Study Here in Czechia? That’s it - Study in Czechia!!
You navigate to the blog post you found so helpful - Valuable Resources for Life in Czechia - and breathe a sigh of relief. “I got this,” you assure yourself aloud. “Jdeme na to.”
* * *
Ahoj, tady je Stephanie and I’ve been living here in Czechia since 2018. If you’ve just been accepted into a Czech university and are preparing to make the move, or even if you’ve been living here for a while, it’s natural to occasionally feel apprehensive about being abroad. But, with the right support and the right attitude, you too can make Czechia your home away from home. Here are just a few of the invaluable resources that have helped me:
expats.cz is a news website that is tailored to expats living in Czechia. It covers current events, especially those that concern foreigners, and often features articles offering advice about the different aspects of living abroad. It also has a user-friendly job board where readers can filter job postings by language, category, and location. I found my first job using this website!
Hosted by Janek Rubeš and Honza Mikulka, Honest Guide presents a local’s perspective of Prague (and some other Czech cities). Their videos help people to avoid tourist traps and instead have authentic experiences.
Level it up! If you want to practice your Czech listening skills, watch Honza and Janek’s other Youtube channel, Kluci z Prahy. On this channel, the guys from Prague recount the same stories as on Honest Guide, but speak in Czech.
Office Holidays provides country-specific holiday calendars that you can subscribe to on iCal. Each holiday comes with a short description. Subscribe to the Czech calendar to be aware of upcoming state holidays, and learn about commemorated Czech history. Expect some stores and other services to be closed on state holidays.
PID
PID stands for Pražská integrovaná doprava, or Prague Integrated Transport. PID Lítačka is the main public transport app for Prague, allowing users to easily purchase tickets, check routes, and navigate the city’s integrated transit system. When I lived in Prague, I often bought a year-round ticket and had peace of mind whenever my ticket was checked by security.
Můj Vlak
Můj Vlak, operated by České dráhy, or Czech Railways, provides real-time train schedules, ticket booking, and travel updates, making national, and even international, travel easy. Now that I live in Budějce, I buy train tickets to Prague using this app.
Záchranka
Záchranka is the official mobile application for emergency services in Czechia, allowing users to quickly contact emergency medical services or mountain rescue with a single press of a button. It automatically transmits the user's precise GPS location and any pre-entered health profile data to help accelerate emergency services.
This app lives on the front page of my iPhone.
Charles University’s UJOP program in Prague provides tiered Czech language courses. If you prefer a more traditional approach to learning, work your way from A1 to C2 with their evening courses.
Founded by Eliška Kryslová in 2016 in Brno, slowczech offers learners a way to, “learn Czech, slowly.” Over the years, twenty other women have joined Eliška at slowczech, working as tutors. Eliška and her team aim to make the Czech language more accessible, and so they provide a wide range of services, such as online group lessons, audio/video podcasts, free in-person meetups and online workshops, and written content. Eliška believes that mistakes are part of the process, and it’s never too early (or late!) to start speaking.
Because Czech is Cool / Youtube
Founded by Eliška Boušková in 2016 in Prague, Because Czech is Cool offers a wide range of services from online group lessons, pronunciation guidance, in-person meet ups, and Youtube videos. Eliška’s lessons focus on her students’ needs rather than predetermined textbook chapters, and her offline events help to foster a sense of community among expats of all different nationalities.
iTalki connects learners with native Czech speakers living around the world for personalized, one-on-one lessons. You can view each teacher’s introductory video to get a sense of their teaching style and their expertise. Ask for help with grammar, or just practice chatting. I’ve taken over 100 lessons on this platform!
PS - to earn an extra $5 within 24 hours of registration, enter code aDAfbe under “Redeem” - I’ll help you get started learning Czech, and you’ll help me continue!
A screenshot of the conversation in slowczech’s 21-Day Grammar Challenge.
sreality
Sreality is a major online platform that enables users to search for property listings using several filters. Their new AI feature (unlocked with a premium subscription) curates a list of apartments based on a written description you provide.
Bezrealitky
Bezrealitky enables direct communication between renters and property owners, helping users find accommodation without agency fees (“bez” means without, so, “without real estate agencies”).
Photo taken in my apartment, which I found using sreality.
GoOut
At GoOut, you can search upcoming events by location, category, or date, and you can buy tickets for the event directly on the website.
The many flavors offered at my favorite stand at the Prague Ice Cream Festival: Božský kopeček. Buy your tickets for June 2027 on goout!
* * *
So now that you’ve confirmed today is not a holiday with Office Holidays, you check out Honest Guide for Prague’s most underrated eatery and head out from the airport, purchasing a ticket for the bus on the PID application. On the way there, you schedule your first lesson on iTalki and peruse your options for housing on sreality. Things start falling into place. You can finally breathe. Studying in Czechia was the smart choice.
Stephanie Parascandolo
Study in Czechia Ambassador
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