Yekaterina Tskhe
Hello everyone! My name is Yekaterina but friends call me Kate and I am the 3rd year student at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague. These three years passed extremely fast for me. However, I had so much fun making that huge step in changing my life.
Why the Czech Republic?
Hmm… I have been traveling around Europe for the first time since I was 12. The capital of the Czech Republic, namely Prague was the first destination during my adventure. I was completely adored by everything that I’ve seen around me. Basically, the style of this city is different from all the other places that I visited before. You can feel it going through its narrow streets crowded by tourists and smelling the Czech national pastry called trdelnik which I highly recommend trying especially with Nutella or ice cream inside. Also, I really liked the plenty of bridges (not forgetting Charles Bridge which is the main tourist attraction) crossing the Vltava river, they make Prague an even more romantic place than Paris, the well-known city of love and magic.
The last thing that convinced me that Prague is the place where I want to live in the Prague Zoo. I have read that it’s in 5th place in the world. It’s not surprising because the whole area of the Zoo is almost comparable to the National Park. You can find a huge diversity of animals there including reptiles, fish, exotic birds, wild cats, and so on. I remember that day as one of the unforgettable moments from my trip to Europe 8 years ago.
What was next?
When I almost graduated from high school I need to decide where to go for my study and what specialization I want to choose. Hence, the last European trip left so many good emotions and memories I was searching for any opportunities which can bring me back to that incredible place.
I was more interested in studying science like Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry… in high school so it made my choice narrower while looking for the university. One day when I already spent 6-8 hours reading all information on the web pages of different universities in Prague hoping to find the program which suits me the most I finally opened the website of UCT Prague. Then I was definitely thinking that it was the place to pursue my future career as a chemical engineer.
What surprised me the most?
The transport system is one of the big advantages of this big city. In Prague, the transport is both well-organized and easy to use. You can never be late for your lectures at the university or work since the bus, tram, and metro schedules are available online and even via a special app for mobile phones. The metro is the fastest in case I need to travel long distances.
And now one special fact! I can use my transport card even for the ferry on the Vltava and funicular railway on the way to Petrin Tower (which looks like a small copy of the Eiffel Tower).
Do I speak Czech?
After living here for almost 3 years I can understand clearly what people are telling me in Czech but still have some problems expressing myself while speaking Czech. Actually, I find it very useful to start studying Czech immediately after arrival to the Czech Republic. That way you can easily communicate in supermarkets, restaurants, or at the post office. For me, learning the basics of the Czech language was not that hard as I speak Russian and it's from the same group of languages.
How funny is the Czech language to me?
There are some words that have completely opposite meanings but sound similar in Czech and Russian.
- úžasný – amazing (in Russian: terrible)
- vůně – nice smell (in Russian: disgusting smell)
There are probably many other examples of some Czech words that can sound funny in your language too. Just let me know!
Which Czech habits do I hate the most?
Blowing their noses extremely loudly even in public places. It was unbelievable when I’ve first seen it. I was trying to find any plausible explanation on the internet. Nothing found by now. Nevertheless, I accepted to live here so I somehow got used to this weird Czech habit which is absolutely normal for locals.
What about Czech food?
Personally, I like Czech food for its simplicity and the big amounts that you can get in restaurants for an adequate price. I highly recommend trying one of the Czech national dishes called guláš which is served with special bread dumplings. This combination tastes fantastic and is worth trying! And if you are a cheese lover you can have smažený sýr which stands for deep-fried cheese typically served with fries, salad, or bread.
If you have any questions or just want to chat you can meet me at UCT Prague or NTK (National Technical Library) where I spend most time right now. Good luck with your studies and exploring Prague every day as it's a place full of secrets!