Prasad Talluri

My journey to UCT Prague started in Ethiopia, where I worked previously. I got selected for two postdoc positions within a week and I was in a dilemma regarding which one to choose. In the end, I decided on UCT Prague. I came to Prague in May 2018, together with my wife, and we have never regretted choosing UCT. Both my supervisor and my international scientific officer helped us a lot in settling in here. Although I have three supervisors from three different departments, I never felt difficulties in working with them. I’ve learned new techniques from the membrane lab, with joy and fun.

Initially, we faced many problems with the language; later, we got used to it and we tried understanding a little bit of Czech from my colleagues and our neighbors as well. As the days passed by, we got to know that the language isn’t a problem because Prague’s a tourist place and most people here understand and even speak English.

As Indians, we are foodies, and I am still a little surprised by lunch menus at university cafeterias. Except for BLOX, there is usually no English translation and almost all dishes have potatoes; most of the time I go for kuřecí maso (chicken). Since Indian cuisine is quite famous here in Prague, I have found many Indian restaurants and used to go there along with my fellow mates frequently.

Coming to the city (Prague), I must definitely say it is a very nice place to live for a person of any nationality. It has great architecture; the cost of living is somewhat cheaper when compared to the other European countries I have visited so far. Personally, I believe it has one of the best public transportation systems. Even my wife loves the transportation here; she always used to tell me that it would be very difficult to travel within the city with our nine-month-old baby without this public transport. Most importantly, I’ve never, ever seen racism here.

What I found quite noticeably good about Czech people is how they treat their dogs. The dogs here are treated with a very high level of respect and they are even very disciplined (they never bark :p)

When I first moved abroad, I almost felt like being on holiday, being able to discover the city like a tourist. Eventually, I got used to it and felt more settled. As life keeps going, at certain times I’ve found myself missing family, friends, and home. Of course, I was not there when my wife was giving birth to my baby girl and I missed my best friend’s wedding, for example.

There is so much to be gained from working in different cultures, environments, climates, and speaking different languages. And that is something I will always recommend. I love the winter mornings in Prague, especially watching the white snow from the windows. Living in a sunny climate doesn’t hurt either 😉.

It was a real challenge to go abroad and work in a completely different environment, but my colleagues (ChemJets) and friends have made my stay at UCT more beautiful.

Surely, I can say one thing I will miss once I leave this place: Pilsner and Kofola. Finally, living and working abroad is fun, but the price you pay is the pain of the missing family.