Czech and German explore the world

After more than a year and a half, the main language we talk is still English. And although it is no problem in most of the situations, there are many times when it would be so useful to be at least able to communicate in the other language...The problem is, that we are both far away from communicating on a comfortable level in either German or Czech, so we always end up speaking English. So many people say that learning Czech is not easy (and Jan would most probably agree as well). Starting with pronunciation, ending with grammar. Is it really true? How long is it necessary to learn Czech to be able to communicate in it and how long to master it? And how different is Czech from German?  First, a bit of reality. First words which Jan tried to say in Czech were "volské oko" (sunny side up egg, fried egg)   one and a half year ago. When he tried to tell it to Google, Google voice recognition thought that he said: "britská kočka" (British cat). So from that ...

It: It all sounds like a fairy tale what you are telling here... You: Yes, it is. Really. Most of the time. It: Most of the time? You: There are also hard times. Times, when you feel lonely, desperate or sick. When you would just need someone to  make for you a cup of tea,  take care of you, or just  hold your hand . And his hand is many kilometers away. Those are the hard times. It: And how does it feel? You: Bad. But the worst are those stupid thoughts which always come to cover your mind. It: Like? You: I don't know, just stupid thoughts. Like, that maybe he is happy that he is not with you because he could also get sick. That he doesn't have to take care of you and can enjoy  instead  nicely his time. I don't know, you know those thoughts, right? They are coming sometimes to everyone. It:  Yes, I know. But what you do then with these feelings? You: Just wait. They always disappear when you don't give them an attention. And I tr...

From the moment we got to know each other, Jan wanted to try how it is to go for a multi-day trek or cycling. Taking your whole small world with you, packed into a backpack or cycling bags. I grew up with traveling like that in my blood, but for Jan in his 29 years, it was still a big unknown and unexplored field. It is not surprising, that some worries were on both sides. I was worried if something, which is so precious and important for me will not have to be changed so much, that it will lose all the charm, if it still will be the right vacations, where freedom is connected with the fact that I carry everything that I need, that in the evening I search for a hidden place for a tent under the stars, trying to hide from people instead of looking for a paid place close to them, that I cook a dinner from what I can find in my backpack, instead of going to restaurants and experiencing a beautiful feeling of self-sufficiency interconnected sometimes with an unusual but amazing feeling of...

It is 4 o'clock in the morning, and the night slowly dissolves in the morning blush of dawn   and we are saying goodbye to each other. Me, Jan and our shared article, we all put ourselves for a few short hours to a restless sleep, to meet each other again in a short time. The feverish efforts of the last few weeks are steadily growing every day. Nights and days mingle in an endless series of indeterminate hours. Our irritability, tiredness, confusion, and stress from the approaching deadline increase with each day ... Time, when it might be so easy to kill your loved one. Times, when I can not even stand myself. But he handles that. How? I do not know, I have to say that I admire him for that. And to be honest, he is also definitely not the most caring and pleasant person these days. Yet, it seems as we would be much closer to each other, despite the distance of many hundreds of kilometers. The calls are becoming more and more constructive. Together we plan, build, create...

I remember the day soon after we met when we were sitting with a map in our hands, looking for the best meeting points all over the world. Our short search has shown that the best places to meet are Milan and Venice, to which Ryanair flies both from Stuttgart and Prague. And who we are to say no? Days flew by and a year after we are finally going to visit both of them. Starting at seven in the morning I leave my flat in Prague - so happy that kids are already carrying their backpacks and I have to only handle my stuff.  By this time, Jan is already two hours on the way from Stuttgart, trying to get some advantage over the plane in a four-wheeled friend. I try to remind myself that kids really need passports (you know, how that is difficult when I can always travel using only my ID?). Train, subway, bus and plane...and here we are. Bergamo - Italy. We crossed all the clouds and arrived under the clear blue sky - in just two hours (flying), the temperature has risen ...

"Mommy, do not look in that cell phone again, or I'll take it from you," my daughter lashed out at me when she saw that I am writing again something on my cell phone. I felt ashamed and also sorry that all the years during which I tried to show to my children that life does not happen on the phone, but here, right around us, are fading away. But I am suddenly not able to resist. Yes, it's still me. The one, who turned on the phone once per day to check incoming messages. The one, who taught everyone to write her long e-mails instead of calling, because I almost never called back. The one, who never knew where her phone is and if it is charged. When I was at 17 for two weeks hitchhiking with my friend around Europe, my parents knew that they will probably hear from me at the earliest when I come back - if the postcard will not reach them earlier. Mobile madness did not reach me even at the university and also afterward I stayed away from social media and phone. I hav...

Reichstag On my first visit to Berlin we are heading towards the historical center and visit the renovated building of German parliament (Reichstag). We climb slowly along the spiral ramp, listening to voice from headphones describing the scene behind the modern glass dome and observe modern buildings, renovated remains of historical monuments, parks, TV tower... Reflectors are lightening the evening scene and leave the impression that we are standing on the border of a modern future ... Teufelsberg - NSA tower ... a few weeks later we are again in Berlin. This time we are climbing stairs of an old tower hidden in the middle of the forest, which used to serve as a listening tower during the cold war. It surrounds us by mystical creaking, screeching and drumming as sheets and torn parts of the tower casing are crashing into the metal structure. Graffiti cover every free piece of walls around us and vegetation is slowly winning over the human. Out of a sudden, it is gett...