Czech Values, Attitudes and Habits

Space

The Czech Republic, like most of Europe, and unlike America or Australia, has to deal with limited space. Building and housing space are influenced by the constrictions of geography. A vast majority of the population (even in small towns) lives in apartment block buildings. This limited space influences a Czechs' perception of distances, and even a one-hour drive is a significant undertaking. On the other hand, Czechs like to travel both within the country, as well as internationally.

However, the mobility of the Czech population is very small. Even in times of growing regional unemployment, people are reluctant to move after work. This is partly caused by the shortage of rent-controlled housing but is also linked to the strong attachment many people have to the place where they grew up. Additionally, family ties are closer than American, but often this is simply a result of space limitations.

Good to know...

It is polite and expected to greet people you don't know when you walk into a small store, restaurant or waiting room, but not to engage in conversation with them. For example, if you walk into a small store, you say Dobrý den to everybody in general but do not engage in conversation.
It is normal to sit with strangers at one table in a restaurant for hours and not exchange a word but it would be impolite not to say Nashledanou (Good bye) when you leave. Also if you want to sit down at a table with strangers, you have to ask for permission by saying Je tu volno?

The Czech Space

Czech personal space is smaller but its boundary is firmer. This is especially obvious when compared with Americans who require larger personal space but are much more willing to let people get into it.

This difference influences much that is typical of Czech culture. For example, a person has fewer friends who are closer. Also, people generally do not smile or even initiate contact with strangers. Public displays of affection are common, however, because they are happening within that close personal space with much stronger boundaries. Making noises, or anything that disturbs other people is frowned upon. It may also explain the sometimes sharp contrast between dirty and shabby public spaces and almost religiously clean homes, or other private spaces.

Time

The Czech concept of time is mostly compatible with the western treatment of time as commodity. People are expected to be on time and typically are. There is a limit of 15 minutes on appointments called akademická ctvrthodinka (academic quarter-hour) but nowadays, especially in business dealing, it is inappropriate to be more than 5 minutes late. The Czech daily schedule begins and ends earlier than most of Western Europe.

Status and Education

Czechs are by nature egalitarian and frown on status and its outward representation. Knowledge and ability are more worthy of respect. The Czech proverb šaty delaj cloveka (clothes make a man) is very representative of this belief. So is the importance attached to education, as obtaining an academic title is an important goal for many people.

Also very important, however, is to distinguish between formal and informal language and situations in choosing the appropriate forms of address. Formal and informal forms of address are used even with people of the same age. The elderly have certain prerogatives by virtue of their age, for example, younger people are expected to relinquish their seats on public transportation.
Czech dress code is different from western standards. In general, Czechs frown on shabby or unruly clothing and disregard for appearance. However, they tend to dress less formally for work (a computer consultant in a suit is an exception) and more for entertainment. Even a visit to the movies or restaurant, let alone the theater, requires better clothing. Jeans worn in an opera are a surefire way of identifying a tourist.

Virtues

A "sense of humor" and an ability to take things lightly is probably the most important quality for a person. Modesty is also a very important virtue. For example, a proper response to a compliment is not to say thank you but a statement of disagreement. Disregard for material things is represented in tipping. You are not so much paying for the service as showing a disregard for small change.

Down-to-Earth Mentality is also regarded highly. King Wenceslas IV is famous even today for seeking advice from the commoners in disguise, and one of Václav Havel's oft-quoted virtues was his propensity to go out drinking with his buddies with only a bodyguard or two.

Drinking and Eating Habits

Eating out is not common among Czechs and is considered something of a treat. This is slowly changing as more western life-style is adopted by the younger generation. Traditionally, drinks are served after meals (according to traditional lore) and in some restaurants you have to ask if you want to drink before eating.

Table etiquette is very important. It is considered a sign of bad upbringing not to use knife and fork in the continental manner. Making any slurping noises while eating is a gross violation of etiquette. Courses of a meal are served in a strict order (soup, main course, salad, dessert) and many combinations of foods are not common or downright repulsive to a Czech person. For example, rice and fried chicken or beer and a pancake.

Czechs consume the most beer per capita in the world. Wine and beer are never combined, although some drinkers will put liquor into their beer.

Hygiene

"Cistota pul zdraví" ("Cleanliness is half your health") is a Czech proverb showing that hygiene and cleanliness is important for Czechs. The Czech hygienic habits, however, differ from Western-European and especially American ones. Most notably, Czechs are not as conscious of body odor as other nations (particularly Americans and the Japanese) and many do not use deodorants.

Czechs are, however, conscious of the cleanliness of their private environment. For example, when entering a home, shoes must be taken off. Another example is that showering or bathing is traditionally done before sleep to wash off the dirt of the day as well as to keep bedding clean. It is absolutely unacceptable to step in one's shoes on something used for sitting, or putting up feet with shoes on.

Czechs and Foreigners

Czechs attitude to foreigners is at once superior and inferior. They may ridicule them for strange habits or funny foods, and despise certain behaviors typical of tourists, but on the other hand they feel respect for other countries for their achievements be they economic, political or cultural.

Czechs and Races

For the last forty years, Czechs have lived in a basically culturally and racially homogeneous environment. This resulted in latent racism present in most Czechs. 45% of the population would like for the Gypsies to leave. Czech racism is not philosophical, i.e. they do not believe that other races or nations are inherently better but through lack of contact, a high level of xenophobia (i.e. fear of the unknown) developed, sometimes bursting into racist violence. The Roma/Gypsy are the only significant racial and cultural minority and are the target of most racist attacks.

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Meeting People and Making Friends

Meeting new people

Social and professional groups

Eastern European cultures, including the Czechs, are often thought of as more collectivist than cultures west of Prague. This is a very deceptive label, however. Compared with Western Europeans and Americans, Czechs are much less likely to congregate and form professional or other interest groups. That is not to say that such groups are not common but rather, they are not as prominent in people's lives. For example, there is no true equivalent to American chambers of commerce or country clubs. Business and pleasure are more strictly separated.

There are two reasons for this. One is the time it takes to form full-fledged friendships and reluctance to meet new people. There is no equivalent in the Czech language to the English term networking. The other reason stems from the 40 years of communism, when most groups had a political context and participation was mandatory. Professional and other interest groups had to be careful about not overstepping the mark and this resulted in general dislike for working as a group.

Sports and Other Collective Efforts

A similar situation holds for joint collective efforts. An interesting example is the woes of an American coaching a Czech amateur baseball team. While hailing Czechs as excellent athletes, he said that their major weakness was their ability to play as a team, which caused them to be defeated by team who had inferior players working well together.

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Family

Family ties are closer, mostly because children often live quite close to their parents. Children are often forced to live with their parents even after they marry because it is virtually impossible for them to find an apartment. Another factor is the low mobility of Czechs. It is still rather exceptional for a Czech family to relocate because of a job opportunity.

Men vs. Women

Feminism hasn't gained wider popularity among Czech women, perhaps because it received negative publicity as a radical movement. Additionally, the Czech language, because of its structure, is not particularly sexist, and the situation of Czech women differs on the surface from that of American feminists of the 60s since women commonly work in a wide array of professions. Another important point is the reluctance of Czechs after the fall of communism to congregate in organizations.

However, the situation of women is far from ideal. They are still expected to fulfill their role as mothers and caretakers of their families and on those grounds it may be more difficult for them to enter into certain professions. There are only a few women in politics, high medicine and top managerial positions. On the other hand, women have traditionally worked in all levels of education and in research.

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Miscellaneous Facts

• Czechs are more afraid to show that they don't understand.
• To Czechs, westerners and especially Americans seem to ask more and their questions are more direct.
• Czechs often appear shy to foreigners (especially in communication with strangers).
• The "How are you?" question is generally more often answered with a negative attitude, even if the state of the speaker is not particularly bad.
• Czechs very often complain/express that they are not content and they quite often underestimate themselves. It would be considered rude not to do it since Czechs rarely boast.
• Czechs are more helpful to women. It is common to help a woman put on her coat, offer her a seat, let her enter first, and open the door for her, and women usually accept these expressions of politeness. Important exception: men should enter restaurants first.
• Unemployment in the Czech Republic is about 9%, in Prague about 3.5%. Inflation is about 4%. The average wage is about 14740 Kc ($378) a month. There are about 40,000 young American people in Prague.

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Source: www.bohemica.com, written by Dominik Lukeš.