Tips On Adjusting To Expat Life In Prague

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A recent official report claims some 25 per cent of the Prague workforce are expatriates, but is living in the city driving them crazy?

Recently-arrived expat professionals in the Czech Republic’s capital of Prague seemingly won’t have trouble finding like-minded friends, as a quarter of all the city’s residents are expats, the majority of whom may well have problems staying positive in their new home town. Most expats’ worst enemy is the complicated Czech language, without which it’s not only tricky to live a normal life but also almost impossible to understand the Czech culture.

Whilst taking a challenging new job in a spectacular location is a dream for many would-be expats, the reality can be grim at best and unrealisable at worst, especially when taking into account the emotional and psychological baggage already present in the majority of expats’ minds. One thing’s for sure, huddling with like-minded expats and complaining isn’t the answer, neither is venting or commiserating on social media or local forums. ‘Czechness’ may not be easy to adopt, but life’s far more fun if there’s no resistance to acquiring it.

Another tip is to avoid toxic relationships, no matter how tempting they may seem, and eating and sleeping well will get far more results than lurking in the nearest bar whilst crying into an oversized glass of strong beer. Making sure your work/life balance is satisfactory as well as taking regular exercise can encourage a healthy adjustment to your new surroundings and colleagues. Another important tip is to allow yourself to be selfish with your time, thus spending less time online and more time with people you’ve come to value.

If none of the above are working and you’re still finding it difficult to meet expectations or deadlines, drinking to excess, failing to maintain important relationships, in conflict with your partner, feeling even more irritable and failing to sleep, now’s the time to scream long, loud and hard for professional help! Don’t feel ashamed if you can’t cope as you’re one of many new arrivals in the same situation, and Prague is a great place for qualified, experienced psychotherapy practitioners.