Cultural differences between CR and USA

     The Czech Republic and U.S. are two countries located on different sides of the world. Even thought both countries are developed, Czechs and Americans differ in many respects. Both nations were founded and grew in different enviroments. Because of this, social norms, which influence the development of personality of the citizens of each country, sometimes cause a cultural clash. The Czech Republic, being a post-communist country, has not had a long existance as a state nut the history of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slesia reaches back all the way to the tenth century. „With a total area of almost 79,000 square kilometres, the Czech Republic is a medium-sized Europian country. ...The country could fit 122 times within the area of the U.S.“(„The Czech Republic“).

     There are many demographic differences between Czech and the United States. According to information from the Indexmundi web source, one of the major differences is population. The Czech Republic has 10,177,300 people compared to the U.S. with 313,847,465 people. Life expectancy at birth for males is 74.11 years in Czech and 76.05 years in the U.S. Female life expectancy is a little longer, in Czech it is 80.83 years and it is 81.05 years in the U.S. Total fertility rate for the Czech Republic is 1.27 children born/woman and for the U.S. it is 2.06 children/woman. Women in the Czech Republic get to choose up to 4 years of „maternity leave“, they can stay at home and raised their children. The government covers monthly basic expenses. That is the reason why Czech women take care of their children by themselves and do not hire nannies as they do in America, where it is common. „Natural increase of Czech population in year 2011 was 0.2 per 1 000 inhabitants, net migration in 2011 was 1.6 per 1 000 inhabitants“ (Czech statistical office). The Czech Republic has seen a huge influx of  immigrants. The largest group of residents are from Ukraine and Slovakia. There are also large number of minorities like Vietnamese, Gypsies, and Poles. As a matter of fact, the research Indexmundi made in 2012 showed that the U.S. has a lot higher „net migration rate of 3.62 migrant(s) per 1 000 population“ (Indexmundi) than Czech.

     Unlike strong religious beliefs in the U.S., where non-believers represents only „3-9%“ (Zuckerman), the Czech Republic is well known as one of the most agnostic countries, where the percentage is „54-61%“. Because of the Communist rule, religion was for many decades strictly suppressed. Family members of those who attended Mass were punished. For example, their children were not able to get into a good school, people were suspended and forced to have lowest paid jobs. „In 2011, average monthly gross wage of employees in the Czech national economy was 24 436 CZK, average old-age pension as in 2011 was 10 552 CZK and registered unemployment rate a in 2011 was 8.62%“ (Czech statistical office). In reality, most of the people do not reach this wage. While the wages in the U.S. are paid every week, in Czech are paid once a month. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2013 that „the unemployment rate edged down to 7.4 percent“.

     Czechs favorite and most important holiday is Christmas.  Czechs celebrate Christmas in a different way than Americans do. Czechs take preparations for Christmas very seriously just like people in U.S. Everything in a Czech house has to be perfect: all dust should be away from all the cabinets, crystal glasses need to be polished until it sparkle, and windows must only glisten! The most significant difference is a fact that all this cleaning is done by the women themselves when they come home from work. After cleaning, when other members of their families sleep, they bake very small Christmas cookies. This lasts for four weeks. Czech family usualy spend Christmas day by watching fairy tales, letting bought carp back to the pond, decorating Christmas trees, casting lead, and slicing stars out of apples. The biggest difference of this holiday celebration is that after Christmas dinner on December 24th, Czechs open their presents. Instead of Santa Clause, they believe in little baby Jesus. For next two following days they are visiting their relatives and friends.  Another very different holidays compared to the U.S. is Easter. All boys  and men walk from house to house the whole morning and sing songs to earn shots of alcohol and color ribbons on a special implicated wicker stick which they use to „beat“ all girls and women. The reason why this is happening is that women stay fresh, healthy, and full of power. Drinking age in the Czeh Republic is from eighteen years old but everyone drinks from early age of fourteen, as is the culture norm there, just for Easter. Younger boys get instead of alcohol a painted egg or chocolate egg. Fun for girls became with caroles who come after noon because then they have the full right to poured a bucket of cold water on them. In the United States people go to Mess. It is very common to organize Easter egg hunts. Children search for hidden eggs.

     Czech meals are different than typical American meal as well. A Czech meal is often accompanied by the national beverage;beer. As CNBC defines, Czechs held the first place on the list of countries by beer consumption per capita, as there was consummation of 15.9 liters per person. Most of the restaurants for a special occasions as birthday dinner, Valentine`s dinner or to celebrate their name`s day (there is one different name in the calendar for each day). Czech`s often eat homemade meals. The main dish in the Czech Republic is lunch. Their well-known dishes are: roast pork, dumplings and sauerkraut, pork schnitzel, fried cheese, and fruit-filled dumplings. Czechs like their sweets, but compared to desserts and cakes in the U.S., they are not overly sweet in general. Some popular desserts are: Kolace, honey cake, and apple strudel. Different from everyday life in the U.S. is also fact that there is no rule to give a tip in the Czech Republic. It is common to round up the bill by a few crowns to make it even. In addition, prices include taxes. In the U.S., stores display their prices before the addition of sale tax. Comparatively to the U.S., there are no  free refills, one has to pay for extra ketchup, water, and if you need to use a restroom, it is very common to pay for it too. All this makes the people of Europe more eco-friendly.

     People in Czech are always getting together in small coffe shops or in pubs to grab a few beers. Young people, from age of fourteen, seek entertainment in the dance clubs. These clubs closes usually between 5 and 6 am. People over thirty typically go to see movies, musicals, and concerts. People over fifty usually attend theater productions, museums, and opera. People in the Czech Republic spend their vacation visiting castles, camping, kayaking, seeking for mushrooms, spending time in their weekend houses or going to other countries to sightseeing or to relax by the sea side. In the U.S., however, most of the clubs close at 2 am. There are also alcohol restrictions in public places, policies restricting hours of alcohol sales. The legal drinking age is twenty-one. In Czech Republic the legal drinking age is eighteen and one can drink pretty much anytime and anywhere (There are only a few places with alcohol restrictions). In the United States, younger people under the age of twenty-one are most likely going to the movies, hanging in their friend`s houses, going to the beach. College students and the middle aged population people spend their time at the bars, clubs, concerts, restaurants, movies, on the beach, and outdoors. Americans are big fans of sports events. Czechs enjoy to watch hockey and soccer games, and tennis, but other then that they are not very active. Many Americans actively excercise and others do not do anything, which leads to the big issue of obesity there.

     Czechs have a different sense of humor. They tend to use „black humor“ compared to Americans who are more likely „politically correct.“ Friendships between Czechs are more deep and intense than between Americans. It is a given by  school system which is different. In the Czech Republic there are children in the schools placed into groups that do not change over a period of several years. Everyone has the possibility to grow the firm bond of friendship. In the Czech republic the two months summer break starts in July. Children who goes for very first time to the elementary school (in the U.S. it is first grade), in age of 6 or 7, carry their special candy in a giant paper cone. Children go to school by public transport in the Czech Republic. This also differs in the U.S., where American children take a yellow school bus. Europeans write the date in a different way as well; first goes day and then month. The twenty-four clock is geneerally used in the Czech Republic. In the U.S. this type of clock is used only in the military.

     Shopping experiences are different between the two countries. There is no „drive thru“. Most Americans use coupons when shopping, while Czechs does not have any coupons. Generally, the customer service in the U.S. is at a much higher level. For example, if your child drops ice cream, you cannot just ask for another free one in Czech. In addition, there is no problem to return any item, anytime, for any reason in the U.S. You will get a full refund or even exchange. In the Czech Republic things workk differently, there is always some problem with something. No one wants to take responsibility and people frown all day. If you want to make an appointment to the doctor, you may have to wait up to several weeks. „Service with a smile“ is non-existent in Czech.

     In conclusion, the Czech Republic and the USA are entirely different countries. Every country has its own characteristics. Differences between those two countries can be found in the size of population, in the way they celebrate the same holidays, in the way they dine, or in the way they interact with each other.