Mailbox
Today's Mailbox includes: Topics: Czech-Slovak relations and differences. African community. Is the Czech tradition still alive? Christmas spirit. Gambling. Quotes from: Manesh Kubchandani, Paul Peters, Kofi Bemfey, Heide Katz, Ben Severa, Nick Kingsley.
Welcome to another edition of Mailbox. My name is Martin Hrobsky.
And mine is Dita Asiedu. Let me thank all of you who sent us questions and comments. There's nothing we appreciate more than feedback from our listeners and for those of you who send us reception reports. I'm sure you will like our new set of QSL cards, especially if you are a motorbike fan, as they are pictures of Czech - or Czechoslovak motor cycles.
Yes and that brings us to our first question from Manesh Kubchandani from India:
"Your country is very interesting because it has so much that happened in its past. Thank you for all your programmes that let us, here in Asia, know about your history. Although we are far away, we are still interested in other countries and your country is especially nice. I know that it will be ten years soon that the Czech Republic and Slovakia became two independent states. I hope you will have some programmes on that anniversary."
You've picked the right time to ask this question, Mr Kubchandani as Martin actually wrote a thesis on the so-called Velvet Divorce. As of next week, we will be broadcasting a series of short reports concerning this anniversary. There will also be a Spotlight on the Slovak community in Prague.
To be more precise, we will bring you a series of reports looking at why the former state of Czechoslovakia ceased to exists, how it happened, and how Czechs and Slovaks view the split on the 10th anniversary.
And I guess that answers part of our next question from Paul Peters who lives in Cheshire, in the UK:
"I visited the Czech Republic over ten years ago. It was then still Czechoslovakia, just after the revolution that brought down the Communist government. Back then, I saw very little difference in the way the Czechs behaved and spoke, compared to the Slovaks. Both were equally inexperienced in dealing with foreigners. Many did not speak English. Are there any differences now?"
Many Czechs actually do speak a foreign language. However, it's either German or Russian. In the past ten years, though, English has become quite popular since it is used in correspondence in most bigger companies. It's quite sad to see that Czechs and Slovaks are growing further apart year by year, despite the good political and economic relations. Although Slovaks are still in touch with the Czech language thanks to a number of Czech TV stations that broadcast in Slovakia, the Czech people - especially the younger generation are gradually forgetting Slovak.
But you'll find out more in our future programmes. Kofi Bemfey from Nigeria asks:
"I have noticed that you have an African name. Are there many Africans in the Czech Republic? I know many people who live overseas or studied there but none of them are in the Czech Republic."
By the African name, I believe you mean my last name "Asiedu". It's from Ghana, West Africa, since my father is Ghanaian. You will be surprised to hear that we actually have quite a big African community here in the Czech Republic. The foreign ministry doesn't keep a register on them, though, because most of them are students and are not considered a minority in official terms. Many come from Angola, Benin, and Nigeria. Unfortunately, I have only met one African from Ghana. And our next question is from Heide Katz, Norway:
"Are Czechs losing their tradition now that they are getting closer to the west and will soon be in the EU? I imagine that folk music and traditional dances are losing importance!"
I wouldn't say that the fall of the Iron curtain has resulted in Czechs, and for that matter Slovaks, Poles and Hungarians, losing their traditions.
That's probably because their folk music and traditional dances are gradually becoming the only things left that distinguish them from other countries.
That's true. In the bigger cities, especially those in Bohemia, most people are too busy to stick to traditions but in general you still have the younger generations singing folk songs. I actually went to see a band perform in one of Prague's numerous little pubs a few weeks ago and was surprised to see how many Czechs in their twenties and early thirties sung along and enjoyed it too.
A Moravian grape harvest celebration with the folklore costumes, music and dances can be quite an enjoyable experience.
That's before or after the wine? Anyway, moving on to Ben Severa from California, USA, who asks:
"Merry Christmas, Radio Prague. Are you busy preparing for the holidays in the Czech Republic? What about Radio Prague? Has the Christmas spirit got to you yet? I hope you will all get what you wish for and will enjoy the holidays."
Well, thank you very much. I actually started feeling Christmas last week, curiously enough when an Israeli friend took me to a Chanuka celebration - it's a Jewish holiday that's celebrated outside. I would say, the Christmas spirit hit the Czech Republic in October when shop owners already began decorating their stores and chocolates were already on sale.
But here at Radio Prague, it was not until last week that the Christmas spirit hit us, after most of us got together after work to celebrate St. Nicholas day.
But we'll definitely tell you more on Czech Christmas preparations and traditions in a future Mailbox before the end of the year of course. And we're running out of time, so here's a last question from Nick Kingsley from somewhere in cyberspace:
"An acquaintance of mine once told me that he went to Prague simply to gamble. He told me that the trip to Prague was free under the condition that he would gamble in a casino. Does such a thing really exist in Prague and are Czechs a nation that gambles?"
Such a thing really does exist. You have some casino's in the Czech Republic that offer you a free plane ticket to Prague on the condition that you gamble. There is a minimum amount you need to gamble with, though. Most of the time, it's a few thousand US dollars!
Czechs are not really gamblers but you do find quite a large number of packed betting agencies around Prague.
Another thing that Czechs love is to play cards. Most of the time for money, although they only play with Czech hellers. Actually, with the Czech National Bank planning to remove hellers from circulation, most fanatic card players have literally already began saving buckets of coins.
And on that note we'll end today's Mailbox, this is Martin Hrobsky
and this is Dita Asiedu. Just very quickly our contact information: write either to Radio Prague, 120 99 Prague 2, Czech Republic or [email protected].
