Czechast with Kateřina Ferenčíková: from Ostrava to Madrid via Puerto Rico
The story of Kateřina Ferenčíková: how Czech identity can stretch across borders and generations.
Kateřina Ferenčíková is a Czech woman from Ostrava whose life has taken her far beyond the borders of Czechia. After marrying a Spanish executive working for an international cement company, Kateřina has lived in France, Puerto Rico, and Spain – and she now calls Madrid home.
Czechast caught up with her in Biarritz, in the extreme southwest of France, where she was spending a few days. When we talked about her time in Puerto Rico, she recalled something that really highlights the cultural differences:
"For example, at the entrance to the plant where my husband worked, sometimes 24-7, there was a slogan that said, work even if nobody's watching you. Oh, when I came there for the first time, I thought, oh, a nice joke. And my husband said, no, that's the reality."
It is fascinating to hear how different parts of the world shape perspectives, and her reflections on life in the Basque Country of Spain are particularly interesting. She describes what it was like living there when ETA, the separatist organization, was still active:
"Actually, it was the first time after leaving Czechia that I felt feeling almost similar to the worries we had during the communist regime. Like, you had to be careful whom you talked to, what you talked about. There were certain topics you had to avoid. Politics was a no-no because people were really afraid. It was very active. There were many car bombings, many shootings, although we were not a target, fortunately, but it was everywhere around us and it was really hard for us and obviously for the people who lived there."
You’ll also hear from her daughter Caroline, who grew up with a strong connection to her Czech heritage. Here’s a little glimpse of what she had to say:
"My mom and I have been speaking Czech since I was a kid and always going to the Czech Republic growing up was very special and it felt like the secret, this treasure that both of us shared. It was then also a bit confusing sometimes to go to the Czech Republic and everybody suddenly around us could understand what we were speaking because I was used to Spain where that doesn't happen. But it was always something so special to me and I'm very proud that I have this."
So, The story of Kateřina Ferenčíková shows how Czech identity can stretch across countries, even continents and generations.
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Czechast, Radio Prague International
Czechast is a regular RPI podcast about Czech and Moravian culture, history, and economy.
