Moving to Prague

Two years ago I was faced with a tough choice: Up sticks and go live in Prague, taking the fun option and fulfilling a personal dream OR stay in the UK and take a job offer in my home town of Lincoln.

Strossmayerovo náměstí

Me, being me, I took the sensible choice, reasoning that with graduate unemployment so high and no tangible work experience to my name, it would be foolhardy to pass up a decent job so soon after leaving uni. I would go to Prague later, I told myself. I'd go next year, or the year after.




It's the year after next year now, and finally I've decided to move to Prague along with my long-suffering and ever-supportive girlfriend Lydia. The decision wasn't as easy to make as it could have been. I spent many long nights in January umm-ing and ahh-ing (no idea if that's how you spell those words) about whether to go. "But we're settled in Sheffield" I said, "What about my car? The flat? Our jobs?"

After a few long chats with Lydia and an encouraging one from my Dad, I decided I was worrying about banal trivialities and nothing concrete really stood in our way. When you boil it down, and particularly at our age, there is very little preventing you from taking the leap and trying life in another country. Especially an EU country with regular flights from northern airports...

It's just taking that mental step. Saying, "we are going" and sticking with it. All the stuff I thought we couldn't get around has been relatively straight forward to sort out, and we are more or less ready to fly tomorrow (TOMORROW!!).

To anyone thinking about making a big change, I would just say go for it. At least if it doesn't work out you can say you tried. (At least that's what we're telling ourselves).

SOON!

So what does this mean for my blog? Well obviously actually being in situ in the Czech Republic should mean that I am provided with a host of fresh ideas to write about. I'll try and keep it interesting and varied, and avoid at all costs going on about how immersed I am, how I've basically forgotten how to speak English and how tantalisingly close I am to finding myself (those who did Year Abroad blogs, I'm looking at you).  

So yeah, we fly from Manchester tomorrow. To my good friends in Prague, I'll be hitting you up soon for a pivo (oops, there I go already!). To everyone at home, please, please come and visit. Don't wait 'til we've settled in. Just turn up unannounced.

Aaron