Saying goodbye to the Czech Republic

It was the second week of March. After months of sunsets before 5pm and dark rainy days, the first signs of spring were finally upon us in Český Těšín, Czech Republic. I had just spent a week in Alicante, Spain for spring break and I was feeling good. 7 months into my Fulbright experience, things were starting to feel comfortable. I knew enough Czech to get what I needed at shops and restaurants, I was confident using the public transportation system, and I had a great network of friends at my school, through Fulbright, and in the area.

It has taken me a long time (3 months now to be exact), to sit and write this post, because to be honest, it still feels difficult to think about and reflect on the amazing experience I had without equally feeling the loss of the spring semester and the plans that I had. And, at times, I feel guilty for not taking advantage of every moment as I should have, even though I know that I never could have predicted the abrupt ending that we experienced. I feel deeply for people across the world who are now living a different reality than they expected, and I am so grateful to have a loving family who welcomed me back to Texas with open arms and a mountain of good food.

48 hours to return home

The announcement that we needed to return home came quickly. Soon after a carefree spring break in Spain spent lounging on the beach, exploring nearby coastal towns, and dancing until night, talk of the coronavirus reached my small town in the Czech Republic as Italy’s numbers started to rise. Although I’d been following NPR’s updates on the coronavirus’s spread in China since January, I didn’t really understand the global effect that we would all soon experience.

The Czech Republic’s federal government executed their action plan quickly and without much warning. On a Tuesday morning I was solo-teaching a class when the news broke on the Ministry of Education’s website. Soon, every student had the article on their phone and one found an article for me to read – the key line – “All schools will be closed indefinitely.” At first, the mood among most students was positive (yay! extended spring break!) except for the seniors who would soon be taking “Maturita” exams that would affect their ability to graduate and pass on to the next stage.

While the students grappled with their own confusion regarding what this announcement would mean for them and the rest of their school year, I had a sinking feeling that I knew what it would mean for me. I had followed the news in China and then later in Italy, and I knew enough to know that school closures indicated more than a 2-week break. By the end of that same day, I was saying goodbye to as many students as I could, knowing that I may not get to see them again.

In a matter of days and after a number of vague emails initially telling us that coming home was optional, the U.S. State Department announced that it was suspending all Fulbright programs, urging us to return home immediately. At the same time, the Czech Republic announced that all long-term visa holders only had until that Sunday to leave the country indefinitely (giving us only 48 hours to book a plane ticket, close our bank and phone account, move out, and travel to Prague). As you can see, little time was left to say goodbye. My body was in panic mode – I alternated between packing, crying, calling my family and Harrison, and urgently looking for the best train ticket, hotel, and flight, thankfully discovering that a few other Fulbrighters would be on my same plane home.

My mentor worked wonders helping me to get cash, went with me to sign a power of attorney form to help close my accounts, and consoled me through the next few days. The colleagues that were able to met me at the train station with notes and gifts, and I tried my absolute best to hold it together, struck by the absolute inability to express how much their support, friendship, and mentorship had meant to me over the past 7 months.

Looking back, I can truly say that I could not have imagined a better placement and experience. To my English colleagues, thank you for supporting me, for pushing me, for inviting me places, and to making me feel so welcome. I am a better teacher because of you and I can’t wait to teach my future students more about the Czech Republic. To my students, you are all so amazing. I had so much fun joining you on practical lessons, learning about your lives, and learning alongside of you. To my Fulbright cohort, I will never forget our adventures in the castle, our sharing of our crazy experiences, and our bonding throughout the year. And to everyone else that I met, I cannot thank you enough for inviting me into your culture and your lives.

I know that the relationships and bond that I built with the Czech Republic and its people is just the beginning. I’m continuing my Czech language lessons online through a platform called iTalki with the plan to return someday in the future and put my skills to use. Who knows, maybe one day I will even have the opportunity to take a group of American students with me!

The Czech Republic’s coronavirus response

Thanks to the government’s quick action and procedures, the Czech Republic was able to prevent the worst of the coronavirus threat. In total, they have had slightly more than 10,000 total confirmed cases with 334 deaths and 7,446 recovered. However, the Moravian- Silesian region where I was living has been the hardest hit, particularly in mining towns where workers are in close proximity. Additionally, the region is still affected by the country’s border closure with Poland.

Up next

When I found out the news that I had to leave, I was working on a few other posts for this blog that I never got around to finishing. So, if my readers don’t mind, I’d like to continue working on them to post them in hindsight. In particular, I plan to share more about a “week in my life” as a Czech Fulbrighter and the top things I learned during the 7 months that I was lucky enough to spend there.

After spending the last 3 months at home with family, I am preparing for a big move next week up to North Carolina, where I will be teaching high school English literature. Harrison and I are so excited to be renting a place just north of Durham, a city we’ve come to know and love.

Thank you all for reading and supporting me during this past year! Wishing you all a healthy, happy, and safe summer.