Czech Republic: Jack Wherry (Food in Prague)

In the month I’ve been in Prague, I’ve learned lots about the Czech Republic’s rich history and culture by touring castles, wandering the streets, and talking to my professors. Another surprising source of education? The grocery store.

Before 1989 when communist rule ended, the Czech Republic lacked supermarkets. People had few choices (especially for fresh fruits and vegetables), and they had to wait in long lines. When I took a Czech cooking class (highly recommended!), I learned that many traditional dishes repurpose day-old bread, preserved cabbage, and tougher cuts of meat in part because of the limited ingredients available during the communist period.

The first supermarket must have felt like a revelation back when it opened in 1991. I can only imagine what it was like—I certainly take for granted the convenience and choice.

To learn by eating, I try to get one item I don’t recognize whenever I buy groceries. As it turns out, “Balkan cheese” is delicious on salads, “godfather sausage” contains no godfathers (thankfully!), and smooth-skinned Fuerte avocados are wonderful. The bread rolls known as rohlíky were less impressive, but I plan to try one fresh from a bakery before making my final judgment.

Checking out provided another source of cultural insight. Right after arriving, my upbeat American desire to make small talk with the cashier (in my limited Czech from Duolingo) was met with confusion and distrust. Rather than project fake happiness by default, I learned that Czechs value honesty: people reserve “how are you?” for when they genuinely want to know.

When I landed here, I had no clue I’d learn so much at the grocery store. But I’m glad I kept my eyes open. As powerful as classroom learning can be, it sticks best when I’m immersed in it firsthand.

Jack Wherry

Hometown: Minnetonka, Minnesota

Major: Computer Sciences

Program: IFSA Tech Career Accelerator

This program’s unique focus on computer science made it a great academic fit for me, and Prague is very different from anywhere I’ve visited in the past.  I’m excited to learn how the design and history of Prague makes its residents’ day to day lives different from what I’m used to in the U.S. For example, Americans on the whole like using cars to get around and our daily lives often revolve around a commute, so I wonder how a less car-centric city changes the way people spend their time.