Prague Diaries - Week 4

Wednesday August 25th
My interview with Johnson & Johnson is at 2. I spend the morning doing further research in to the company. The first think I think about when I hear J&J is baby products, those sweet smelling products of childhood. They are of course involved in much more, oral health care and diagnostics to name but two. I also give a quick scan through their 09 financials. This served me well in previous interviews and is always a healthy sign of a potential employee going that little step further, particularly in light of the nature of the job.
At 1pm I hit for the tram stop near the apartment and catch the no 5 to Namesti Republicky. From there I change to metro and five stops later I am at my destination, suitably early. Thankfully it's a milder day so the suit isn't clinging like last Monday's sweatgate. I decide to grab a quick bite after locating the offices. They are across the road from the metro stop, very handy. A croissant and a bottle of water later and I head for the offices for interview. After a brief wait in reception i meet up with Supervisor Jan. He suggests a casual style interview over a coffee, fine by me. We discuss my previous employments and my personality. Jan then discusses what it is the role entails, a little bit about the company and his vision for the future. It all sounds good but he ends with a cautionary note. He feels that I have an excellent profile but thinks that I am perhaps overqualified for the junior role. He is ideally looking for fresh graduates who he can shape. With six years rounded experience I don't exactly fit the bill. I try to allay his fears by stating that a job is a continual learning experience. I'm not sure it's worked. We shake hands on a pleasant one hour meeting and go our separate ways.
I take the same route back and kick back for the evening.
Thursday August 26th
The apartment searching continues apace. There is a bit of a sting in the tail over here when dealing with estate agents. They will do their utmost to find you a place but at a cost. They take a commission of 1 months rent. This comes on top of paying a deposit and your first months rent. It is certainly steep and has no grounds for reason actually. Surely the landlord should be paying this commission and not the tenant. Time is running out however and all options are on the table.
There is a daft.ie equivalent called bezrealitky but the standard of apartment doesn't usually match up to those offered by the agents. There is also the problem of finding english speaking agents. Zuzana is now at work all day and so I am looking after the viewings and discussions. We had spotted a nice place in the desirable area of Vinohrady the night previous. I had inquired as to a viewing with the english speaking agent Mike. He agrees to show me around today at 1. I grab tram 33 and about 7 stops later I am but a 5 minute walk from the apartment. The immediate impression is that it is an area of beautiful old buildings and very central, all good so far. Mike arrives, a youngish Czech gent with good English. We go inside and the public areas are all well preserved and clean. That's a good start. I've noticed that a lot of the public areas, stairwells usually, aren't always well maintained. Mike tells me that the Management Company is Italian and cleaning and neatness ranks top of their agenda. The apartment is on the 3rd floor, we take a lift there. A lift isn't always a given in these old buildings so that's another bonus. There are residents in the apartment at present, a small frail muslim man with his daughter and sprightly grandaughter. This is a bit of a nuisance as I can't have a proper root around with them on my shoulder My first impressions of the apartment are excellent. It's small enough but at the same time not too small for our needs. The good thing is is that it has a nice modern feel inside, all mod cons that could be expected. It also has a second small bedroom which was important for me. I want to have friends and family come visit when they like.Further, it has a small utility room with washing machine. Now this mightn't sound like much and perhaps I'm being pedantic but this is great news to my eyes. The thing is a lot of Czech's have their washing machine located in their bathroom. This seems utterly bonkers to me and I'm glad it's not the case here. It shouldn't be such a big issue but strangely it is. It's just weird ok!
On departure we meet the owner briefly. He speaks English as well, which is a help. He assures me that if we want anything added to the apartment, or indeed anything taken away, than all we needed to do was ask. I thank both he and Mike and assure them that we will be in touch. I suggest that Zuz might want to view it also. I was right. I call her at work and give her my thoughts. She says that she will come view it on her lunchbreak. I call Mike back and he agrees to the request. When she gets there our muslim friends are praying. It's Ramadan you see. Not exactly ideal, but she sees enough to agree with my earlier thoughts that this place could be the one.
We don't commit straight away as I have another viewing tomorrow.
I stop off at Namesti Republicky on the way home to pick up a copy of the Prague Post. This is a weekly English print publication, which has an invaluable listings section. Movies, Pubs, Concerts, Gigs, Dining. It has it all and is an excellent publication, although not cheap at just over €3.
Friday August 27th
Another day, another apartment viewing. This one is with a different agency in the historical area of Vysehrad. I look up the tram details and note them down. I take a route that will get me their with time to spare so I can find the place in time for our 11am appointment. The first leg of the tram journey is fine, the number 9 to Paleckeho Namesti. I am to change there to tram number 10 as per my posts. This leg of the journey is to be 2 mins in length. Five minutes in to the trip I'm beginning to think I've made a haims of my notes. These schedules never overrun. I jump off at the next stop stepanska to check the timetables. Sure enough I was heading in the opposite direction and had noted tram 10 instead of the correct tram 7. I now need to call the agent as it is 5 to 11 and I am going to be late. I make the mistake of turning my back to the tram stop whilst making the call to Mr Tíchy. 'I'll be there in ten Josef, just a little mistake on the tram connection'. Fine says he, no problemo. I turn my back to see tram number 7 pulling out. Oh fuck. Next service for tram 7 in 14 minutes.
I have no option but to wait for the next tram and then about 7 minutes later I am getting off at Albertov. It is now 25 past 11 and I get a call from Mr Tíchy inquiring as to whether I'm lost. 'on the way' I say despite not knowing which street or turn it is I should be taking. I take a lucky turn and end up at the apartment circa 11.30. A less then pleased Mr Tíchy shows me around. The public areas leading up to the flat are in some disrepair and the lift isn't working. Not a good start. The apartment itself is spacious and well fitted out. It's also a good 3000 crowns dearer then yesterdays place and it hasn't really earned the right in my opinion. I thank Josef for the viewing and head for home.
I give Mike from yesterday a ring and tell him that we would be happy to take the apartment in Vinohrady. He says he will talk it over with the owner and get back to me on Monday with details of the next step.
Friday evening is to be spent at Zuzana's friends Misa & Petr, by way of a barbeque invitation. They had been kind enough to collect us from the airport on our arrival in Prague so it was nice to catch up with them again. Misa has some English, Petr has none although it never felt awkward at any point. They live in a new apartment right out in the suburbs of Prague, a 25 minute trip by tram and bus. An evening of chat, beer, peppered chicken, pork and steak goes down a treat and by 11 we are fit for home. We take the city train back to Namesti Republicky and grab a tram from there. 2 stops later and we're home. Good Night all round.
Saturday August 28th
An early start at 9am for no other reason then we were awake. Hate that. No plans for the afternoon so I just surfed some job sites and found 1 suitable position. I send off my CV with cover letter and cross the fingers. Zuzana is busy working on finishing her thesis.
That evening we go for a game of bowling with one of Zuzana's close friends Karolina and her boyfriend Josef. A couple of beers and an hour of bowling later and Zuz and I emerge on the wrong side of a narrow defeat. My game is rusty!
We head for a pizza after the game and then bid the guys good night. It was a nice relaxed evening with good company and we agree to meet up again.
Sunday August 29th
A good lie in is just what's called for. A couple of cups of tea and a browse of the Sunday papers on the net. Apart from going to the cinema in the evening we have sweet fa to do. I catch a stream for the final round of the Johnnie Walker in Scotland. Superb effort from Eduardo Molinari and fully deserving of his pick for the Ryder Cup. Harrington gets a pick also which is good from an Irish point of view but he doesn't deserve it. His game is in bad shape and he hasn't done anything of significance since the PGA in 08.
We head to an arthouse cinema to catch a Czech movie called Kajinek. The movie is subtitled in English. It tells the true story of a hitman named Kajinek who appears to have been the 'victim' of a miscarriage of justice. This came about largely as a result of police corruption. The first half an hour annoys me with flashy cut aways more reminiscent of a tv series like CSI. As the film goes on however it develops nicely as a thriller. There are a few plot holes but overall it's an above average effort.
A nice way to wind down what was a complete weekend.
Monday August 30th
As I have still not found a job I am required to visit the local welfare office, in this case the EURES office. This is a Europe wide labour resource and provides assistance in much the same way FAS do back home. The office is only a 20 minute walk from the apartment. I meet with the English speaking agent and she quizzes me on my activity in the job market since I arrived in Prague. I explain to her in detail what I have done. She provided me with some websites and contacts to help aid me further. A parting note is an appointment in a months time should I not have found work by then. I really hope it doesn't come to that.
I pick up some groceries on the way home. I'm slowly getting used to the labels and what to look out for. Not much is needed as we move in 2 days.
I watch a copy of Angelina Jolie's new movie 'Salt' to wind down the day. It has been billed as a female Bourne but it comes up short on that front. None the less it's definitely watchable and Jolie plays the cold, ruthless mercenary very well.
Tuesday August 31st
A blustery and showery day outside and not much to do. I apply for a position with the Regus group. It's a position in their accounts department and they are a well regarded company with an expanding workforce.
We are due to move to our new apartment tomorrow. We should really have read the lease on the short term. Down at the bottom in that terms and conditions section that is usually glanced over is a 10am departure date on expiration of lease. We had thought that we would leave in the evening after Zuz had finished work.
I ring the agent attached to out new place and state that we have to be out of our current spot by 10am tomorrow. He gets in touch with the landlord who happens to be away in Amsterdam. Oh Oh. I'm starting to get visions of me waiting outside the door of our new apartment all day waiting for the Landlord to get back from his Dutch jaunt. I get a call back from the agent later in the evening to tell me that the landlord will be flying back tonight and can meet us at midday. 'Any chance he could do 10 says I?'. One more call and 10am is agreed. Phew!
This means we now have to pack up tonight and book an early taxi across town. Zuz will take a few hours of work in the morning to help with the move. Beer and dinner break up the monotony of dinner.
Tomorrow starts the next 12 months of our Prague experience.