I don’t know what’s the proper name, but I call it ‘the local’s syndrome’: if you live in some place, you are likely to be much lazier in taking advantage of the cultural or other delights that the place presents, than if you were coming for a shorter or longer visit. I’m reminded of this each time I see one of our volunteers or a student enjoying Prague just as one should!
Well, that’s certainly true about one of the music festivals which was born in the context of the Czech Republic joining the EU and has already taken place in Prague 7 times, called the United Islands of Prague. I’ve known about it for several years already, seeing the adverts and hearing enthusiastic recommendations, but it took our Administrator, Katka, to push me finally to decide that this year, I’m going to make it to the Islands. (It’s called the United Islands because it takes place on the islands of the Vltava river running through Prague.)
So on a lovely and (bearably) hot Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed listening to Kila, an Irish folk-world music band – a tiny fraction of this rather massive festival of more than 100 bands – looking around at the people sitting on the grass or walking around with their beverages, and I thought once again how rich indeed this country is, to offer such things for free. Yet, as many things free, it’s not always as appreciated as it deserves. Once again I want to promise to myself to look at Prague with the eyes of an eager visitor.
– Lina
