You wake up late for school, man you don’t want to go You ask you mom, please? but she still says, no You gotta fight for your right to party. -lyrics by Beastie Boys |
“Prague police bust pandemic speakeasy, underground bar with 35 maskless guests” This was one of the headlines in the Czech news today. From the picture in the article, I recognized the speakeasy (translation: an illegal bar) as a pub called U Sudu. I’ve spent many happy evenings there with friends, drinking Pilsner beer and playing table football. The article went on to say that each guest was fined 11,000 kc (about $500). Yikes! ESCAPE FROM AMERICA Yesterday I told you of my plans to return to Prague. I lived and taught in Prague from 2004 to 2018. Then I returned to the U.S. I worked in an office. I got fired from the office. China exported a new microbe. The governments of the world panicked and closed borders, schools and businesses. I wrote a book called “Master English at Home.” I created two online schools. And now, after ten months of creating, I’m returning to Europe and returning to teaching. (Yes, the border is closed to Americans. But I have a long-term visa which will allow me to enter.) (Yes, the virus is highly contagious and deadly. But 99.6% of deaths are from people who already have one of five disease, ex. cancer, heart disease, of which I have none. If that fact is news to you, I recommend less CNN and more data research.) So on one hand, I won’t be able to visit my favorite pubs, restaurants and cafes. U Sudu, Cafe Nod, Chapeau Rouge, Grand Cafe Orient, Atmosfere and Cafe Louvre will have to wait. On the other hand, prices for tickets and apartments have never been cheaper. Plus, as a reader wrote to me this morning to say, “It’s more quiet now, with almost no tourists.” So that’s good. And another thing, more time for teaching! For the next few days, I’d like to tell you about some of my most successful students. You can use these stories for motivation, for ideas for your own lessons, or maybe you’ll decide you’d like to be one of the few students I work with 1-1 this year. I think I’ll start with the story of how Marie went from too nervous to talk to getting on her first airplane and travelling to Las Vegas and London with her children. |
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