YouTuber, Dream Prague
An expat turned digital nomad
YouTuber, Dream Prague also known as Jen, recorded a video titled ‘why you should move to Czech Republic (American’s perspective).’ Jen and her husband and their rescue dog emigrated to Czech Republic in 2013. She is native to California and has assembled more than 65,000 subscribers on Youtube.
In this video, she outlines or rather makes an argument for Americans to move to Czech Republic. She cites 12 reasons to make the move including if you are a minimalist to if you are a carnivore. I can relate to all of the reasons that Jen states as reasons to move to Czech Republic.
To add more color to Dream Prague’s perspective, here are three additional observations.
1.
The village parties are THEE BEST! It’s an absolute sh*tshow when you d-arty (day partying) into the night. Czechs aren’t shy or reserved about drinking and partying amongst kids, let alone their own kids. Because of this, parties are not tempered and are not moderated. All ages truly get to enjoy!
2.
Gift giving. I will yell from the mountaintops that as a child in America, I was high maintenance (and I grew up in a low-to-middle class home). Czechs give gifts like winning raffle prizes at a carnival. It is normal gift-giving behavior to gift chocolates or a Renaissance painting of a woman’s breast.
3.
In the picturesque town of Cesky Krumlov, a town that is 2/3 surrounded by the Vltava river, you are reminded that civilizations flourished because of trade. If you had a loaf of bread, that may be of value to the leathersmith who could make you a leather belt. The close proximity of these buildings meant that your economic activity was always a few steps away from your front door.
A ha. But this is also the downside of Czech Republic.
Limited Economic Opportunities
Arguably, the consensus in Czech Republic is if you want to make a lot of money, you either move to Prague or wealthier countries like Germany. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2021, Czech Republic ranks 48th in gross domestic product with a total of $300 billion (6.3 trillion CZK) in goods and services. This GDP value equates to the same size of an operation as the home improvement store, Home Depot. Think about the labor ratio between retail workers to management positions, and you’ll understand the limited economic opportunities in Czech Republic.
Rise of the Digital Nomad
The younger Czech generation has two things going for them: 1) a more educated, English-speaking populous; and 2) growing up with a mobile device in their hand. In the last 13 years alone, I’ve witness a surge in new Facebook users, and I’ve also seen the pivot to platforms like Instagram and Youtube.
While Dream Prague is an expat living in Czech Republic, she is leading by example showcasing how digital nomads can earn income from a side hustle or even, making it a full-time job.