No Euro Yet

When I was deciding to make the move to Czechland many years ago, it looked like the country would change its currency from the Koruna to the Euro around 2015.  This was a selling point for me because I thought it would be a once in a lifetime experience to go through a currency switch.  Well I've been here 11,5 years and there's no outlook in sight for ever actually making the move.

When Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004 it became legally obligated to adopt the Euro once it fulfilled the necessary requirements for joining the Eurozone.  There's a lot to be gained by adopting the Euro.  Three of the four countries bordering Czechland all use the Euro.  More than 57% of the country's foreign trade is with countries using the Euro, almost one-third just with Germany.  If Czechia was on the Euro then it would be easier for businesses to conduct trade because no one would have to factor in foreign exchange rates.  

Czechs are reluctant to give up the Czech Crown because they know that while it would be better for the country overall, it means that things will become more expensive as prices get rounded up but salaries won't.  The country could join the Eurozone whenever it wanted to but every time it gets close to meeting all of the requirements it seems to purposefully flub things up so that can just keep kicking the can down the road.

The government has just said that due to economic conditions resulting from COVID-19 and this year's budget deficit that the country will not set a date yet to adopt the Euro because the prerequisites for joining will not be met.

There are 19 countries on the Euro.  When it was first introduced Denmark and the UK opted out.  Now that the UK has left the EU after Brexit, only Denmark doesn't have to make the switch.  Besides Czechland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden all still need to give up their national currencies for the Euro.

Here's a short video I found on YouTube about Slovakia, from 2008, right before it was to adopt the Euro. in 2009.  It could be about Czechia today.     

©DW News

2020 Hanukkah

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. 

Whilst I'm not Jewish I did grow up in California where there are plenty of mixed families that celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas.  

Often called Hanumas or Christmakkah. 

So for those that celebrate the Festival of Lights...

!!חנוכה שמח Šťastnou Chanuku!!  Happy Hanukkah!!

Christmas Care Package Happiness

It's been a while since I received a care package so I was shocked when the postman delivered one on Friday. 

It's been a crazy year.  Given the postal delays to the USA and New Zealand I didn't even mail out Christmas cards this year.

Since I didn't really get to travel much this year my niece and nephew aren't getting their annual Christmas packages with Advent calendars.  Instead they're getting cash this year.

Germany is on full lock down now until 10 January so there's no going to Berlin for Christmas this year.  Well since Uncle Chris can't go to Berlin then Claudia and Tünde decided to send me a few things for Christmas.

I wasn't planning on even putting up a tree this year but now I kind of had to since I needed a place to put the goodies.   

So today out came the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

2020 World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day.  The pandemic that's been going on for over 35 years. 

At the end of 2019, 76 million people have been infected with HIV/AIDS and about 33 million people have died.  Around 1,7 million people acquire the virus every year.

Over 35 years and there's still not a vaccine.

I've heard people make comparisons between the AIDS pandemic and COVID-19.  The thing to remember about HIV is that the infection is for life.  There's no cure for it.

HIV has been on the rise in Czechland for the last several years and last year the country had the world's 5th largest increase.

Hopefully once COVID-19 gets under control, then the free HIV testing centres here will be able to re-open.

While there is no vaccine, or cure, available for HIV at least there is PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis).  PrEP is a once-a-day pill that combines two antiretroviral medications that helps prevent transmission of the virus.  Again, not a vaccine because if you stop taking the pill then you can catch the virus.  

PrEP is covered by Czech health insurance and a 30-day supply of PrEP here only costs 1100 Kč ($51). In the USA, without health insurance, the cost is $1,600 - $2,000 (34 340 - 42 925 Kč) per month.

Exams Postponed Again

I finally got the news today that my Czech citizenship and language exams, that I was supposed to take on Saturday, have been postponed again due to the new state of emergency getting extended.  I had a feeling that this would happen but it wasn't made official until this morning. 

I've already waited an extra seven months since they were postponed the first time.

The new tests are supposed to take place maybe in January or February 2021.  I don't think that's going to happen.  In January there will be another surge following Christmas and New Year's so maybe late February at the earliest.

I was told that priority will be given to those who have had their exams postponed.  I better get extra priority since my exams have been postponed twice.

I paid for the exams back in November 2019.  I was told that if I want I can get a refund.  However, a refund will cause me to forfeit my priority whenever the exams are actually offered.  Also, next year the cost of the exams will increase so I declined the refund option.

Update:  My new exam date is 10.4.2021.

12th Annual Czechsgiving

The 12th annual Brno Czechsgiving was much smaller than in previous years.  Certainly smaller than last year's fiesta.  Due to COVID-19 and the new state of emergency it just wasn't meant to be this year.

The smallest Turkey ever

On the bright side the cooking didn't take as long.  Last year's bird was 11 kg (24 lbs) while this year I just ordered a turkey breast that was only 600 g (1,3 lb) since it was just going to be for me. Yet I still ended up with leftovers.

Claudia ordered food from a restaurant in Friedrichshagen and her parents come over for dinner.  We then got on Skype and had a virtual Thanksgiving.  

Basically like one of the recent virtual pub nights but with dinner.

It was nice to keep the tradition alive but I did miss all of the madness that goes along with a flat full of people all getting together to celebrate the holiday.  Hopefully we can all get together again next year. 

I have a feeling that it's going be a virtual Christmas as well this year.

PES

The Ministry of Health is now using a colour-coded scale, from 0-100, that corresponds to the current COVID-19 threat level.  Protiepidemický systém, PES, is the anti-epidemic system.  "Pes" is the Czech word for "dog" so there are 5 different coloured dogs.

Green is level 1 (0-20) and equals a state of caution.  

The epidemic is under control, the number of infected people int he entire population is low, the epidemic is not growing significantly, testing and tracing of contacts is effective, low risk of community spread of the disease.

Yellow is level 2 (21-40) and equals a state of attention.

Local outbreaks of the disease appear, which require immediate anti-epidemic intervention with the protection of vulnerable groups, high emphasis on maximum effectiveness of testing and tracing of contacts.

Orange is level 3 (41-60) and equals an emergency.

The spread of the epidemic is growing, the pressure on the health care system is increased, the situation requires intensive monitoring of the number of infected and hospitalised, high emphasis on the maximum effectiveness of testing and tracing of contacts, high risk of community spread of the disease.

Red is level 4 (61-75) and equals a serious condition.

The number of infected people in the population is high, there ism a significant immediate risk of further deterioration of the situation, tracing of contacts is limited, community spread of the disease is taking place.

Purple is level 5 (76-100) and equals a critical condition.

The total capacity of the hospital inpatient and intensive care system is beginning to approach its limit, the number of infected people in the population is high, including the intervention of vulnerable groups population, tracing of contacts is significantly limited, community spread of the disease is taking place.

There are restrictions at each level.  For example, restaurants are closed and only take-out windows open at levels 4 and 5.

The current PES level is published daily on the Ministry of Health website.  The website shows the score for the entire country and for each district.

Another Virtual Pub Night

Thanks to the new state of emergency our regular pub night isn't possible.  So Friday was time for another virtual meet-up.  

I'm starting to lose it a bit I think with all of this virtual-ness.  All of my work meetings are virtual, all of my Czech classes are virtual, and we're back to pub night being virtual.  Even Czechsgiving this year will be virtual.  

As maddening as all of this is, I'm thankful that I'm healthy and that work is fine.  Busy but fine.  All of my friends and family are healthy too.  But I am so looking forward to life getting back to normal.  Whatever that will look like in the future.

eRouška

Another tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19 is eRouška.  It's a mobile application that notifies you anonymously of risky encounters with infected people.

If an eRouška user tests positive for COVID-19 then the public health officer gives him or her a verification SMS code that the user will send anonymously through the application.  People who were closer than 2 metres apart and longer than for 15 minutes will be notified by eRouška to get tested.

The application doesn't collect any personal data or your location.  The application is free and it's available for Apple and Android devices.

Update:  On 1.11.2021, eRouška was shut down.

My Absentee Ballot Finally Arrived

Yesterday, 3 November was the U.S. Presidential election.  Due to the postal delays because of COVID-19 my absentee ballot finally arrived. Today.  It arrived...today.  The day after the election.

Thankfully I was able to submit a write-in ballot and it made it back to Atlanta in time to be counted.