Learning to be a Follower

Pedestrian behave differently everywhere. In Austin, cars most definitely have the right of way. Pedestrians are cautious and make absolutely sure drivers see them before they begin crossing (and, if they fail to do so, they are yelled at or worse). In Manhattan, cars are second-class citizens on the road. Drivers try to assert their dominance by speeding between traffic lights but it's clear that pedestrians rule the streets.

Prague, I am learning, is somewhere in between. Pedestrians technically have the right of way on the ubiquitous black-and-white striped "zebra crossings," as the English-speakers here call them. However, tourists tend to be hesitant to assert their right to cross and end up waiting for all the cars to pass. Locals, on the other hand, pay almost no attention to the zebra crossings. They pretty much cross wherever they want, even stopping halfway across two-way streets to wait for oncoming traffic to fly by.

I'm beginning to master the art of crossing the street here, but I still have to remind myself to look around and see what others are doing. I often find myself standing at a crosswalk waiting for the little red standing person to turn to the little walking green person, only to notice that everyone else has crossed already, or that they never bothered walking to the crosswalk in the first place. This is where I am learning the value of being a follower.

Although I know this will shock anyone who knows me well, I am actually quite stubborn and fixed in my ways. I'm used to waiting at crosswalks, so I just assume that's what everyone does here too. Looking around me, though, it becomes clear that standing there watching for the little lighted person to change makes me stand out like a sore thumb. In the slow process of assimilating ever-so-slightly into this culture, it is vital for me to look to locals for guidance. As soon as I open my mouth, it is clear that I am not a local here. But, up to that point, I'd like to blend in as much as I can.

Hence, I'm trying to be more assertive about crossing the street. I'm trying to speak as much Czech as I can, and I'm trying not to inadvertently over-tip. At the end of the movie I saw last week, I sat in the dark and watched the credits roll like everyone else. It's not that these changes take a lot of effort on their own, but that remembering these small things is the most difficult and most important part of immersing myself in this new place.

(Addendum: I have definitely not become assimilated to the smoking inside thing yet. I'm not sure I will, but I suppose I'll have to keep trying if I want to go to any restaurants or cafes while I'm here.)