Visit to the Czech Foreign Police

We did our part to keep the world stamp pad industry viable today.  We visited the Czech Foreign Police.


It was a pleasant outing, the sun was burning away the morning fog as Kristine, Silas and I strolled along the river, through downtown, and up seedy Praška Třida.  There are notable landmarks nearby, so the office is easy to find.  The Hotel Gomel stands like a communist sentry across the street and you know that if you go by Erotic City you know you have gone one building too far. 

Outside the building two pretty young women in somewhat conservative attire asked us in Russian if we speak Russian.  Kristine said no, english.  They then asked if we were going to the 2nd or 3rd floor (that would be visas vs. permanent residency) and offered to help us.  Kristine thanked them and in we went.

That may seem innocent enough to you, but I had just read this article the other day regarding other people's experiences at the Czech Foreign Police in Prague - note the comment dated 7.8.08 about the Russian Mafia.  I watched our backs while replaying James Bond scenes in my mind to be ready in case we needed to act fast.

We took a number and sat down to wait.  It was only a short while before we were ushered into the office, Kristine told the woman we'd like to meet with our Ms. F. and we were ushered back out to wait.  Ms. F. came out a minute later and brought us to her desk. 

Kristine told her that we were there to inform them of a change of address.  She handed over our contract as proof.  It was the original (very important), had all of our full names and birthdates (very important), and had the date it was prepared (very important) which happened to be before we came to the country (very bad).  Kristine was nervous that she would give us a hard time about this. 

Ms. F. looked at it and mumbled, "This is gonna be something," as she walked out of the room.  We could feel their eyes on us as she talked with her supervisor at an office door behind us.  At first she told us that the end date on the contract (June 2010) was a problem because we can't have a contract for longer than we have a visa.  Then she just said, whatever, and started filling out the paperwork.

Here is where I really wish I had invested in rubber stamps (which incidentally have an interesting history).  Most every piece of paper got stamped.  Not just one or two, but up to six on a page.  Keep in mind that there was a separate copy of everything for each of us.  As Ms. F. was working up a sweat, Kristine commented (to be empathetic) that it was a lot of work.  She did not seem amused.

In the end Ms. F. got everything stamped, we got our change of address officialized, the Russian Mafia did not knock us off.  A successful morning.

For her afternoon fun, Kristine got to go to the school to make sure it would be okay with the teacher if Lucy doesn't change in front of all the other 5th graders.  You see kids change into their gym clothes in their classroom.  So the kids take off the outer clothes and put on shorts and t-shirts.  Lucy, having been brought up as an American with our Puritan roots, did not feel comfortable with this and had always just worn gym clothes to school on gym day.


Kristine was not looking forward to this at all, but at least Lucy's teacher is a nice, sweet lady.  Unfortunately, the wiry, crabby male gym teacher was in the the classroom.  Kristine asked to speak with him in the hall.  He tried staring her down when they got out there.  Kristine explained the situation.  He said he had already told Lucy it was okay to change in the bathroom.  Lucy contends that he did not tell her that.  Who knows, maybe he did - in Czech.


Time to go buy a bike for Caleb.


Peter