Family Next Door participant: I would sign up again! It's a great project

She spent more than 7 years living abroad. But after returning to the Czech Republic, Veronika Vlachová missed being in contact with people of various nationalities. That is why she decided to sign up for the Family Next Door project: "I see it as a great project that gives people from the Czech Republic the opportunity not only to get a glimpse into the stories of others, but also for families from foreign countries to experience a Czech home environment," she adds.

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What appealed to you about Family Next Door, and why did you sign up?

After more than seven years spent in Berlin, I miss the national diversity in the Czech Republic; I miss being in contact with people who haven't lived here their whole lives and can share their experiences from other countries. In Berlin, our family very often met people from different corners of Europe, as well as from Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey, Morocco, or Lebanon, and it was always very enriching for all of us. We became friends with many of them and are still in contact today. That was the reason why I signed up for Family Next Door. I see it as a great project that gives people from the Czech Republic the opportunity not only to get a glimpse into the stories of others, but also for families and other individuals from foreign countries to experience a Czech home environment.

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Who hosted? You, or the Ukrainian family?

We hosted the Ukrainian family. After many experiences with other nationalities, I like to cook dishes that guests can choose from based on their preferences, beliefs, or allergies. In this case, I prepared two dishes: one with meat—beef meatballs in a ratatouille sauce with roasted potatoes—and a vegan one—chickpea curry with coconut milk and rice. And the first one was a big hit.

"We are definitely open to signing up for this or a similar project again. I personally really like such meetings because I remember how difficult it was for me after arriving in a foreign country to learn the language or figure out how things actually work there," says Family Next Door participant Veronika Vlachová.

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Is there anything that surprised you about the Ukrainian family? Did you find out anything about Ukrainians that you didn't know before?

We didn't have any expectations; we were simply looking forward to meeting new people who would like to make the Czech Republic their home. The Ukrainian family brought some sweets for the children, small gifts for my husband and me, a beautiful Advent wreath that still decorates our kitchen table, and a lovely, delicious cake. I wouldn't say I found out anything about Ukrainians that I didn't already know. I was more interested in our visitors specifically and on a human level: how they lived before moving to the Czech Republic, how they feel here, how they perceive Prague, where they go on trips when they have time, how they went about finding work and housing, or what they like to cook most. There were many topics, and even after more than four hours of visiting, we knew we hadn't exhausted them all.

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What are you taking away from the meeting for the future?

We are definitely open to signing up for this or a similar project again. I personally really like such meetings because I remember how difficult it was for me after arriving in a foreign country to learn the language or figure out how things "actually work" there. And meeting local people was the best and most pleasant solution for me. We are still in contact with our Ukrainian family and are very much looking forward to meeting again.