Yep, you've seen those crazies before. Those loud and proud types. How they move about our fair Golden City in those disgustingly large packs, all happy and satisfied and stuff. Don't you just hate how they carry their heads so high and constantly make eye contact.

And what the heck are they always smiling about? Look at them, and they smile. When you scowl at them, they smile. When they hand over their money and leave your shop, they say "have a nice day!" and smile.

Smile, smile, smile. Isn't it all so annoying?!

Just who the heck are these aliens in our midst? Well, if the truth must be told, they're your neighbours and co-workers, folks. The expats. The exptriates, in other words. The "non-Czech-Czechs" resident in your city and country, and they're here for the very long haul.

They like it here about as much as you do. And can you blame them?

How rude of me! Before I go on, allow me to introduce myself.

I'm Adam Daniel Mezei, your new English blogger, and you'll be able to find me more frequently here at Aktualne.cz. I'll be making my best effort to keep you abreast of the latest developments in the "expat scene" -- from my unique Canadian perspective, of course. I'll try to share with you as often as I can the snippets of things I hear and see in the so-called "foreigner" (how I loathe that word!) community, keeping my ear to the ground for the both of us.

Who is this "jeden Adam Daniel Mezei," you ask?

And why should you care about the happenings in the expat community of Prague? This is a Czech city, last time you checked, ze? Strangers out!

Well -- posluchaci -- like it or not, we expats are a rising minority in your lovely city. We're members of your community in very good standing, and we intend on keeping it that way.

- Our children study at the same schools as yours.
- We pay taxes to this wonderful country.
- We are your colleagues at the office, and sometimes -- indeed, yes, sometimes -- we even employ the very locals who staff that very same office.
- We help to establish solid futures for your families and loved ones, just like your presence enriches ours.

Did you know that we love our lifestyles here at the heart of Europe? We don't want to leave -- even if you sometimes want us to. Okay, sometimes we don't always comprehend your language and your customs, but even if we don't, it doesn't we won't go down in flames trying our hardest. Is this a reason for a breakup?

We love you! Won't you please love us back?

Over the coming days and weeks -- damy a panove -- our hope is that these posts will fill that gaping void in the marketplace for Czech ideas -- that of the minority opinion.

Here at Aktualne.cz, we've made an executive decision, after receiving the tens of emails from our readers about how little is known concerning the expatriates in our midst.

Check in with us every so often for the chance to tap into the collected wisdom of the expatriate community. Learn where we like to hang out, what we like to chat about, and how we react to the changes -- the political, economic, and European ones -- that affect not just the "Czech-Czech" inhabitants of this wide crater, but the "non-Czech-Czech" ones too. People like me.

If we are all the "new Bohemians," then this is a title that applies to us equally, yes? Together, we can play an active role in shaping our society. Since you share your experiences with us, it's time for us to share ours with you. I, for one, look forward to this new collaboration, and it's going to be fun cranking up the dialogues. That's what this new blog is for, and we hope you'll use it well.

We've been living together for so long, we're almost like family.

Well, almost, I guess... :-)

Hand on the heart a mejte se,
ADM