Karen Madej
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Karen Madej

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Many of my students ask me why I came to Prague. To tell you the truth, I found making a decision about which country to pick almost insurmountable. There were so many to choose from that I knew so little about but liked the look of. I had recently returned from Mindelo, Sao Vicente, one of the Cape Verde Islands, due to a relationship break up. I'd realized that living on a small island with none of my friends, no English books available to buy, and the only thing to do for entertainment was drinking copious amounts of beer, was not enough for me. My mum went in for a hip operation and I went to Walsall in the UK to help her out. She recovered quickly and I needed a job. I became a carer. I lasted seven weeks and knew I couldn't do another day. I returned to my mum's and we had a smashing Christmas. However, in between mince pies and roast potatoes, I took stock of my life and passions. After twenty years working for a telecoms giant, I had zero desire to work as a manager again. I'd also tried sales, Kleeneze, and factory work, before waitressing in a high street brasserie. What was left? What was the vocation I would love? Come to think of it, what did I love to do? Reading, writing, and chatting with interesting people. A little research later, et voila! An English as a Foreign Language teacher. I raided my endowment ISA to pay for a course in Prague. How did I choose my home of seven years? Somehow the shortlist was Rio, Shanghai or Prague. The deciding factor? There were no mosquitoes in Prague. I had been eaten alive for six weeks in Mindelo following the rainy season. There had been no rain for eleven years. When we arrived it had been chucking it down for a few days! I should have turned around and left right then.
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