Helena Shelley – PR team member

Most of you who went to our last MeetUp in Středověká Krčma probably met our new PR team member – Helena. This lovely lady who had you make paper airplanes came to Brno last year and she has decided to join Foreigners.cz. Our regular MeetUp attendees will be seeing a lot of her because she will be helping us with organization, so let me introduce her a little bit more thoroughly. This is Helena Shelley:

Helena Shelley
Helena Shelley

Helena, please describe what do you actually do at Foreigners.cz?

I am a contributor on the Facebook page; I edit various pages and documents, and I assist at MeetUps.

When did you start working at the agency? How do you remember your first days?

I started at the beginning of January this year. The first days were busy and although I was looking forward to the first MeetUp, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who attended and of course, it was a lot of fun too!

Which tasks are your favourite ones to do?

I love everything! I am a behind the scenes kind of a person.

And the least favourite?

I don’t have a least favourite… I like what I do. I was a teacher for many years and this is a different challenge.

What did you actually want to become when you were a child?

A singer!

What is your favourite spot in Brno?

There are so many! However, I love Spilberk and the view. I have not tired of walking to the top and admiring my adoptive city.

Where are you from? Have you ever lived in another country for a longer period of time?

I am from South Africa. I have travelled extensively, however, I have never lived in another country.

What is your favourite country? Why?

My favourite country? I don’t have a favourite country. Each country has its own beauty…

What was the biggest culture shock for you when you came to the Czech Republic?

I will have to say the language was a huge shock. We had one month to prepare to relocate to Brno and language lessons would have been futile. You have to BE here, listen to it being spoken and try to at least greet people and say thank you and have a nice day!

What do you miss the most about South Africa?

The weather. Our pool. Our big house. Driving 6 hours to the beach.

Do you now have a favourite Czech food? What do you think about the beer culture here? Is it a big difference from South Africa?

I love the Rosti (potato pancakes) and the sausages… and mustard. Beer… well, beer is cheaper than bottled water, therefore it is better to drink beer. Do I sound like I am Czech? People drink a lot of beer in South Africa as well, especially during Rugby, Football and Cricket season, which is basically all year. We also consume beer, wine and hard liquor at a social event called a “braai”, which is just an Afrikaans word for barbecue.

What do you like to do outside the office?

I have only been here for 12 months and I love exploring Brno.

Is there anything you absolutely cannot live without?

Music!

Is there a language that you haven’t learned but you would love to do so?

I am learning Portuguese and Czech. It’s a slow process!

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself?

I believe our journey through life has been mapped by the universe and that we are the actors playing it out. We are souls on a journey.

Foreigners.cz