Martina Chalupníková is our energetic and friendly Office Coordinator at Foreigners Prague. If you have any requests related to visa, accommodation, translation service, healthcare insurance, etc., she will be happy to be your first contact!
Martina, how did you find Foreigners and why have you decided to join the team?
Hello!! I was accidentally going through some pictures of Foreigners company on Instagram and thinking that this company is a perfect place for me. Foreigners help people and I love the concept of the company! I went through some online videos of our CEO, Andrea Tkačuková and got inspiration from her as well.
During that time, I worked for a wedding agency. Although I loved my previous job, inside, I always want to experience something new! I was thinking that I would love to travel somewhere or work with an international team. Also, I’m the type of person who loves to help people, especially those from foreign countries. Six years ago, I traveled to Canada and worked there with my friends so I understand how hard it is to adapt to a new culture, communicate in another language and live far from your home country.
After knowing about Foreigners, I applied for the Office Coordinator position online and had the best interview ever with Rado, our Executive Director. I got acceptance from Foreigners immediately 😊
Could you describe your position and what’re you doing on daily basis?
There’s a lot to say about my position and what I do. Shortly, I’m the person who takes care of the client who is interested in our services from the first contact to the last one. After receiving the email or phone call from the client, I forward the requests to my colleagues who then will help the clients with what they need. And in many cases, if they have other requests, I always do my best to provide them an appropriate solution.
Every day, I receive a lot of emails and phone calls. I always feel good about it! It means that we can help a lot of people with their relocation to Prague, and I can keep my colleagues busy!
On the other hand, I am also responsible for the office which means that I need to keep an eye on office equipment that my colleagues need for their work. Sometimes, I’m the person who keeps the positive working environment as well (because I’m positive and love to smile 😉)
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Due to the fact that I receive a lot of emails and phone calls from clients every day, the most challenging part is to be fast! With different clients, they have different requests and different cases. And not only to be fast but also successful. As a person who connects the client with my colleagues, I need to keep track of how things are going, if our clients are satisfied with our service or not, and what we can do better to help them 😊
So, to be fast and successful is the most challenging part of my job! And I improve every day, hopefully.
You commute from Pardubice to Prague every day, how does it feel for you? Are you thinking of moving to Prague in the future?
Every day, I travel approximately 1 hour from Pardubice to Prague. For some people, there might be a long way to work, however, I feel good about it. I always keep myself productive by reading a book or going through some works when I’m on the train.
Before having my own apartment in Pardubice, I lived in Prague for some years with my friends. However, because I would love to live near my family and my home city, then I decided to move back to Pardubice.
I’m happy with my decision so far because, from Pardubice, I can easily travel to anywhere in the Czech Republic.
Can you share with our expats your thought about Pardubice? Is it worth a visit/trip? What’s interesting there?
Pardubice is my hometown, and I highly recommend expats to pay a visit. You can find there many beautiful castles, famous Green gate which is an entry to Pernstynske square, renovated parks and so on. Pardubice is also famous for sports, especially ice-hockey and horse racing. If you visit Pardubice you can also hike to Kunetice Mountain castle and enjoy a lot of beautiful views!
You work not only with expats but also Czechs – team members or the company contractors. How would you describe Czech people?
It’s hard to describe Czechs in general. Older generation experienced a different story and has a different mindset. But for the younger generation, like us, I would say that we’re more open-minded and easy to adapt to new things. Sometimes, Czech people can be a little bit cold and hard to get along with. However, I believe that they can be good friends!
You’re an active person, doing lots of sports! What would you suggest to expats in Prague to do after work?
Yeah, I love sports! Every day, I always do sports for good health and to feel better. I go to a yoga lesson, or sometimes running. During the summertime, it’s best to enjoy the nice weather outside. I recommend expats do some sports after long working hours, maybe running or cycling. You can also try beach volleyball, badminton, or swimming!
After work, or during the weekend, you can visit the art museum, some monuments and some famous places in the city. Vyšehrad is a good location that I would recommend. It’s a central area with lots of things to do. You can visit some monuments, international museums, and theaters, or simply have a picnic with friends and chill.
Some event in Prague is also a good thing to try! For example, our monthly MeetUp, where you can meet people, make friends and have fun.
Besides Pardubice, which city of the Czech Republic you would advise expats to visit?
There are some cities that I would like to recommend:
Mikulov will be my first recommendation. You can hardly find a town with a more beautiful location than Mikulov. There you can meet many friendly Czech/Moravian people. And if you’re a fan of wine, this is a must-visit place. Wine is everywhere in the scenic historical streets and in the chateau. Also, you can find a great bicycle path and nice nature.
If you’re looking for a bigger city, Brno can be a good choice. Many foreigners and student come to Brno every year. There are nice monuments to visit. 7 km from Brno, you can visit Brno Reservoir. It is a favorite place for rest and recreation, and not just for the Brno locals. Wide beach with easy access to water and the beautiful surroundings attracts visitors for swimming and water sports as well as for pleasant walks and bike rides 😊 Foreigners have an office located in Brno and you can follow the Foreigners Brno Instagram to know more about the city and tips for traveling!
And I recommend also Cesky Krumlov, a fairy tale town! I can say Cesky Krumlov is one of the most picturesque towns in Europe. You can easily find many stunning castles, old town square, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, and hordes of tourists milling through the streets.
Thank you Martina for your time, if you need help with relocation to Prague, she will be happy to help! Check out our services and contact us today 🙂
I want to come to prague from pakistan. Suggest me ways
Hello Mehreen,
Thank you for you comment! Please write at prague@foreigners.cz and my colleagues will get back to you as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Karyna.