Funny little thing I noticed about Prague people…
In my teaching, I get sent to various companies. Many of these companies are in buildings with many floors, and have elevators.
I noticed that every time someone got off a elevator, they said, “Na shledanou.” (The Czech version of ‘au revoir,” typically said anytime you leave a store or restaurant when catching the eye of clerks/waitresses, or when leaving anywhere.)
Yesterday I went to teach at a company on the 20th floor. I watched and listened. Every time someone got off the elevator, they called back ‘na shledanou’ and those left in the elevator often responded in unison. Fewer and fewer people left as we neared the uppermost floors and I knew for sure that none of these people spoke or barely even looked at eachother the rest of the way up, yet each one offered the parting words.
My turn came, two others left behind in the elevator. Out of the elevator I turned back and said, “na shledanou?”
“Na shledanou!!” they responded in unison.
Ah, the fun of new customs and countries.