Learn with Jitka

Next time you're in Edinburgh, which one of these old beauties would you like to visit? 🍻

Edinburgh pubs: 10 best pub interiors in Edinburgh, chosen by our readers These are the best and most striking pub interiors in Edinburgh, chosen by you.

I'm very proud of my 12-year-old Czech student Tonda who won the 3rd prize in an English comic writing competition! 🇬🇧🤩

Well done, Tonda!👏🥳

🇬🇧🇺🇸 Výsledky soutěže v tvůrčím psaní žáků základních škol v angličtině. Žáci druhého stupně kategorie komiks. 🇬🇧🇺🇸

Last chance to grasp some basics in Czech before summer! 🌞

Spring night in Edinburgh. Daffodils are just everywhere. Nobody picks them, everyone enjoys them. 🙂

What would you like to do in the morning if you had extra time?

As a freelancer, I find it difficult to structure my day. Some days I think I'm doing terribly, some days I'm quite proud of myself. Today, I was up early, I went of a short run and I was rewarded by this beautiful view. Today was a good morning.

Sending positive vibes wherever you are. 💜

Do you know anyone who might be interested in learning Czech? Let them know please! 🙂

I'm opening new courses for beginners.

We'll learn in small groups, take it slow, focus on speaking and play games. No special language talent required! You'll only need a few minutes to practise daily.

I love the diversity of my work, I teach English to Czechs and Czech to Brits. 😊

More info at learnwithjitka.com, link in my bio.

Pies. First, you think they are sweet things. There are apple pies, rhubarb pies, even custard pies (I’ll have to make a separate post about custard). Then you arrive in Britain and they ask you if you want some steak pie. What?! Steak in a pie? Alright. There are pork pies, too. And Scotch pies, made with mutton (sheep’s meat) and haggis. I’m slowly getting used to the fact that pies are not always sweet. A savoury pie is nice. (Not the mac and cheese pie. I’m not eating a pie with pasta (macaroni), cheese and milk. No, thanks. Somehow though, this is quite popular.)

And then comes Christmas. Would you like a mince pie? Sure! Mince pie, mince meat, right? What kind of meat, I’m wondering, pork, mutton, beef? … It’s with mincemeat, I’m told. OK, mince meat (mleté maso), I get it, but what meat? Turns out mincemeat is actually a mixture of dried fruits (mostly raisins), spirits (like cognac) and spices. Oof, so we’re back to a sweet pie. Utterly confusing, but tasty.

What pie is your favourite?

Autumn 🍁

What is your favourite season? I love all of them: spring for its freshness and greenery, summer for the sun and the time you can spend outside, autumn for the colours and sunrises, winter for snow, Christmas lights and the warmth of your home. I love to experience all of them.

How do seasons differ between Edinburgh in Scotland and Czechia?

Scottish summers never get as hot as they do in Czechia and it's not because it rains here all the time (it doesn't, especially not here on the east coast!) but because it is often windy, so it feels colder. Winters in Edinburgh are milder, too. It is rarely below zero and it doesn't snow very much. Saying that, we did actually have about three weeks of snow last winter and I very much hope that it'll snow again this year. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and when it's covered in snow, it's magnificent.

Spring and autumn in Scotland are magical. It doesn't get cold or hot quickly. In Czechia it feels like it suddenly gets very warm after winter and all the flowers and trees bloom. Then it's over very quickly. In Scotland, spring is slow: there's a week for wild garlic and primroses, then crocuses, then daffodils and later something else. It takes months and there is something to admire every week. Autumn is similar. Trees slowly change colours and shed leaves gradually. No rush. The Scottish Highlands are stunning at this time. Mountains may appear grey and bare in spring, but in autumn they shine in colours.

What is your favourite season? And in which season would you like to visit Scotland?

Sixty-five years ago, you could get around Edinburgh by double-decker trams! Aren't they cute? In 1956 the last tram was replaced by a bus. Nowadays, due to climate change and heavy traffic, trams are back! At the moment, there is only a single tramway line that goes from the airport to York Place in the city centre (it's got just a single-decker though 😢). This line is currently being extended and we'll hopefully be able to travel by tram all the way north to Leith and Newhaven soon. 🚋

I'd love to take a ride in the an double-decker tram! What about you?

Edinburgh's 'last' trams stopped running 65 years ago tonight On this day in 1956, Edinburgh city centre was packed with throngs of people as the capital waved farewell to its last ever trams - or so those who witnessed the historic event would have thought.

Week 3 of my first Czech group course for adults has just began! I hope the students are enjoying it as much as I am. 😊

We work in pairs a lot, do speaking activities, practise pronunciation and learn useful phrases. I love the dynamic of a small group. I’m very curious to see what we can achieve in 10 weeks! 💪

Do you also sometimes forget to appreciate what is around you because you're used to it?

Yesterday afternoon I deciced it's time to get out of the flat and I went for a bike ride.

The traffic in the city is terrible, the tram works are still under way and the city gets blocked with (sometimes impatient) cars. I don't like cycling among lots of cars, but look - it was worth it.

The wee road around Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh's tallest hill, is traffic-free. And the views this late afternoon were beautiful. Edinburgh's one of the loveliest places I've visited and I'm very happy to call it my home.