Agnieszka Critchlow : Happy Halloween

When I first arrived in the Czech Republic in 2001 there was no Halloween here. Yup, no pumpkins, no trick or treating and no costumes… I remember my basic attempt of creating a Halloween party for my students – mean less to say only my 7 year old son Andrew came in Harry Potter costume (which I spend days and days sowing and making.) There was no pumpkin pie or there was no pumpkin latte, just crude replies “you’re in the Czech Republic, we don’t celebrate it here.”

15 years later, and I am having a hard time distinguishing between the Halloween fevers here or in the USA. Every child gets a paper as early as first class with pictures of ghosts, witches and pumpkins to color, cut, glue and well… memorize.

Here in Prague there is a very small “American neighborhood” which ironically doesn’t have that many Americans living there but is located right next to the American School. Additionally, years back it was designed and built according to the American suburbian architecture. Given the fact that so many international families live there and have such strong connections to the local school, they organize a yearly trick or treating event. I went there for the first time last year and was completely amazed. It was almost the best trick or treating even I have ever been to - even better than the ones in the good old USA. Not only did my second and now the youngest son, got a basket full of candy but he managed for the first time to experience a true Halloween.

This year I decided to go again and even invite some students. Part of me really didn’t believe that any will show up, but they did and we all had a marvelous time.

With this I would like to thank all the lovely families in NEBUSICE, Prague for organizing such yearly event and to all the students who found some time to celebrate this unusual event.