MEETING MY IN-LAWS

Over coming the language barrier with alcohol and food.

I was told that the older generation in the Czech Republic very rarely introduce themselves to the younger crowd, with the use of their first name. When the father of my girlfriend took my hand in a warm embrace that is exactly what he did. I was to call him Vasek, not Pan Palecek, (Mr Palecek) which I had been for warned to call him. With his free left hand he thrust at me a shot of 60% slivovice, a Czech spirit made from nuts, fruit or...