Post-wedding interview with Florian Merkle and Svatava Merkle
The Second Medical Faculty of the Charles University is often proud of the fact that a warm and friendly atmosphere permeates the school, in an almost familial environment. In the winter, we noted a joyous occasion, in which Florian Merkle and Svatava Srutkova, a student of the English branch of General Medicine and a student of the Czech program, give this notice: namely, they became a married couple. Read bellow an interview, in which we asked both how it all came to be.
Odkud pocházíte?
Where are you from?
Florian: A small town close to Ulm in the south of Germany.
Svatava: Původně jsem z Pelhřimova na Vysočině. Když mi byly asi čtyři roky, rodiče založili ekologickou farmu na vesnici, a tudíž jsem spíše venkovský člověk.
Originally, I am from Pelhřimov na Vysočině. When I was about four years old, my parents established an ecological farm in a village, and thus I am more of a country girl.
Jak jste se seznámili a jak dlouho jste spolu?
How did you get to know one another and how long are you together?
Svatava: Florianova verze bude možná trochu jiná. Pokud si pamatuji, poprvé jsem s Florianem mluvila na praktikách z histologie, kde jsem lektorovala a on mi pomáhal. To bylo v mém čtvrtém ročníku studia medicíny. Bohužel – i bohudík – nemáme žádné datum začátku vztahu. Odhadem jsme spolu necelé tři roky.
Florian's version might be a bit different. If I remember correctly, I first spoke with Florian during practicals in Histology, where I lectured and he assisted me. It was in my fourth year of medical studies. Unfortunately – and fortunately – we don't have any ‘date’ of the beginning of our relationship. We've been together for something like almost three years.
Florian: We first really met during Svatá's teaching in histology, where I was an assistant.
Kde se svatba konala a kolik jste měli hostů?
Where did the wedding take place, and how many guests did you have?
Svatava: Tady je to složitější. My jsme totiž touto svatbou trochu zmátli veřejnost. Svatba byla v Německu na radnici a byla jen v úzkém rodinném kruhu. Aby nám to nebylo líto, budeme mít druhou, větší svatbu v Česku v kostele. Ta druhá je pro nás asi důležitější.
Here it is a bit more complicated. We sort of confused our guests with our wedding. It was in Germany at a town hall and only involved very close family. For us to not regret anything, we're going to have a second, larger wedding in Bohemia in a church. I guess the second one is for us more important.
Florian: We are organizing the big wedding step by step and hope we won't forget anything.
Jeli jste někam na svatební cestu?
Did you travel anywhere for a honeymoon?
Florian: We went cross country skiing in Krkonoše the weekend after our ceremony with a couple of our friends.
Svatava: Jestli se to počítá. Ale Florian ještě studuje a ani já nemám momentálně moc času nazbyt.
If this really counts. But Florian is still studying and I don't really have much time to kill either.
Florian studuje anglický program, zatímco Svatava český, takže můžete srovnávat. Jsou dost provázané?
Florian studies in the English program, while Svatava in the Czech one, so you could compare. Are they connected?
Florian: I feel that the teaching for Czechs and internationals is quite similar. Our Czech colleagues complain about the same subjects. Unfortunately, I am in closer contact with only a handful of my Czech colleagues – I would like there to be more contact between the Czech and international students. There are according to me more than enough opportunities for shared teaching and practicals, which could be to the benefit of both groups.
Svatava: Pokud bych anglickou paralelku neučila na histologii, tak bych se skoro s nikým z cizinců neznala – obě studijní větve se během celých šesti let trochu míjejí, což mne mrzí. I mimoškolní aktivity pořádáme odděleně. Ale mám pocit, že se situace vylepšuje.
If I wouldn't have taught the English Parallel in histology, I almost wouldn't have known any foreigners – both study branches mix very rarely during the six years of study, which is a shame. Even extracurricular activities are held separately. But I get the feeling that the situation is improving.
Které akce pro české studenty by bylo přínosné uspořádat i v angličtině a naopak?
Which activities for Czech student could be beneficial to hold in English and vice versa?
In general, we as international students have the same options to participate as the Czech students. The only venture where internationals are left out is Dobronice. But that is maybe too early to mingle for internationals who just came to Prague.
Svatava: Mohli bychom mít některé předměty dohromady. I přes omezenou kapacitu poslucháren by snad šlo spojit třeba takové humanitní základy lékařství nebo ošetřovatelství. Například Floriana mrzelo, že mezinárodní studenti nemají Dobronice. Možná by šlo udělat tři turnusy a studenty namíchat, i když asi ne všichni cizinci chtějí být o prázdninách v Česku. Ale hodně lidí by to ocenilo.
We could have some lectures together. Even with limited capacity in the lecture halls we could probably combine something like Humanitarian Basics of Medicine or Nursing. For example, Florian was disappointed that international students don't have Dobronice. Maybe there could be three rotations and we could mix the students, even if probably not all the foreigners want to be in Bohemia during the summer break. But lots of people would appreciate it.
Jak si představujete svou budoucnost, chcete zůstat v Česku?
How do you see your future, would you like to stay in Bohemia?
Florian: I hope our future will be one great adventure and I am sure the studying will continue. We agreed that we will start working in Regensburg in Germany, which is right in the middle between Svatás and my hometown. Svatá will already start working there in April and now I just have to find a job there as well.
Svatava: Ačkoli by bylo možné zůstat s Florianovými jazykovými schopnostmi v Česku (umí lépe česky než já německy), vypadá to zatím na Německo. Florian musí splácet půjčky na studium a to by asi z českého platu začínajícího lékaře nešlo. A já můžu rodičům koupit více traktorů nebo lepšího robota na dojení – na farmě se vždy něco najde.
Even though it is possible with Florian's language abilities to stay in Bohemia (his Czech is better than my German), it's looking right now like Germany. Florian must pay back his student loans, and on a Czech beginning doctor's salary, that would not be possible. And I will be able to buy my parents more tractors or better milking machine-on a farm you can always find somewhere to invest.
