eMates eMAtes - 3rd issue | Page 30

For a long time I was working at schools predominantly with women , there weren ' t any men so it wasn ' t too easy for me later . Men ’ s world is different and I had to learn how to deal with them . The big difference in politics is that I am still a mother , wife and it is expected from me to do the housework after coming home . Men come home and everything is ready and waiting for them . In Děčín there had not been a woman leader before so someone had problems with it . But I am used to it and not afraid to speak about it . I like hardworking people .
4 . Do you use English in work and do you know some more languages ?
I don ’ t really speak English at work and I wasn ’ t supposed to speak English at work necessarily . At meetings I use an interpreter for better communication when needed . Sometimes I speak German at work or on holidays . It is polite to speak with someone a foreign language informally , though .
5 . Have you ever been to Italy , Portugal , Turkey or Canary Islands ? I have only been to Turkey , on holidays . 6 . What pros and cons has Decin got ?
A big plus is its wonderful scenery . We are the greenest city in Czechia . We do have a lot of greenery , it is not that industrial as the other parts of Northern Bohemia . But we have the label of industrial Northern Bohemia . many people are surprised then how beautiful it is here .
A big problem is that we cannot build factories here because of the protected parks . That affects work opportunities . We are among the top 10 towns with high unemployment in Czechia .
There are not many universities and more and more people are leaving Děčín for bigger cities because of work or they find a partner at university and stay there , they do not come back to Děčín . We have a big problem with unemployment . Salaries are low here . Number of shops is declining as people cannot buy much or use services as hairdressers , repairmen , traders , etc .
7 . Do you have a role model in politics ?
No . I ’ m a non-party politician . I use my common sense . It is about work for the town , not political fractions . Important is what is right for people . I was asked by ANO party to go to the election on their candidate list .
8 . Do you know about Etwinning ? No . 9 . What partner cities has Děčín got ?
In Germany we have Pirna , it is the most active since they are closest . From Czechia we have Prerov in Moravia . In Slovakia we have Ružomberok . Belchatow is a big town in Poland . Jonava in Lithuania . Once a year we meet and work on cultural projects and exchange experiences .
The contacts are a long-time tradition . The exchange among towns is refreshing . 10 . I would like to know ( Klára ) if you aim higher ?