From Los Angeles to Prague - Lenka

Where are you from?

I was born in Vrchlabí, but lived in Prague my whole life until I moved to the United States at the age of 25.

Where did you use to live?

Los Angeles, California. Downtown, right on Broadway. Then I moved to Manhattan Beach, which is still technically part of LA.

Why did you move there?

I followed the love of my life, my husband Maxim, an artist. He's also Czech originally, but he moved to the States in the '90s. He would visit his family in Prague once a year, and that is how we met in the summer of 2012. We had a long-distance relationship for seven months, and then I quit my news anchor job, packed two suitcases, and became an Angelino. We got married in Las Vegas exactly one year and one day after the day we met.

How long did you live there?

Almost nine years.

What is your favorite memory of living there?

We lived in a historic art deco building called Eastern Columbia in downtown Los Angeles, and the whole neighborhood was an experience on its own. We partied with neighbors at their places. Americans love to host parties! Every apartment building in downtown LA had a pool and beautiful views of the city. It felt so luxurious! It WAS luxurious. One of my neighbors was Johnny Depp. He wasn't home very often, but I ran into him twice in the elevator. Then, of course, his ex-wife Amber Heard or her friends like Cara Delevingne or Elon Musk.

On weekends we would take motorcycle rides in the mountains, go to the beach or take walks in the beautiful streets of Beverly Hills. The weather was always great.

Whenever we had friends or family visiting us, we would take road trips to national parks and other big cities. I loved that LA was such a perfect hub for trips like that.

As an expat, what would you recommend for people to do before / when they move there?

Don't overthink it, just do it. No one in Los Angeles is from Los Angeles. You'll fit right in. But you should probably visit before you move there and hang out with locals. Life in LA isn't just movie stars and lavish parties.

How has your life changed after your experience of living abroad?

Quite a lot. I became an American citizen five years ago, which gave me more traveling or job opportunities options.

I learned a great deal about American culture, history, and the language. I learned a lot about Americans themselves, the unique US politics, race-related issues, and socio-economic matters. I couldn't understand these things before, and they are still very hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced them.

Why did you decide to move back to Czech Republic?

Even though I didn't want to change anything, circumstances compelled me to make changes. I gave birth to a baby girl two years ago, which completely changed my lifestyle. Suddenly my husband and I were all alone with no time left for each other, and our family members in Prague wanted to see our daughter grow. We always come to Prague for the whole summer and spend a lot of quality time with family and friends, but this time it felt different. Maybe it was the global pandemic, more job opportunities in Europe for both of us, or the loss of my father-in-law. Or perhaps the fact that our daughter is starting to understand more and more. It soon became apparent that it didn't make sense for us to go back to Los Angeles - just the three of us. At least for now. We were happier in Prague with the family. But nothing is forever, and we make no promises. I miss LA a lot. We might move back one day.

What would you advise fellow expats who are considering moving back to their home country?

It's funny; I still don't feel like I moved back to Prague. It feels more like an extension of our summer visit, haha. So I don't know, maybe to make sure you'd be able to move back home should you change your mind. Don't burn any bridges.

Any regrets / teachable moments?

I moved four times during the past couple of years, and I regret owning too many things.

Anything else you want to share?

If you have a chance to live abroad for some time, take that chance! I've never met anyone who regretted doing that.

Can people follow you on social media?

Absolutely! You'll find me on instagram as @lenka.havlicek.healthcoach