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Assistant. This year, she teaches English at Gymnázium Cheb, a college-preparatory high school tucked into a town of 30,000 just a few miles from the German border. Armed with a BA in Philosophy and Political Science, a lifelong love of sports and fitness, and experience teaching everything from English and math to boxing, Kaylee arrived eager to discover what life in her new home might hold. What she didn’t expect was how quickly that search for belonging would take shape in a local gym, where shared routines turned into friendships and a foreign place began to feel, unexpectedly, like her own.
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I remember the moment last summer when I received my Fulbright placement...I was going to Cheb in the Czech Republic! I was thrilled beyond belief; but shortly, thereafter, that thrill left, I realized I was going halfway around the world, to a country whose native language I did not speak, and to a town where I knew no one. Would I be able to find a place where I could truly feel like myself?
Seven months later, I can happily say that I have.
My experience integrating into my new life was not immediate, and it took several months before I really felt settled here in Cheb. At first, I felt overwhelmed by the isolation of living in a town where there were not many people my age or who spoke English. What helped me most was finding places where I could simply exist without feeling so out of place. Whether it was on a park bench or at the cozy local café, it was the small pockets of comfort that became my anchor as I began to find my way.
While I wouldn't call myself a gym-rat, I do like working out and keeping fit. I knew there were a couple of gyms in Cheb, but I wasn't sure I'd find the same camaraderie or the same instructor-student vibe that I had back home, especially with the language barrier. Shortly after I arrived, I went to the gym nearest my home-away-from-home and started up a short conversation with the gym owner and we hit it off immediately. From there, the gym became an invaluable part of my daily routine for both my mental and physical health. It became a place to go after work to decompress, and over time, a place where I formed friendships with some of the kindest and most generous people I have met.
Knowing that the long winter would likely be the most challenging, I signed up for a couple of CrossFit competitions to keep myself motivated during my workouts. The trainers worked with me for months to help me prepare, and in exchange, I tutored them in English. It has been one of the most rewarding parts of my time here, giving me a genuine sense of belonging in my everyday routine.
Fitness has always been a part of my everyday life, but I never expected it to become a source of growth and confidence during my Fulbright grant. Before arriving, I actually thought I might feel disconnected from it. Instead, this experience showed me that no matter how far you are from home, it's always worth finding the things you would love anywhere in the world—the activities and routines that make you feel like the best version of yourself. Those familiar rhythms give you something steady to lean on during the days when you feel out of place, homesick, or too much like “the outsider.” And in some way or another, they lead you to new people who end up feeling just like home.
In addition to finding joy through movement at the gym, I was also happy to discover a cozy café near my apartment. I quickly became a regular, making it part of my weekly routine to stop in for lunch with a colleague, coffee with my students, or simply to find a quiet corner to read and unwind. It has been such a unique and special experience to get to know the lovely staff, who have always been so patient about speaking English with me and who have made a genuine effort to ensure I feel welcome there.
Together, these became my safe places. While traveling absolutely calls for adventure and pushing yourself into the unfamiliar, I found that what helped me feel like a resident rather than a visitor was finding the spaces (and meeting the people in them) that made Cheb feel a little more like home.
I know that my time here in the Czech Republic will always be something I hold dear and close to my heart. There is something so special about arriving in a small town as a complete stranger and slowly becoming a part of its community. Daunting at first, I quickly learned that I could not wait for the community to find me, I had to go out and find it myself. And I’m incredibly grateful that I did!
