Saturday, August 23, 2008

four years of maternity leave!

hello all. this will be quick, as i am barely able to keep my eyes open. oh how i love that tylenol pm! anyhow.. i just thought this was an interesting conversation between me and my advisor, alena:

me: alena, what do you do now? i don't see you teaching much and you aren't ever here... so do you work part time or something?
alena: i'm still on maternity leave.
me: but your kid is four years old.
alena: oh yes, we get four years. the government pays us every month for four years after we have a child. my friends are smart and spread it out. have a kid and rest for a few years, then have a kid and rest a few more... and before you know it, the have 12 years of maternity leave. czech really supports us mothers!

WOW!!! i mean, as opposed as i am to the czech language and the food here... i do believe i am going to move here when i start a family and have the government pay for me for years. but in the mean time, i should sleep and tell you one last thing. 

you haven't really lived until you hear an adorable little 3 year-old kid shout out, "ciao!" over and over at you. my heart belongs to him now. 

blessings my people, 

kam-dogg.

1 comment:

Shannon said...

so many other countries are like this - it's amazing that American mommies just get 6 to 12 weeks maternity leave. Not only that, where I used to work (hospital), the dietitians are almost like annoyed when someone's on maternity leave, like it's such a burden. No extra pay for them when they're gone nor do they find ppl to cover...I hear many countries in Africa and also France have great maternity leave benefits like the one you mentioned.