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<ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/prague">Prague</a> City Hall is in <keyword id="31978" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Prague">Prague</keyword>, Czech Republic is home to this never-ending <keyword id="6391221" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elevator">elevator</keyword>.</strong></li><li><strong>It is one of the only few <keyword id="287529" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Paternoster">paternoster</keyword> <keyword id="6658706" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ELEVATORS">elevators</keyword> you can hop onto today.</strong></li></ul><p><em>EDITOR'S NOTE: This <keyword id="21654" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="video">video</keyword> was originally published in July 2019.</em></p>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/prague-never-ending-elevator-paternoster-2018-9">Insider</a>

This never-ending elevator requires quick reflexes

<p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Petr David Josek</span></p><p class="caption">A healthcare worker attends to a COVID-19 patient in an intensive care unit in Prague, Czech Republic.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>New York City more than doubled its ICU capacity in a few short weeks to handle the crush of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-live-updates-latest-news">coronavirus</a> patients.</li><li>Before the outbreak began, studies show the city had around 1,600 ICU beds. As of this week, the city had 3,500 - and counting.</li><li>Part of the increase is due to repurposing specialty wards as coronavirus ICUs, and boosting the capacity of limited equipment, doctors and healthcare workers told Business Insider. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>As patients fall critically ill due to the COVID-19 virus, hospitals have raced to find additional room to treat patients.</p><p>But setting up space for critically ill patients isn't as simple as setting up an additional bed. There are hospital beds, and then there are intensive care or ICU beds. </p><p>The death toll in New York City, the global epicenter of the outbreak, is still mounting. As of Wednesday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cuomo-says-new-york-flattening-the-curve-2020-4">6,298 New Yorkers had died from the disease</a> - more than double 9/11's death toll in the state - as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-hospitals-are-filled-with-coronavirus-patients-shortages-loom-2020-4">hospitals across the state scramble to stockpile the necessary masks, protective equipment, and ventilators</a> to care for coronavirus patients. There were <a href="https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/mili-misrc-covid19-tracking-project">4,504 people in ICUs</a> across the state, with thousands more hospitalized. </p><p>New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in March the state's hospital system would need as many <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gov-cuomo-sounds-alarm-on-accelerating-coronavirus-cases-higher-apex-2020-3">as 140,000 hospital beds, including 30,000 ICU beds</a> and 40,000 ventilators to absorb the crush of coronavirus patients in the coming weeks. </p><p>While New York is far off of Cuomo's initial 30,000 number of ICU beds - and, with an eye toward <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cuomo-says-new-york-flattening-the-curve-2020-4">positive trends in hospital admissions over the past few days</a>, hopefully won't need that many - New York City has made huge strides in doubling the number of available ICU beds in a few short weeks. </p><p>In early March, prior to the outbreak, New York City had <a href="https://khn.org/news/as-coronavirus-spreads-widely-millions-of-older-americans-live-in-counties-with-no-icu-beds/">approximately 1,600 ICU beds</a>, per a study from Kaiser Health News. As of Sunday, the city had around 3,500, with that number still increasing, <a href="https://projects.thecity.nyc/2020_03_covid-19-tracker/">according to The City's coronavirus tracker</a>. </p><p>Part of that increase is due to a couple hundred ICU beds on the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship dispatched to US in March, and at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, a trade-show hall on Manhattan's west side that was converted into a temporary hospital by the state and federal troops.</p><p>City hospitals have also made huge strides in elevating their ICU capacity, creatively repurposing specialty wards into coronavirus units, and converting equipment to service the ongoing crush. </p><p>Here's how they did it. </p><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid</span></p><p class="caption">A healthcare worker wheels a patient on a stretcher into the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, U.S., April 6, 2020.</p><h2>'This is not normal'</h2><p>On any given day in NYC, ICU beds are typically hard to come by.</p><p>Canceling elective surgeries was the first move to free up space, but even so, early on experts realized it wasn't going to be enough.</p><p>"This is not normal," Dr. Craig Coopersmith, interim director of the Emory Critical Care Center, told Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-intensive-care-unit-shortages-of-ventilators-staff-space-2020-3">in early March.</a></p><p>In a hospital, there might be a number of intensive care units, focused on specialties like neurology or pediatrics. Those can all be converted into ICUs for COVID-19 patients, Dr. Mitchell Levy, the medical director of the medical intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital and a <a href="https://vivo.brown.edu/display/mlevymd">professor of medicine at Brown University</a> told Business Insider. After that, step-down units that typically provide an intermediate level of care between the ICU and the general medicine wards, can also be converted. </p><p>A doctor at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-week-in-the-life-of-doctor-in-nyc-hospital-2020-3">one New York City hospital </a>told Business Insider that when its initial ICU filled up, the hospital looked for additional space.</p><p>For overflow, the hospital converted a unit that was usually used for patients transitioning from intensive care to the general hospital into another ICU. The only problem: Doctors treating patients with COVID-19 in the new unit had to wear <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doctors-frontlines-coronavirus-protective-gear-running-out-2020-3">full protective gear</a>, sometimes referred to as "bunny suits."</p><p>With elective procedures halted, the surgical ICU was lined up for patients once the converted unit was full. Once the surgical ICU filled, the hospital planned to convert more units.</p><p>Intensive-care units are designed to treat the sickest patients in the hospital. Beyond being sterile environments, the units are equipped with additional tools, like forced air and oxygen lines used by breathing machines.</p><p>The room might also have infusion pumps used to administer medications, have equipment to insert catheters, monitors to keep tabs on blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs, and a dialysis machine nearby in case patients' kidneys start to shut down during treatment.  </p><p>A typical hospital bed, Levy said, doesn't have all of that equipment and infrastructure built in. </p><p>In Brooklyn, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-brooklyn-hospital-maimonides-is-handling-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-3">Maimonides Medical Center</a> by the end of March was up to 150 intensive care beds, up from the 60 it regularly operates. The hospital's anticipating <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-a-brooklyn-hospital-fighting-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-4">it'll eventually need 400 ICU beds on hand</a>.</p><p>To help, it's set up rooms in a standalone surgery center to serve as ICU beds, converted its operating rooms into ICU space, and is using areas of its cancer-treatment center for intensive care. </p><p>Dr. Craig Smith, the chairman of the Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian's Columbia University Irving Medical Center, has said that the NewYork-Presbyterian <a href="https://columbiasurgery.org/news/covid-19-update-32020">system estimates it'll need 700 to 934 ICU beds</a>. </p><p>Smith wrote that starting in March, the organization had converted empty operating rooms into ICU rooms, each holding two to three patients with COVID-19. </p><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid</span></p><p class="caption">Healthcare workers wheel the body of deceased person from the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, U.S., April 2, 2020.</p><h2>Converting equipment</h2><p>The space to hold patients is one of a number of considerations as the city gets overwhelmed by coronavirus patients. Equipment like ventilators used to help with breathing and staff on hand to help with care are also in limited supply. </p><p>At Mount Sinai, they're converting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-hospital-mount-sinai-turns-sleep-apnea-machines-into-ventilators-2020-4">sleep apnea machines</a> donated by Tesla CEO Elon Musk into working ventilators to increase that capacity. </p><p>Doctors at <a href="https://columbiasurgery.org/news/covid-19-update-32520">Columbia</a> are hooking up two patients to the same ventilator, a decision other health systems are weighing. </p><p>In an April 4 update, Smith described seeing "his" operating room, OR 22. Inside, a place where he had done thousands of procedures, were several critically ill patients who were being taken care of by a cardiac surgeon and a cardiac anesthesiologist who had been redeployed, he wrote.</p><p>Dr. Mark Jarrett, the chief quality officer at Northwell Health System, which operates 23 hospitals in New York, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-patients-filling-nyc-hospitals-ahead-of-the-peak-2020-3">said in March</a> that the organization was working to turn anesthesiology machines that might otherwise be used during surgeries into ventilators. </p><p class="tagline"><a href="/intelligence/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_subscription&amp;itm_content=health&amp;itm_campaign=digital-health"></a><br /><br />Featured Health Articles:<br />- <a href="/telehealth-industry-explained">Telehealth Industry Explained</a><br />- <a href="/value-based-care-pay-for-performance-healthcare-model">Value-Based Care Explained</a><br />- <a href="/senior-care-market-trends">Senior Care &amp; Assisted Living Market</a><br />- <a href="/wearable-technology-healthcare-medical-devices">Smart Medical Devices &amp; Wearable Tech</a><br />- <a href="/artificial-intelligence-healthcare">AI in Healthcare</a><br />- <a href="/remote-patient-monitoring-industry-explained">Remote Patient Monitoring Explained</a>- <a href="/ai-medical-diagnosis-report">AI in Medical Diagnosis Systems</a></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/veterinarians-debunk-13-common-myths-about-raising-cats-2020-3">Veterinarians debunk 13 cat myths</a></h3>

NYC has more than doubled its ICU beds from 1,600 to 3,500 to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how hospitals in the city ramped up.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After living in seven different countries, I've learned a few things that surprised me. </li><li>Prague was the hardest place to adjust to because of its cold temperatures and language.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ways-europe-better-than-us-according-to-american-in-ireland-2023-9">Moving abroad</a> can be exhausting, but I've done it multiple times, leaving my native island of St. Lucia for college in the US almost 15 years ago. Since then, I've lived in places like Wales, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, and Greece. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-do-differently-next-trip-to-italy-2023-10">Traveling</a> was daunting at first, especially coming from a country with a population of less than 200,000. But I loved immersing myself in new cultures, forming close friendships, and discovering new delicacies in every possible city.   </p><p>I felt knowledgeable about my destinations from my education, books, and television, but you never truly know a country until you've <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/las-vegas-things-to-never-do-from-local-2023-10">lived like a local</a>.</p><p>Here are 11 things that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paris-surprising-things-about-living-in-france-from-american">surprised me during my travels</a>.</p><h2>Living in Spain can require a lot of paperwork </h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Inside a hall at the University of Barcelona" height="3648" width="4864" msid="108019389" hostid="261" sizebytes="979082"></div><p>There's always a lot of paperwork involved in traveling, but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-spain-2019-3">Spain</a> is a different level of bureaucracy if you plan on living there for more than six months.</p><p>First, you must secure the Empadronamiento or "padrón," which is a document necessary to register with the town hall in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-foods-spain-2019-3">region of Spain</a> you live in. This document adds your name and address to your city's census and is also necessary for administrative tasks like applying for a social security number, residency, public healthcare, opening a bank account, and getting married.</p><p>The process needs to be repeated if you move to another city and your residency must be canceled before leaving the country. Though the process seems simple, spots are often unavailable so booking an appointment to do so can be very difficult.</p><h2><strong>The food scene is vast and varied in Prague</strong></h2><p>As a tourist in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-things-to-do-in-prague-czech-republic">Czech Republic</a>, there are certain meals that you must try: beef steak tartare, Kulajda, Svíčková, and kolache.</p><p>Prague's international food scene is impressive, with restaurants representative of multiple cultures and palates. I was even able to find the ingredients to cook a local St. Lucian meal that included chicken backs and ripe plantains.</p><p>If you're not sure where to start or want to sample a variety, <a href="https://www.manifestomarket.com/">Manifesto</a><a href="https://www.manifestomarket.com/"> Market</a> features an eclectic mix of cuisines including authentic Hawaiian poké, rump steak tartare with shiitake mushrooms, traditional Mexican tacos, and Mediterranean dishes.</p><p>The bars are also stocked with Italian prosecco and a selection of craft beers. </p><h2><strong>Italian food is actually as good as advertised</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="The writer holds a cup of gelato" height="747" width="996" msid="108019392" hostid="261" sizebytes="40644"></div><p>I had often been told that you haven't had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/italian-versus-american-italian-cuisine-2014-5">real pizza or pasta</a> until you go to Italy, and I can confirm that this is true. </p><p>The best pizza I had was at a small, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-restaurants-in-rome-2018-9">family-run joint</a> in Crocetta del Montello, a tiny commune about an hour outside of Venice. It was simple, with some well-seasoned sauce and cheese on a crispy crust, but tasted amazing.</p><p>The same can be said for the gelato, which is velvety with intense fruit flavor.</p><p>I have also always loved spaghetti Bolognese, but enjoying the savory sauce in its native Bologna was unmatched. </p><h2>Some states participate in Dry Sundays</h2><div type="image" title="The writer drinks a cup of beer" height="1152" width="1536" msid="108019394" hostid="261" sizebytes="222456"></div><p>During the two years that I lived in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-food-in-houston-texas-locals-guide-2019-10">Texas</a>, I discovered Dry Sundays, during which liquor sales are prohibited on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.</p><p>If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the liquor store is closed the following Monday.</p><p>The law itself can be a bit complex, as beer sales on Sundays are permitted from 10 a.m. to midnight and wine sales are regulated within special hours.</p><p>There are also different stipulations in place if you're attending a fair, festival, concert, or sporting event.</p><p>Other states like Kansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee participate in some variation of Dry Sunday as well.</p><h2><strong>Showering can be an extreme sport in some places</strong></h2><p>Showers in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/affordable-european-cities-2018-7">Europe</a> can be small, making it difficult to move around. The half-door, which doesn't extend all the way across the tub, can also result in a very wet and messy floor.</p><p>The shower nozzle can be handheld, and once you figure it out, showering will be a breeze. However, washing your hair can be difficult, so be prepared to lay some towels out on the floor. </p><h2><strong>Greece has a Caribbean vibe</strong></h2><div type="image" title="Skafidia Beach in Greece" height="747" width="996" msid="108019397" hostid="261" sizebytes="249992"></div><p>As a native of one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jade-mountain-st-lucia-trip-review-travel-photos-2020-2">premier vacation and honeymoon spots</a> in the world, if the water is cold or there are rocks in lieu of sand on the beach, I am not interested.</p><p>But as I drove along the coastline to Olympia, the blue sea and sunny sky were reminiscent of St. Lucia. Skafidia Beach made me feel at home and showed me that Greece is a fantastic option if you can't make it to the Caribbean. </p><h2>Some parts of Spain take siestas very seriously</h2><p>In Prague, my Valencian roommate retreated to her bedroom every day around two o'clock for siesta, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-spain-2019-3">Spanish tradition</a> of taking a nap shortly after lunch. Our professors at a Barcelona university also scheduled classes during the morning to observe the ritual.</p><p>In my L'Hospitalet de Llobregat neighborhood, well outside of Barcelona's city center, the practice was going strong. Stores closed every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I even witnessed a shop owner ask a woman to leave so that he could close at two.</p><h2>KFC and many other fast-food chains don't have the same menu around the world</h2><div type="image" title="KFC fried chicken and french fries" height="747" width="996" msid="108019399" hostid="261" sizebytes="79396"></div><p>Kentucky Fried Chicken struck gold when it opened in the Caribbean Islands, becoming the most popular fast-food restaurant across the region, beloved even by Barbados native <a href="https://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/rihanna_and_chris_brown_offered_a_free_chicken_dinner_at_kfc_1680516081">Rihanna</a>.</p><p>Besides the fried chicken, one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/all-of-the-kfc-sides-reviewed-photos">most popular sides</a> is the golden buttermilk biscuit. Or at least that's what I thought until I wandered into a KFC in Wales only to discover that they didn't have it. After some confusion from workers that I was trying to order a cookie, they offered me rice, which I never knew was an option.</p><p>Major food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and KFC offer location-specific menus to appeal to target audiences worldwide. This can range from a Samurai Burger in Asia to a Chee-Zee Marmite Stuffed Pizza Crust in New Zealand. </p><h2><strong>People are friendlier than you</strong> might expect across the globe</h2><div type="image" title="The writer in front of a cathedral in the Czech Republic" height="747" width="996" msid="108019401" hostid="261" sizebytes="126218"></div><p>Friendly faces are always a welcome sight and in Spain, Greece, and Italy, I found the locals to be patient and helpful even if I wasn't fluent in the language.</p><p>In the US, I met some of the warmest people when I lived in Detroit, Louisiana, and Texas.</p><p>In the UK, I initially thought people were a bit more reserved. However, when I had a problem with my visa, an amazing family in Wales helped me through it.</p><p>Though I thought Czechs, had a tough exterior, they also have a wonderful, dry sense of humor.</p><p>I learned to travel with an open mind and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mistakes-european-tourists-make-2018-4">ignore the stereotypes</a> — otherwise, you might miss out on connecting with some incredible people. </p><h2><strong>Prague was the most difficult place to adjust to</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A frozen lake in Prague" height="1155" width="1536" msid="108019404" hostid="261" sizebytes="206612"></div><p>With its Romanesque architecture, steep hills, and small rivers, Prague is one of the most gorgeous cities in Central Europe.</p><p>However, Prague is also a cold city, so I bundled up in layers — coming from the tropical Caribbean, this was a tough adjustment.</p><p>The Czech language was also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apps-for-traveling-dont-speak-the-language-2018-7">difficult to learn</a> and unlike in Spain, where English was very prevalent in the city center, Czech was spoken virtually everywhere. Because Czech falls in the West Slavic language group, it didn't have the familiar structures shared by French, Spanish, and Italian, which made it hard for me to retain.</p><h2><strong>The Czech Republic is very dog-friendly</strong></h2><p>I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Prague's pet owners proudly walking with their dogs and on the trams instead of strays roaming the streets.</p><p>The pets were also incredibly obedient and well-behaved at restaurants and on public transportation. This is the antithesis of St. Lucia's cultural norms, in which pets are not typically allowed in restaurants or public buses.  </p>

I've lived in 7 different countries. Here are 11 things that surprised me about living all around the world.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After living in seven different countries, I've learned a few things that surprised me. </li><li>Prague was the hardest place to adjust to because of its cold temperatures and language.</li></ul><p>Moving abroad can be exhausting, but I've done it multiple times, leaving my native island of St. Lucia for college in the US almost 15 years ago. Since then, I've lived in places like Wales, the <keyword id="12554670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="czech-republic" source="Orion">Czech Republic</keyword>, Spain, <keyword id="11905554" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="italy" source="Orion">Italy</keyword>, and <keyword id="6357856" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="greece" source="Orion">Greece</keyword>. </p><p>Traveling was daunting at first, especially coming from a country with a population of less than 200,000. But I loved immersing myself in new cultures, forming close friendships, and discovering new delicacies in every possible city.   </p><p>I felt knowledgeable about my destinations from my education, books, and television, but you never truly know a country until you've lived like a local.</p><p>Here are 11 things that surprised me during my travels:</p><h2>Living in Spain can require a lot of paperwork </h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Inside a hall at the University of Barcelona" height="3648" width="4864" msid="89282406" hostid="261"></div><p>There's always a lot of paperwork involved in traveling, but <a href="https://www.insider.com/things-to-do-in-spain-2019-3">Spain</a> is a different level of bureaucracy if you plan on living there for more than six months.</p><p>First, you must secure the Empadronamiento or "padrón," which is a document necessary to register with the town hall in the <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-foods-spain-2019-3">region of Spain</a> you live in. This document adds your name and address to your city's census and is also necessary for administrative tasks like applying for a social security number, residency, public healthcare, opening a bank account, and getting married.</p><p>The process needs to be repeated if you move to another city and your residency must be canceled before leaving the country. Though the process seems simple, spots are often unavailable so booking an appointment to do so can be very difficult.</p><h2><strong>The food scene is vast and varied in Prague</strong></h2><p>As a tourist in the <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-things-to-do-in-prague-czech-republic">Czech Republic</a>, there are certain meals that you must try: beef steak tartare, Kulajda, Svíčková, and kolache.</p><p>Prague's international food scene is impressive, with restaurants representative of multiple cultures and palates. I was even able to find the ingredients to cook a local St. Lucian meal that included chicken backs and ripe plantains.</p><p>If you're not sure where to start or want to sample a variety, <a href="https://www.manifestomarket.com/">Manifesto</a><a href="https://www.manifestomarket.com/"> Market</a> features an eclectic mix of cuisines including authentic Hawaiian poké, rump steak tartare with shiitake mushrooms, traditional Mexican tacos, and Mediterranean dishes.</p><p>The bars are also stocked with Italian prosecco and a selection of craft beers. </p><h2><strong>Italian food is actually as good as advertised</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="The writer holds a cup of gelato" height="747" width="996" msid="89282408" hostid="261"></div><p>I had often been told that you haven't had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/italian-versus-american-italian-cuisine-2014-5">real pizza or pasta</a> until you go to Italy, and I can confirm that this is true. </p><p>The best pizza I had was at a small, <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-restaurants-in-rome-2018-9">family-run joint</a> in Crocetta del Montello, a tiny commune about an hour outside of Venice. It was simple, with some well-seasoned sauce and cheese on a crispy crust, but tasted amazing.</p><p>The same can be said for the gelato, which is velvety with intense fruit flavor.</p><p>I have also always loved spaghetti Bolognese, but enjoying the savory sauce in its native Bologna was unmatched. </p><h2>Some states participate in Dry Sundays</h2><div type="image" title="The writer drinks a cup of beer" height="1152" width="1536" msid="89282411" hostid="261"></div><p>During the two years that I lived in <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-best-food-in-houston-texas-locals-guide-2019-10">Texas</a>, I discovered Dry Sundays, during which liquor sales are prohibited on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.</p><p>If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the liquor store is closed the following Monday.</p><p>The law itself can be a bit complex, as beer sales on Sundays are permitted from 10 a.m. to midnight and wine sales are regulated within special hours.</p><p>There are also different stipulations in place if you're attending a fair, festival, concert, or sporting event.</p><p>Other states like Kansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee participate in some variation of Dry Sunday as well.</p><h2><strong>Showering can be an extreme sport in some places</strong></h2><p>Showers in <a href="https://www.insider.com/affordable-european-cities-2018-7">Europe</a> can be small, making it difficult to move around. The half-door, which doesn't extend all the way across the tub, can also result in a very wet and messy floor.</p><p>The shower nozzle can be handheld, and once you figure it out, showering will be a breeze. However, washing your hair can be difficult, so be prepared to lay some towels out on the floor. </p><h2><strong>Greece has a Caribbean vibe</strong></h2><div type="image" title="Skafidia Beach in Greece" height="747" width="996" msid="89282413" hostid="261"></div><p>As a native of one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jade-mountain-st-lucia-trip-review-travel-photos-2020-2">premier vacation and honeymoon spots</a> in the world, if the water is cold or there are rocks in lieu of sand on the beach, I am not interested.</p><p>But as I drove along the coastline to Olympia, the blue sea and sunny sky were reminiscent of St. Lucia. Skafidia Beach made me feel at home and showed me that Greece is a fantastic option if you can't make it to the Caribbean. </p><h2>Some parts of Spain take siestas very seriously</h2><p>In Prague, my Valencian roommate retreated to her bedroom every day around two o'clock for siesta, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/things-to-do-in-spain-2019-3">Spanish tradition</a> of taking a nap shortly after lunch. Our professors at a Barcelona university also scheduled classes during the morning to observe the ritual.</p><p>In my L'Hospitalet de Llobregat neighborhood, well outside of Barcelona's city center, the practice was going strong. Stores closed every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I even witnessed a shop owner ask a woman to leave so that he could close at two.</p><h2>KFC and many other fast-food chains don't have the same menu around the world</h2><div type="image" title="KFC fried chicken and french fries" height="747" width="996" msid="89282415" hostid="261"></div><p>Kentucky Fried Chicken struck gold when it opened in the Caribbean Islands, becoming the most popular fast-food restaurant across the region, beloved even by Barbados native <a href="https://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/rihanna_and_chris_brown_offered_a_free_chicken_dinner_at_kfc_1680516081">Rihanna</a>.</p><p>Besides the fried chicken, one of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/all-of-the-kfc-sides-reviewed-photos">most popular sides</a> is the golden buttermilk biscuit. Or at least that's what I thought until I wandered into a KFC in Wales only to discover that they didn't have it. After some confusion from workers that I was trying to order a cookie, they offered me rice, which I never knew was an option.</p><p>Major food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and KFC offer location-specific menus to appeal to target audiences worldwide. This can range from a Samurai Burger in Asia to a Chee-Zee Marmite Stuffed Pizza Crust in New Zealand. </p><h2><strong>People are friendlier than you</strong> might expect across the globe</h2><div type="image" title="The writer in front of a cathedral in the Czech Republic" height="747" width="996" msid="89282418" hostid="261"></div><p>Friendly faces are always a welcome sight and in Spain, Greece, and Italy, I found the locals to be patient and helpful even if I wasn't fluent in the language.</p><p>In the US, I met some of the warmest people when I lived in Detroit, Louisiana, and Texas.</p><p>In the UK, I initially thought people were a bit more reserved. However, when I had a problem with my visa, an amazing family in Wales helped me through it.</p><p>Though I thought Czechs, had a tough exterior, they also have a wonderful, dry sense of humor.</p><p>I learned to <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> with an open mind and <a href="https://www.insider.com/mistakes-european-tourists-make-2018-4">ignore the stereotypes</a> — otherwise, you might miss out on connecting with some incredible people. </p><h2><strong>Prague was the most difficult place to adjust to</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A frozen lake in Prague" height="1155" width="1536" msid="89282420" hostid="261"></div><p>With its Romanesque architecture, steep hills, and small rivers, Prague is one of the most gorgeous cities in Central Europe.</p><p>However, Prague is also a cold city, so I bundled up in layers — coming from the tropical Caribbean, this was a tough adjustment.</p><p>The Czech language was also <a href="https://www.insider.com/apps-for-traveling-dont-speak-the-language-2018-7">difficult to learn</a> and unlike in Spain, where English was very prevalent in the city center, Czech was spoken virtually everywhere. Because Czech falls in the West Slavic language group, it didn't have the familiar structures shared by French, Spanish, and Italian, which made it hard for me to retain.</p><h2><strong>The Czech Republic is very dog-friendly</strong></h2><p>I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Prague's pet owners proudly walking with their dogs and on the trams instead of strays roaming the streets.</p><p>The pets were also incredibly obedient and well-behaved at restaurants and on public transportation. This is the antithesis of St. Lucia's cultural norms, in which pets are not typically allowed in restaurants or public buses.  </p>

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