Bonjour, lady knight. How Mrs. Iva from Luhačovice came to this wonderful award

Madam Knight, many congratulations. First of all. But you'll have to stand a few questions...

Merci, thanks, talk to me, I look forward to it.

When did you first get kissed by this libo-sounding speech, which you successfully teach at the Zlín grammar school?

It was during my grammar school studies. The German language group was full, my class teacher put me in the French one. She said if I was doing ballet, it would be good for me. Coincidence, fate, maybe a little coercion. And that's how my life began with French. And then, while studying in the philosophy department, the wonderful world of French literature opened up to me.

So enchanted and forever entranced, you accept, years later, a rare award from the days of Napoleon Bonaparte. How does French stand up against other languages at your high school?

The competition is considerable, with English clearly dominating, and German, Spanish and Russian also taught here. Across our country, French is becoming a minority language.

Why, Madame Knight?

Please, with the titling. Here at "Lesniak" we do everything we can to make sure it's not a minority language. But the reason will generally be that there is an awareness that French is just plain hard.

You have had successful student exchanges and other internships in overseas French destinations, among other things. Where are you and your students going in the near future?

In January, we should be heading to mainland France with our students. And in March, I'm going on a study course to the island of Martinique, which is a French overseas department in the Caribbean.

So, in the bigger picture, what does the average French person know about our country?

The French already know that there is a Czech Republic and not a Czechoslovakia (smile). They know Prague, probably Milan Kundera and certainly Czech beer.

And how is it the other way around from our point of view?

So the Czechs probably know the Eiffel Tower, Paris and excellent French wines. But perhaps there is much more to it.

You have a charm that's a bit French. By the way, would you like to be French?

Thanks, I wouldn't. And that's despite my endless love of all things French. I told the Ambassador on that wonderful occasion, and I have repeated it all my life, that I am a proud and proud Czech. And that whenever I travel anywhere in the world, including Francophone destinations, I always carry the Czech flag and pride and pride in our beautiful country.

Categories: Culture, What to do in Luhačovice, Luhačovice, Interview, Awards