# West, Texas to receive foreign aid from Czech Republic **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624 "2013-04-24T22:02:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/1 "2013-04-24T22:02:26Z")
So it’s really come to this. They’re sending US foreign aid now. [Czechs to send funds to blast-hit Texas town](http://news.yahoo.com/czechs-send-funds-blast-hit-texas-town-181551812.html) > [@](#): > > PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic plans to donate 4 million koruna (some $200,000) to help the Texas town of West recover from a devastating fertilizer plant explosion. > > The government decided to the provide aid in solidarity because a significant number of people in the town of 2,700 have Czech roots. The blast damaged numerous homes in the town. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/2 "2013-04-24T22:04:41Z")
They shouldn’t accept money from a nation that just attacked America ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/3 "2013-04-24T22:22:54Z")
I seem to remember the Canadian navy, the Mexican army, and the Singaporean air force providing aid to the US after Katrina. Countries help each other at need. It’s just a neighbourly thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/4 "2013-04-24T22:35:59Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I seem to remember the Canadian navy, the Mexican army, and the Singaporean air force providing aid to the US after Katrina. > > Countries help each other at need. It’s just a neighbourly thing to do. Cuba tried to send aid, but Bush refused it. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/5 "2013-04-24T22:38:52Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > They shouldn’t accept money from a nation that just attacked America What, Czechnyans? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/6 "2013-04-24T23:02:17Z")
As I posted in other threads on the subject of West as I have been there many times, the town is very proud of its Czech heritage, has West Fest which is all about that heritage and makes awesome kolaches sold at the Czech Stop (exit 353 on I-35 north). It comes as no surprise to me that the people of the Czech Republic would want to step in and help. **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/7 "2013-04-24T23:10:07Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > What, Czechnyans? :rolleyes: I suspect you’ve been whooshed. The Czech ambassador had to releases statement that Chechens are not from Czech Republic as many Americansapparently thought. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/8 "2013-04-24T23:11:28Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > What, Czechnyans? :rolleyes: He (?) is making fun of all the idiotic people on the internet over the last week calling for the U.S. to bomb the Czech Republic because people on the internet are stupid. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/9 "2013-04-24T23:24:26Z")
And, no, Sarah Palin didn’t say we should declare war on the Czech Republic (or Czechoslovakia). That was a whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/10 "2013-04-25T00:21:37Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > He (?) is making fun of all the idiotic people on the internet over the last week calling for the U.S. to bomb the Czech Republic because people on the internet are stupid. IMHO, that’s one of the down sides of this message board. Half the posts are people posting what they imagine people they disagree with would say. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/11 "2013-04-25T00:24:41Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I suspect you’ve been whooshed. The Czech ambassador had to releases statement that Chechens are not from Czech Republic as many Americansapparently thought. While not to disparage any posters on the board, I didn’t consider it to be a joke considering the source. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/12 "2013-04-25T04:51:27Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I seem to remember the Canadian navy, the Mexican army, and the Singaporean air force providing aid to the US after Katrina. > > Countries help each other at need. It’s just a neighbourly thing to do. Previous thread: [Canada sends navy ships to New Orleans to help](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=333170) ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/13 "2013-04-25T05:17:26Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > As I posted in other threads on the subject of West as I have been there many times, the town is very proud of its Czech heritage, has West Fest which is all about that heritage and makes awesome kolaches sold at the Czech Stop (exit 353 on I-35 north). It comes as no surprise to me that the people of the Czech Republic would want to step in and help. > > **Capt** Wait, the Czech Stop is in West, Texas? We used to stop there all the time when we were driving I35, and buy dozens of their kolaches and freeze them to last us for months. Shit, I didn’t know that. Those things were delicious. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/14 "2013-04-26T11:29:36Z")
Yep, that’s the place. I think it’s also a Shell station. And screw the kolaches, the roast beef and sausage roll thingies are delish. IIRC they make their own sausage. Ditto to what\*\* Capt\*\* said re Czech ties. I’m fairly sure West has a sister city in the Czech Republic. Also, I think that’s pretty cool re the aid. I’ve been out to the scene twice now, and the devastation is heartbreaking. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/15 "2013-04-26T12:29:31Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > So it’s really come to this. > > They’re sending US foreign aid now. > > [Czechs to send funds to blast-hit Texas town](http://news.yahoo.com/czechs-send-funds-blast-hit-texas-town-181551812.html) Oh, please - this is hardly unprecedented. Kuwait sent Florida aid after one of their many hurricanes way back in the 20th Century. It’s just a friendly gesture and, oh yes, helping people out in times of crisis. I find it heartening that, after the US has given so much aid after disasters in other parts of the world other parts of the world send our citizens a little help in times of trouble. Make aid, not war and all that. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/16 "2013-04-26T13:20:30Z")
So I guess the Czech is in the mail? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) I’ve been to West on numerous occasions and I still have a stuffed cat that I bought there years ago. I have fond memories of the kolaches, too. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/17 "2013-04-26T13:25:07Z")
Petr Gandalovic, the Czech ambassador to the US actually has cousins who were killed in the explosion according to CNN. I suspect this is more of a symbolic thing than anything else- a lot of towns in Central Texas have Czech roots, or had large Czech immigrant populations, and I’d guess are one of the primary places that Czech emigrants ended up, so it’s not unlikely that they’d have kept some ties with the mother country. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/18 "2013-04-26T14:53:44Z")
Don’t mess with Czechxas! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/19 "2013-04-26T15:09:31Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Petr Gandalovic, the Czech ambassador to the US actually has cousins who were killed in the explosion according to CNN. > > I suspect this is more of a symbolic thing than anything else- a lot of towns in Central Texas have Czech roots, or had large Czech immigrant populations, and I’d guess are one of the primary places that Czech emigrants ended up, so it’s not unlikely that they’d have kept some ties with the mother country. Believe it or not, a lot of those people in Central Texas STILL speak Czech today. I’m not sure how widely Tex-Czech has diverged from what’s spoken today in Prague, but the language is still very widely spoken by people whose ancestors came here from Bohemia in the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624/20 "2013-04-26T15:22:38Z")
My understanding is that, at least in Texas, the majority of settlers were from Moravia and spoke the Moravian dialect, which was different from the dialect spoken in Bohemia. As time went on, Moravian died off in the Czech Republic, but continued to be spoken in Texas, making Texas a very interesting place for people interested in Czech dialectology. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-texas-to-receive-foreign-aid-from-czech-republic/656624.md?page=2)