Jana Hollá

Jana Hollá has always been intrigued by how and especially why we humans behave in the ways we do. Choosing Cultural Anthropology therefore seemed like the right way to go. At some point, however, the passive observation was not enough. In a search for more, she came across the field of cross-cultural communication during her MA studies. By the time she enrolled in the Anthropology PhD program at Charles University in Prague she was a strong believer in the application possibilities the cross-cultural tools offered on top of the theoretical anthropological basis. Her academic interests refocused on the issues of identity and belonging in relation to interactions with the (culturally foreign) Others. Her PhD dissertation thus ended up examining a group of young middle class Cairenes and how their daily interactions with their semi-international shilla influenced the ongoing construction of their personal identities. By this time, a year-long study stay in Cairo turned into a proper expatriation. Career-wise she moved away from academia and became a cross-cultural consultant, trainer and group facilitator working both with the profit and non-profit sectors. After well over a decade, Jana enjoys her expat life in Cairo, living what she preaches: embracing the challenges and opportunities living abroad offers with full awareness and deep appreciation.