Via Prague

A big headline on this side of the Atlantic this week, and probably yet another one few Americans know or care about: the Czech Republic and Slovakia have joined the Schengen Zone. Most of Western Europe already has signed on. But what it means is that starting now, Czechs and Slovaks can travel throughout Europe -- at least through the 27 member states -- without passports.
Imagine if everytime you drove up the 101 into Oregon you had to stop and show your passport to border patrols. That's what it's been like here until now. I remember last spring taking the train to Dresden, Germany, which is only a couple hours by train from Prague. We had our passports checked by German police who came through the cars when the train crossed the border, then Czech police on the way back.
I'm still learning all the details of the new law, but I think Czechs and Slovaks will still carry their national ID cards. As far as for non-EU citizens living and traveling here, I'm not sure what it means yet. I'm flying to Paris next week, but it won't matter then, because for the time being we still have to have passports when flying.
Of course, the Schengen agreement is not without controversy. Critics fear it will unleash waves of unwanted immigrants from the Ukraine, Romania and other points East, and will make the flow of drugs -- the Czech Republic is already one of Europe's leading drug-trafficking capitals -- easier as well as the flow of travelers. Law enforcement officials, perhaps predictably, say that in fact they'll be cracking down harder than ever.
Anyway, for those of you who may give a shit about what goes on beyond US borders, the expansion of the Schengen Zone is yet another milestone passed -- along with the signing of the new EU treaty at Lisbon two weeks ago -- that the so-called New Europe, a rapidly growing and changing entity that may already equal or even surpass America in terms of population and economic clout -- is fast becoming a reality.
I realize I like to spend more of my time enjoying the less political aspects -- by that I mean, Old Europe -- the cafes and pubs, walks with friends, traveling -- but I'll try from time to time to keep this page updated with bits of news I think should be of interest to folks back home.
As my student Frantisek used to tell me, 'It's a whole new world.' Indeed. A whole new world.