Cosmos

Welcome back to the show, my fellow extraordinary Americans. 

For today’s guest, we have Anika Parel. Anika is a multi-talented writer, model, actress, and one-time James Bond girl. She is the author of the compelling new book Encounter with the Future, which chronicles her unique life journey from her childhood in the Iron Curtain, Czechoslovakia, to her rise as an international fashion model and actress. 

Now, a writer makes her immigrant story a fascinating one for this podcast; Encountering the Future is a collection of essays that weave together her experiences across continents and historical events filled with their characteristics and perceptiveness. She’s an extraordinary American; I’m glad and honored to have her. On this show, Anika, are you there?

Anika

Yes, I am.

Cosmos

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this podcast with me. I’m truly honored. Anika, can you share your journey from Czechoslovakia to becoming an international model and actress with me in the audience?

Anika

Yes, well, my story started when I was 18. My mother has always believed that travel is very important, and she says travel is the university of life. When I was 18, I wanted to travel, and unbeknownst to me, the eye and curtain yoke of the Soviet Union was loosening up a little bit.

So, I had a little bit of luck there, and I came to England as an old pair. Then, in August 1968, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia, and all that freedom was finished—no more. And so I became an immigrant in London, but Brian said, like people, anybody from Czechoslovakia can stay as long as they wish. And they can have a work permit.

So, I started working in a solicitor’s office, and they suggested I send my—a competition to win an international model. And so, I did. I was young and thought, why not try? My father was a tailor, so I always modeled for him, or he would fit clothes on me that he needed to try on somebody.

And so, I decided, OK, I’ll try it. So, I was fortunate to be one of the ten. I was chosen for the fashion show, and then after that, I still had to work as a waitress. I bought in a shop as a cashier to supplement because I couldn’t be just A to become a model. It’s a process you have to build it up. You have to get photographs. You have to go around. It’s like, really, business when you first start creating something, you have to sell it, and you sell yourself, you sell what you can do, and then?

So, once I was, I was creating my career, creating my own little business. As I said, I worked at night as a waitress or sometimes in the shops as a cashier. And little by little, the job started to come around, and they started to get bigger. I’ve started to work on a TV show and got a few parts in the movies, and of course, the crown of our job was getting the part in a James Bond movie with Roger Moore. The tackler and. We used to go around England and promote the show.

And it opened a lot of doors for me, and that’s, you know, where I am. Then I got married and came to America, but my original desire was to be a journalist, so I always wanted to write. When my modeling career ended, I went to school, and I went back to writing. It was a long process because it also involved learning English well, and I have to say, would it not be too much for one spell check? At the time. But you know, these are spots that make it easier because it’s hard for people to send your word to somebody where there are a lot of spelling mistakes because the English language, unlike Slovak, is very, very different in spelling.

So, you know, I started to send my work to magazines, and they started to get published. And my children have always been aware that they are, you know, half Slovak and, you know, came from Europe and wanted to know about the history of. Where are. I wrote about my father’s journey because he was born. Czechoslovakia is a tiny country that was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for a thousand years.

So, my father was at school. Hungarian, and so it’s a long story of people. And then, during the Second World War, my uncle was in a resistance, and my grandmother, of course, was even older and came from very different circumstances. She was very, very poor and so on. And so was my father. My father was one of them. Fourteen children, four of whom died. I came to America, and five of us stayed in Slovakia, so my aunt came to America and became very successful. Her husband had a business, a car dealership, that was extremely successful, so, you know, that’s how I.

It all came up, so I wanted to put all this down for my now grandchildren, and that’s how the book came about. I suppose my career in writing studied quite a bit late, so it isn’t easy. Like in modeling, when I was 18, you have to go to hundreds of auditions before you start making any money and become known, and it’s writing. It’s the same thing. And then I decided, you know what? I don’t have time to wait until somebody decides I will be. I’m fine to be published as a book because book businesses have a business, so I decided to publish it myself.

And so, I did everything. From the editing to designing, you know I was deeply involved. And so that was publishing the book. That was my little entrepreneur. Real. The background is coming back again because my father used to have a business before the communists took over, and so I always believed. And. We are our creators, and we have to; in America, it’s probably easier than anything else. It’s a kind of attitude. Please show me what you have. Please show me what you’ve got. And so I wrote a book, and I created it. And I decided. OK, I will show you what I have and see if people like it, and so far, not. They seem to like it.

Cosmos

I’m going to ask you about your book later on this podcast. Still, I’m very curious, honey, because your story is amazing—how you went from Czechoslovakia to England to America. So. But my question is, how did your childhood or under the Iron Curtain influence your worldview and career choices when you finally came out? With regards to the contracts, how did they influence you?

Anika

Living under the Iron Curtain, it’s hard for people to understand how we couldn’t even travel to Hungary. You kind of locked inside it. The Iron Curtain does describe what it was like. You couldn’t travel. We used to, you know, we used to get Elvis Presley, which was like anywhere on the radio, and it was practically a miracle.

And so, as young people, the more you look them up, the more they try to go. But it wasn’t until the era of Doctor Who? that he decided that he wanted to have socialism with a human face, and this is where I was lucky that I could. I got a visa, and everybody thought I was crazy.

But I was determined because my mother always gave me these books about other countries. And I was about to travel, and I wanted to see. You know, when you are 17 and 18, you think you can do anything. It doesn’t matter that there is a curtain up there. My father was skeptical, but I was it, and I was a joke of the time when I applied for my visa.

But I had that luck that it was that temporary saw that only lasted. It took nearly eight months, but I managed to escape that. And then, of course, it all locked up, but then I just had to, you know, have to manage on my own. And surprisingly, I did.

Cosmos

Well, Anika, your experiences in one country and experiences in the other country create these contrasts, right? For instance, American identity is all about entrepreneurial immigrant freedom. And whereas the other countries under the Iron Curtain were quite the opposite. 

So, my question is, what’s your opinion and view of the intersection of personal history? And political events shape one’s identity from your perspective.

Anika

Well, I think that. The political situation. It shapes you sometimes simply because you are. You have no choice. That’s when I feel that a lot of people get shaped. But other than that, I think if you want to do something and it’s in you, you are creative, and you are willing to work hard, you can do it. You can. Start whatever you want. We all have in us a talent. Somebody is a singer. Somebody is a mathematician, somebody is a physician, some is a doctor, and we can all create a life for ourselves. 

We dream of that, and not everybody can be a billionaire. Not everybody can create a huge business, but I think that personal growth is what matters. Looking back, I think about where I came from, my life when I was five, and my dreams. How many of those dreams have I achieved? Then I feel to myself, you know what? Your life is your creation, and it’s like a business. Everything comes down to creating in your life. 

And in that life, you create whatever business you want. Or talent, whether it means writing, singing, or designing cars, it’s up to you. I think we are all entrepreneurs in our own lives. We all create our own lives, and that’s entrepreneurship, which is natural in America. I find more than anywhere else.

Cosmos

So, Anika, from your perspective, you had the darkness of communism and our courage. On the other hand, you saw the freedom and adventure that America brings out and its entrepreneurial spirit. 

So, from your perspective, what is your opinion on the American dream? And should people in this nation be more grateful for what they have rather than taking things for granted?

Anika

I find people. You might be slightly more thankful, and I will tell you something that would describe you. They will describe what I mean when we were at home in Czechoslovakia as a kid. When somebody did something amazing, ate something, or got a cake or gift, they wouldn’t say, “Oh, that’s fantastic.” They would say, “Oh, that’s great. This is great. This is tasty,” They would say. It’s America. That was the top. It’s America.

Cosmos

No, that’s awesome. Yeah, I noticed that when I first came to this country. Right. I noticed that I was very grateful for the opportunities. 

But it’s only because I saw the contrast between the rest of the world and this nation, right? It was kind of like you are free to make your own choices. And even if you made mistakes. They’re ultimately your mistakes like you could live with them, but you were given the freedom to make something out of yourself and make the most out of yourself, and that’s what I find that immigrants who come to this country appreciate. State what this country has to offer versus people that are already in here. Like they do, because you won’t know what light is if you do not have a contract. If you like, what day is it? You won’t know warmth if you don’t see the night first. Suppose you don’t feel cold. First, it’s the contrast that makes immigrants from other countries. Appreciate this nation to a large extent.

Anika

Yes, I agree. And I do think that there was at one time. A habit of young students going to Europe and. I thought it would be great before they either graduate high school or start work after college. It died off a lot; although many went with quite a bit of money, many went backpacking. My husband came to Harvey; he ended up in England. Because he went around Europe and loved London, he decided he wanted to stay in London, so he stayed there for five years, and then we met and ended up in America. 

But I think that it is. It’s important. It’s almost like. Americans because they do have it so much easier than many other countries. I mean, look at Ukraine today and all people in Russia—you know, they’re not, you know, allowed. We don’t know how much they disagree. And many other countries are even worse. 

And so, I think It would be good for young people to go. And travel. But backpack not. There are a lot of luxurious hotels. Just go and take care of yourself and see if the other side lives as they used to, and that might. Make people, young people, a little bit more appreciative and a little bit more humble to see how, you know, it’s when I was in London, people used to go to Key Boots. They used to work and build key boots, and then there used to be. What was the other one? The young people would work between college, high school, and college or during college. They would go and take a job in various countries. They also did it because it helped them get good jobs, and it kind of died off. I think it would be nice to bring it back, as you said, for people to look in the mirror and say, I’m lucky I’m good.

Cosmos

No, for sure. Contrast makes us appreciate and feel grateful for what we have. And so I think your story, particularly about coming from the Iron Curtain, made you more determined to get what you have and may appreciate it. But Anika, I wanted to ask you: What are some common misconceptions about the? You hope to address This entire immigrant experience to those who are listening to this right now.

Anika

What are the? A lot of times, people misunderstand when they understand you. And people are saying that—I find those people either. I thought that, oh my goodness, they either don’t trust you because you come from a different world and you know, once you’ve been in a communist country, you know, are you? You know, people did think that, you know, you might be somehow. Oh. Here to cognitive.

Cosmos

Like a James Bond spy.

Anika

Yeah, it’s almost like it did on the spot. Yeah, and essentially, no one ever says, “Oh, and you’re going to change?” Well, it is very interesting. 

And I was like, yes, it’s a, you know, kind of a little innuendo. It’s also, I mean nowadays, kind of also. I think people don’t realize that immigrants work harder than anybody else because they start with nothing and have to work hard, and they are not. Replacing the padding is the misconception that I would like people to understand: the immigrants are not replacing the immigrants in the building because we are building up; we’re building up America.

And when you think about it, everybody was Immigrant Thanksgiving from the start: what is Thanksgiving about? They’re all immigrants, and they have been, you know, working with the local people, and they, you know, that’s how they. They survived working together. And that’s what I would like to see people do. Work together and be willing to work with the immigrants and new people rather than be suspicious.

Cosmos

No, I mean, in today’s world, right now in the current political climate, there is a lot of, like, anti-immigrant bias. Whether they call it illegal aliens or legal immigrants, the underlying reason is the suspicion of immigrants. However, we have to realize that we are an immigrant nation. 

We come from everybody here who is either an immigrant or a descendant of immigrants like everybody. Their blood, like their forefathers, is the first thing that came, like it came from Mayflower, like from the Mayflower thing in 1620 to like right now, like we all come from immigrant culture altogether, right? 

But for the nation’s sake, how would you tell Wondering about fostering greater understanding and empathy towards immigrants and their stories from your perspective? How would you go about doing that in this current climate?

Anika

Well, this current environment it is. They either have an open mind or don’t, but I think they just buy work. Show, don’t tell. That’s the way I find it: we can get over words. What is this presumption that people have about immigrants? You must show them you’ve succeeded, work hard, and pay taxes. And you help other people. And. Do you know that I have an accent? It does not make me a villain. You know, often you would be surprised, like. People look at you as skew. I was the model, and I was a good-looking girl. 

So people kind of swallowed a lot of it. But, you know, not everybody is quiet. It’s the same way, and it’s also sad that our visuals and looks should also affect people. And it’s the same way. Do you know why? An attractive person could work equally hard and be far smarter than me. And yet people judge, and if you add that you are also an immigrant. 

It’s silly, and I speak to people as much as possible. And I mean, my husband was born in America, but his father came from Ireland. He always told me that when he came to Boston looking for a job, there used to be signs Irish needed, not the pie.

So, it’s not just now; it’s been there for a very long time, and yet, you know, as you said. The people from the Mayflower, they’re not. They’re the immigrants, too. Yeah, but. People forget that as soon as the accent goes, people will look at you differently. I know my children are looked at differently than I am, and I have been in situations where my children were, especially when they graduated, and then I came in. My son would say this is my mother, and they looked like they could not believe that This graduate had done so well. His mother has a foreign accent.

Cosmos

Oh wow.

Anika

It’s they don’t even feel like. And, you know, acrimonious, though, just shocked that a foreigner, an accent—this accent could produce a person that can be, you know, a kid that is that successful. And yet, why not? You know, somebody down your line. Somebody in your family had an accident at some point.

Cosmos

No, I mean sister.

Anika

So I find that quite amusing.

Cosmos

I mean, I mean, when I came here, I had a very pronounced Saxon myself. It went off over the years, so it might still be there. But yeah, I do see what you’re saying. We should not be judged based on just being different or whatever. There has to be a sense of humanism where we have a love for all people regardless of race, gender, caste, or creed because the divinity that is within one person is within all. But that’s just my perspective. On it, you. Know.

Anika

Absolutely. That’s true. That’s true.

Cosmos

Like what? What advice would you give somebody facing significant life changes when coming to a new country as an immigrant and starting over? Because I know you have traveled from one country to another, and you must start repeatedly. 

So, what advice would you give somebody in your shoes who’s also doing the same thing?

Anika

I think that whenever you go—yes, I also lived in Hong Kong—you try not to assimilate. It would be best if you always remained yourself. But I think it’s important to try and understand your standings, and rather than trying to change or criticize them, accept and enjoy them. And I think that in people. 

I felt it specifically in Hong Kong because there were many people who had a different attitude. But I always said, “When in Rome, do as Romans, you know, and enjoy it.” And when people see that you want to be part of them, they will accept you. 

And I find the same thing also. In America, when I first came to, you know, Boston, and when we first had a, you know, we spent summers in Cape Cod, you know, I started calling myself Cape Cora and then people. Feel that you try to be one of them, and that’s what I think. It’s. The only way to do it is to become a You don’t lose your heritage. I don’t mean you should throw away everything you grew up with and what you had. 

It’s a fine balance. You have to keep yourself, but you also have to learn. Otherwise, you never make any progress, and we all must make progress. Ultimately, we all have to become friends with each other. It’s just the way it is.

Cosmos

I mean, it’s the ultimate. It’s the ultimate experience of change, like as an immigrant, you’re coming to another country. It’s a fine line between. Having an identity uniquely yours and assimilating into the country that you’re into is something that only somebody who has gone through it can understand; it’s a pretty hard experience, but it also gives you so many experiences that you otherwise would not have. So, it’s pretty intriguing all together, you know.

Anika

Yeah, I think it is true, and it is one of the reasons why, like my children. Of course, nobody would. If you see my children, nobody would. As I said, expect people to go like, wow, that’s your mother. That’s why they asked me to write these stories. So they will remember.

So they will be able to tell their children about it. And so, in a family, you never forget somebody in your family. Family. They lived under common and went to different countries and struggled so that they would. I hope my grandchildren and great-grandchildren are as they will be; this is how you keep it up so that the generation will become more tolerant of others because there will always be new immigrants. 

It is really up to us immigrants to teach our children and the people around us to be tolerant and use immigrants. I think that’s very important.

Cosmos

I couldn’t agree more. You know, you’re right because it is an immigrant experience—we all have it. It allows more entrepreneurship and open-mindedness because if we’re stuck in one place, we will naturally be tribalistic. 

We won’t have that respect for people of other cultures and other faiths that we could have when we’re immigrants because now we know that there are other people outside the pawn. After all, if you’re just in your own country and then you’ve never gone outside, you’re going to be more discriminatory and xenophobic altogether, generally. 

But immigrants tend to be more open-minded, more open to other people, and more tolerant, which is ultimately a godly thing to do.

Anika

Which is what makes America …  America?

Cosmos

Exactly. But Anika, I wanted to ask you, like, I know you’ve been through these diverse careers. How did you navigate the challenges of transitioning from modeling to being an actress to being a writer and all of that stuff?

Anika

Well, I mean, going from modeling to acting is kind of quite a natural process. It’s not; it’s not very far-fetched, but writing it was going back to because I originally wanted to be an A writer. And then, when I came to England, I very soon. I quickly realized that I could not write in English, and after a while, I kept writing in Slovak.

But after a while, as you assimilate and become part of the new culture and language, I find I couldn’t. I started to think in English. And. That was the end of my Slovak writing. I couldn’t. Then I realized I couldn’t write in any of them. Then, of course, I have thrown myself into my new career. But the writing was always there, and it was my dream, and I think it was my children who would, who said to me, you know, you were always a storyteller. 

And we were hoping you could write about your journey like you are asking me the same question they asked me. How did you go from 1:00 to another? How did you, you know, decide to make it? This leap and what made you decide not to go back because, at some point, I could have. Gone back, but I chose not to because it was partly a fear, but I partly lived. I just knew I couldn’t go back to that restriction anymore. You know, my mind has already expanded too. It was a much bigger world, and I couldn’t put it into that in prison. 

So, I would always tell those stories, and that’s how it developed. I went to school to brush up on and learn a little bit more, but I was writing before I even went to school and started to write in English, and it really computers. They changed everything when I could, correcting my spelling as I went along.

Cosmos

I mean, have you not only gone from one country to another with the immigrant experience but also been through a technological revolution, like you grew up with the computer, the telephone, and the cell phone? You’ve experienced a lot during your time here on Earth.

Anika

Hello. That’s. Other. Absolutely. I will tell you when I first have technology. Changed, and yes, it was communism, and it was we were. We were way behind America. But when I first came to England, I had to send a telegram to my parents because they had no telephone, and I would call them at such and such times. 

On such a day, they had to go to the post office. I showed them the telegram and then sent them the telephone number that I was in. The woman I was working for had a telephone, and then they would connect to the post office; my parents would go to a little booth, and then we would speak to each other. 

And it wasn’t very good. Line, but you know it was hidden parents voice. It was very magical. For me, going from that to cell phones is amazing. I’m, I’m. My parents didn’t see it, but I was amazed by that transaction. I’m speaking to you, and I see you. And can you imagine It’s a fine problem?

Cosmos

I mean, it’s normal, right? That’s how it all is. For me, it’s just a normal thing now. For all of the generations, like the millennials and Gen Z, seeing these changes is truly amazing for people who have been in before that time.

Anika

Yes, I mean, like dieting, the phone. I remember somewhere I saw that they gave the Rotary phones to a couple of teenagers, and they couldn’t figure out how they worked. It’s just amazing how. But it made me feel good because, like, when I have a problem with technology, I always thought you guys may be unable to do what I did.

Cosmos

So, Aniko, can you tell the audience how you became and went into a James Bond movie? It was the process that led to that point.

Anika

Well, by that time, I was in many fashion magazines on the cover, and inside, I did a lot of fashion modeling and a lot of TV commercials. I did almost all the TV commercials and a little shows on TV, the tour on his show, which was kind of a little comedy. It was nothing big, but my face began to be out there in London, so I had an agent. 

And so I went for an audition and auditioned for the part. And so. You, you know, like everything you get. You go on an audition, and then you get a part. You know, study TV. That was the icing on the cake.

Cosmos

And what is that experience like for you, like being part of an iconic movie?

Anika

Yeah, it’s quite amazing. It’s only now that I’m beginning to realize that it is. I’m so proud that I was part of it because it is. It is they do such a great job. It’s something that is. You know, sometimes it’s boggling to me like I’m part of it, and it’s, and I’m proud of it. I will say that I’m proud that I have achieved that. It’s neat.

Cosmos

No, I mean, not many people can say that they have been. They’ve been part of movies and everything.

So it’s a unique experience to become an immigrant, to come out of the art and eventually have all these experiences and then go from one career to another. It’s just that not many people do that. 

Anika

Yes, it was funny. I did. I was also on a Benny Hill show, and I remember it was shown in America. My husbands, nieces, and nephews just came, and they said I couldn’t believe it. I saw you on TV, and it is just kind of that you don’t think about it when you are working with it. It’s only when you often see the results that you realize it. 

Do you realize that maybe it is something I should do? Be proud of it.

Cosmos

So, Anika, can you tell me the audience a little bit more about your book’s encounter with the future, what it is about, and what you hope the readers can take away from it?

Anika

The book is about the history of a tiny country, but it’s also about resilience. It’s about dealing with problems and life challenges. Never give up, always have a little bit of a sense of humor, and just please have a great day. 

I hope I can make people laugh and learn something about different countries. The book is all about learning and a journey through it, and I hope that. It’s about people’s resilience. If you want to do something, you can do it.

Cosmos

No, for sure. And what was it like? That’s what the immigrant story is about, like us being resilient and determined and making something of our lives. What was the premise that got you to write this book in the first place? What inspired you to write this book?

Anika

Well, as I said, I have always wanted to be a writer, and I have. How I got back to it was Pelini. I adopted a dog called Barney, and he came from Mississippi and was the cutest little dog you have ever seen. And I started to think about what made someone give up. The cute little dog and I started to write, imagining his story. He was my little immigrant who came. From Mississippi to New York, and I will write it down. And then the kids started to say, this is cute, this is good.

And then, I went to school and started to write short stories. I always drew on my life rather than creating something that was. Even when I was writing fiction, it was based heavily on a true story. And although that’s what they say, most writers draw from their own experiences.

But I wanted to be more honest about it. I wanted to make sure that since I will do this, I might as well teach some people. Maybe I will shine some light on the experience of emigrating. I was going from immigrants to immigrants. It’s a journey. That’s what I wanted to do: shine a light on a journey from immigrants to immigrants.

Cosmos

No, that’s amazing. Anika and I would want everybody to read this book. So, where can the listeners learn more about your work, get this book, and connect with you if they want to?

Anika

I’m on Instagram and Facebook, but I also have a website: https://www.anikapavel.com/. They will, and I have a page for all my modeling. There are a lot of photographs and magazines that I did fashion, and I also have all of my work. Not all of it, but a lot of the acting with Penny Hill, James Bond, and All and all the other actors I bought was in London.

 I also have a little bit of a history of my country, but then you come in immediately, get into the encounter with the future, and just press the button. It takes you straight to Amazon, where you can order the book if you wish to read it.

Cosmos

That is amazing, and I do hope people do that. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this podcast with me and sharing your immigrant story and experiences. And I do. I hope you take the time to come back on this podcast later because what you shared with us is truly inspirational. You know.

Anika

Thank you very much. I felt honored to be with all those famous entrepreneurs. I’m an entrepreneur in my own life, but I think you had some pretty impressive people. I was listening to the podcast, and I was impressed.

So, to be a man’s such a creative person, I find that to be honest.

Cosmos

No, thank you, Anika. I appreciate it. I want to conclude this podcast by letting my fellow strong Americans know. Hey, look, there’s an extraordinary within every one of us. We have to awaken it and unleash it until next time. Bye for now.