Study with CEA Abroad! Past Review
By Camden Stovall (University of Georgia) - abroad from 08/26/2015 to 12/16/2015 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Prague, Czech Republic
I learned how to be more easy going and not try to control plans and organization quite so much; I developed the attitude of 'it will work out' rather than stress about everything. I have managed to retain this attitude during the travels I've gone on since studying abroad, and am extremely thankful for it.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
European university classes are set up differently in the United States; there are far fewer quizzes and tests and teachers expect you to engage and keep up with reading more so than I would say they do in here. I took two of my absolute favorite classes of my college career in Prague; Introduction to Macroeconomics and European History II. Both professors were extremely knowledgable and instructed the class in a way that truly made me eager to learn more, rather than making me stressed about completing busywork. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The girls at CEA were wonderful; incredibly friendly and super helpful. They had prepared welcome packets for us when we arrived which helped us get used to the city and our immediate surroundings, and also gave us a tour of the area and the main city. Throughout the semester, they provided us opportunities to meet and interact with other students in our program through events like iMove (exercising with a trainer), decorating pumpkins, and Czech cooking classes. Additionally, they sent us weekly newsletters informing us about weekly events going on around the city and recommendations of places to go and things to see. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartment was much more spacious than I expected and the location was very convening, being located around the corner from both a metro stop and a tram stop. The provided cleaning services were also very nice; we didn't have nearly as much time to clean between school and traveling on the weekends. |
| * Food: |
Food isn't provided with the program, and Czech food isn't very vegetarian friendly. It was very easy, however, to find food for really any dietary restrictions. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't take a Czech language class or another class such as Jewish Prague, so I didn't feel as close to the local culture as some of my roommates and friends. I was there during the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, so I did get to see and experience those celebrations, which helped my feel more culturally engaged. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
CEA provides health insurance during your stay there; luckily, I never had any need for it. |
| * Safety: |
I felt far safer in Prague, even walking around alone sometimes, than I really do back home sometimes. Of course, petty theft is a problem, but if you take proper precautions, it's not nearly as much of an issue. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
I saved up for 8 months prior to leaving; I worked at job at my university, nannied for a couple months, and worked as an RA at a month long summer camp. By working so much and spending relatively little, I was able to save enough that my money there was not an issue. Once I arrived in Prague, I used only my money and borrowed none from my parents. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $30-50, depending on whether or not I went on a trip that weekend and where I went |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The main thing that I would always ask myself when I was tempted to spend money before I left, such as on a coffee, would be "Would I rather get this coffee here or in Prague?" And the answer would almost always be Prague. It also helps to find friends who are also trying to save up, even if it's for another reason, and that way you can find ways to hang out without spending money. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I don't necessarily wish I knew anything in particular before leaving; studying abroad is a developmental opportunity, part of the fun of it is learning about another culture, as well as yourself. |
