A Semester in a Fairytale City Past Review
By A student (Trinity University) - abroad from 02/08/2017 to 05/30/2017 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Prague, Czech Republic
Studying abroad, as cliche as it sounds, was one of the best experiences of my life. You learn so much about yourself and how to live with others, all while simultaneously learning about a new culture and how to survive when the signs are not all in English!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CEA Prague staff was very helpful and always available to answer any questions! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our fridge was too small for 5 people who all cooked to use, but in retrospect this was a small problem for an apartment in a great location in Prague 1! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never needed to use it, however CEA staff provided resources to all and places to go if it was needed! |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in Prague, even at night! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Prague is a beautiful city and I would love to go back and spend more time there. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Prague is very cheap, relatively speaking. Make sure you have a budget laid out before you leave. It'll help you to stay on track |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
There was a Czech language class during orientation with key phrases, but no one required you to constantly use the language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Spanish, not helpful in the Czech Republic! |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Czech is a hard language to learn, but many people speak English. Locals appreciate it if you know a few key phrases though, like Hello, Please, Thank You, etc. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | Studying abroad is not always going to be easy. There will be days when everything seems to be going wrong, but you should always remember how lucky you are to have this experience! |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
