Prague- the most beautiful city I've ever been to Past Review

By (Retail Merchandising, University of Wisconsin - Stout) for

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Prague, Czech Republic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was very worthwhile. The only reason I would not choose CEA again is because there's over 200 students in the program. I would have rather enjoyed a smaller group. Also, many students in the program were super rude and unfriendly.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I did not like how professors would rarely give you grade up dates, and whenever I asked, it was like pulling their teeth out. I'm used to always having an idea of what my grade is in a class. For one of the classes I took I have completely no idea what my grade is. On the other hand, the classes were very interesting and somewhat challenging. The professors were very knowledgeable in their fields.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CEA advisers in Prague were so helpful and friendly. They were always there to help you out with any questions.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The entire building itself was very loud. Many students never respected the quiet hours. The apartments were very nice however there were a few issues we had in my apartment (shower drain never worked, really bad water damage in the ceiling). Living with 8 other girls was fine, but they're wasn't a whole lot of storage for us. We were all under the impression that we each had our own closet and desk as outlined in the description of housing on the website. Many girls had to go out an by additional storage bins. The location of our apartment is wonderful. The neighborhood was safe and people were friendly. It was also a 20 minute walk to campus or a quick tram ride. Getting to clubs was also very simple. We were a short walk away from the city center. The view of the river from our terrace was also wonderful.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CEA provided many excursions and activities that helped us understand the culture more. Some of the things we did I would have never done because I had never heard of them before.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The city is very safe. I walked home by myself numerous times and never felt threatened.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I managed to spend 4000 CZK (a little over $200) in a two period. Sometimes I spent more. Drinking takes up a lot of money. Especially if you go to clubs where you need to take a cab there and back, pay for a cover, and drinks are overpriced. I know many people would spend over $100 on a night like that.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Always be aware of the conversion. I wasn't, and it caused me to not budget myself very well.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
Language acquisition improvement?

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If a student wants to experience another language, but doesn't want to be overwhelmed with not being able to communicate then Prague is the best place to go. Also, the night life is great! There's something to do every single night.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Global Perspective of Gender

Course Department: SOC250
Instructor: Bernie Higgins
Instruction Language: english
Comments: This course was so interesting, and the professor knew so much information.
Credit Transfer Issues: no