The Best Months Of My Life Past Review
By Danielle O (Public Communications, American University) - abroad from 08/15/2012 to 12/13/2012 with
CET Prague
I fell in love with the city, the culture, the experiences, the food and the people. If I could do it all over again, I definitely would.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
If you're looking for a program that will teach you more than what is offered in the content of a book, this is the program for you! Classes were engaging, focusing on the czech language, central/eastern european history, art, literature and philosophy. We were able to visit the other countries we learned about in our history classes, at no additional charge to the program fee itself! Additionally, while learning about the importance of music and art, our professors took us to concerts, museums and exploring throughout the city to admire the architecture. How could classes possibly have been better? |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Kim, Katka and Jiri were all really great and extraordinary helpful! Without them my study abroad experience would not have been as wonderful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Hands down, the nicest apartment I will ever live in...in my life. Placed in a great neighborhood: easy metro/tram access, mall, grocery store, movie theater, coffee-shops, restaurants, etc. CET stands out among other study abroad programs because they pair American students with a local buddy from the designated city, which I loved. |
| * Food: |
I would eat goulash everyday for the rest of my life, if I could. The food, along with the beer of course, was extremely affordable in comparison to other countries in Europe that are on the Euro. I saved money by going to Prague, honestly. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
CET does a great job of trying to make their students feel immersed in the culture around them. My czech class helped me to get around by speaking conversationally when needed, which was great! My apartment made me feel like a local as well, and not just a student studying abroad. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe while in Prague. |
| 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) |
Prague is great because the Czech Republic is not on the Euro, which saved me tons of money in the long run. Studying in Prague actually was cheaper than a semester in D.C. because the costs of living (food, clothing, going out etc.) was so affordable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20 for groceries and no more than $10 (usually closer to $5-7) on meals at restaurants. Beer was ridiculously inexpensive which made going out very affordable as well, especially in comparison to DC. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy groceries and get a use out of the kitchen in your apartment! Avoid going to touristy places for food and drinks, as they tend to be more expensive. Read CET's blog, where other students have written about their favorite restaurants, bars, etc. The trains are very affordable as well, and when flying try to book through easyjet.com, ryanair.com or studentuniverse.com. |
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 |
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| 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? | No language requirement. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Try to practice ordering your meals and drinks while in restaurants. It's the easiest way to learn! |
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 knew I'd meet new people while abroad, but I had no idea how important my relationship with some of them would become. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Prague, Vienna, Budapest |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | Tomas H. |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Loved this class and loved the professor! By focusing on central european philosophers such as Freud, Weininger and Loos to name a few, we were able to see more thoroughly into the framework that shaped the culture of the countries we talked about. The students in this program are also very fortunate to have the traveling seminar through these different regions. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Resistance and Dissent |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | Pavla |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This class was by far one of the most interesting I've taken in my college career! We learned about the underground music movement, graffiti and psychedelic drugs used during the Communist era. The instructor is wonderful! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | They transferred perfectly! |
