Testing the Waters Without Regret Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Taking classes under FAMU international was an absolute pleasure. The professors were all very knowledgeable and taught about their respective topics (script analysis, editing, sound) well. However, the courses under CET were not approached with the same level of enthusiasm or effort. This seems to be the result of the excessive number of students in attendance. Professors weren't able to work as closely or with great attention to most projects due to the large amount of films being produced. This also resulted in production problems since there weren't enough people nor resources to properly address the students lack of necessary connections(to actors and locations) and means to create a successful film. That being said, I would recommend that any student interested in film production consider pursuing a program hosted through FAMU. Although the program might not be ideal, the experiences (in and out of the classroom) are unmistakably important and fun.

On-site administration of your program

As mentioned before, there were more students than the program was suited to accommodate. When the resources my film team was supposed to be provided with fell through, the powers that be were not ready nor willing to help. Only after an excessive amount of effort and pressure on our (the students') part were we able to get the situation sorted

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I appreciated both my living quarters and the people I shared them with.

The food was incredible and inexpensive. Buying food - shopping in general really - is a very different experience and will remind you of the fact that most meet and produce in the US is not very fresh.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I, and most of my peers, became very accustomed to the culture and lifestyle that comes with Prague. The public transit system is easy to navigate and ordering food isn't difficult. Having "Czech buddies" to help advise students on czech culture and get us involved in local activities made a tremendous impact.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Fortunately, I did not experience any serious health issues while abroad and therefore have no experience with the Czech Republic's health care system.

I never, at any point, felt like my safety was at risk while living in Prague. Neither my friends nor myself experienced any instances of crime. That being said, I often traveled with friends and did not explore areas i was unfamiliar with after dark.

If I could have gone through another program that was more focused on the growth and success of their students, I would have prefered that. However, I have no regrets about studying in FAMU and experiencing live in Prague with other incredible students.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

As mentioned before, food and ingredients are impressively inexpensive in the Czech Republic. So long as the food bought is not imported or from an upscale restaurant, you're looking at approximately $2-3 per meal when factoring eating out.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The language course was geared towards teaching students useful basic Czech so that we could function in Prague's community. This resulted in us not only speaking Czech to citizens, but to each other as well.

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• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Working with other passionate students
• Learning from experienced professors
• Experiencing the Czech Republic, both in and out of Prague

• The availability of help and resources for film production
• The restrictive guidelines on narrative structure for creating a film
• The organization and execution of various classes and activities

The Academic or Linguist