Prague you have my heart! August 20, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The film program at CET Film Production at FAMU is like none I've ever experienced before. Housed under FAMU International, your core courses are taught by renowned filmmakers and professors from both the Czech Republic and a variety of other countries. The global perspectives I was introduced to in regards to filmmaking were formative of the ways I'll analyze film moving forward. This program is at its best with the hands-on experience you get by making your own film shot on either 16mm or 35mm. I definitely learned most when working with my film's advisor and film group on our project, whether it was workshopping our script or learning how to cast actors. I do wish that the hands-on aspect of the program was spread more evenly throughout the semester, but overall, I am grateful for the experience I cultivated during the program.

On-site administration of your program

I was really impressed by how well CET prepares you to study abroad through their programs. The orientation covered a lot of ground and the PowerPoints were always available for us to reference back to. I know I used CET resources to find doctor appointments, good local restaurants, and telephone numbers of my on-site staff. The staff, especially our program coordinator for CET FAMU, was an incredible help from choosing electives, figuring out our schedules, and becoming involved in Prague cultural life.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment was huge and had three bathrooms, which was perfect for living with 5 other people. Our rooms were spacious and our kitchen and living room were big enough to host friends from our program often. It was relatively easy to put in an order for maintenance on the apartment. The only thing to be aware of is that the apartments house Czech residents, as well as some AirBnBs, which can make for noisy neighbors at times.

One of the best things about the Czech Republic is that groceries are far cheaper than in the United States. My roommates and I shared groceries and would cook for each other a lot, which help split the cost. Prague also has amazing restaurants. There was a shawarma place near my apartment where the workers knew a lot of us and would help us practice our Czech.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Due to the rigorous nature of the program at FAMU, I definitely think there were times when I wasn't able to explore the city as much as a regular abroad student might. I would've liked to meet more Czech locals my age and get involved in more community activities. That being said, I did work on my film with a Czech production manager and cast an older Czech woman as my lead actress. I learned so much from both of them about Czech culture and lifestyle in a way I might not have been able to without my film. I also had some friends run the Prague Marathon, which a bunch of us went to watch and cheer at. Going to events like that, as well as engaging in nightlife, definitely made us feel like part of the city.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was lucky that I didn't have any significant health issues while abroad. The one time I needed to get my ear checked by a doctor, CET was incredibly helpful in connecting me with an English-speaking doctor who was covered by my CET-provided insurance which made the visit free. It was an easy trip on public transportation to get to.

I very rarely felt unsafe in Prague, which I've never before experienced in a big city. Many nightclubs and bars are trained in consent and deescalation, so you could always speak to a bartender or worker if a problem were to arise. Honestly, the few times I felt unsafe were around other tourists, not Czech or other European locals. I'd recommend traveling in groups at night and maybe sharing your location with your roommates. However, Prague is far more safe than any major US city I've visited.

I would absolutely choose to study with the CET/FAMU program if I had to do it over again. Going in, I knew I wanted a film-based program but knew nothing about the Czech Republic. I'm so grateful that my studies in film led me to discover the most beautiful place I've ever been to.

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

Living on a student budget was far easier in the Czech Republic than it would have been in more Western European countries. I could usually get a week or two's worth of groceries for $30-40. Eating out also wasn't too expensive as long as you balanced it with cooking your own meals. The cost of drinks at a bar was also pretty cheap, especially for a beer or cider, which made being social with friends after class far more accessible for me than back in the US.

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

Our Czech professor encouraged us to speak Czech frequently when ordering at restaurants or coffee shops. She also taught us a lot of film-related Czech vocab that we could use on our film sets.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Hands-on filmmaking experience
• Expert guidance
• Beautiful culture and country

• Communications between CET & FAMU
• Work/life balance
• Cultural immersion