Amazing! Past Review
By A student (Business Administration, Management and Operations., University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 02/09/2013 to 05/17/2013 with
ISA Study Abroad in Prague, Czech Republic
It was truly a life-changing experience. I am now more globally aware; I experienced many different cultures throughout Europe firsthand, I know and care about world politics/news, and met interesting friends and potential business contacts from around the world. The two most important things I gained from studying abroad was confidence and independence. I feel that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to in both international business and my personal life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took two classes which were a breeze and the other three classes were similar in difficulty to the classes at my host university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The ISA staff are extremely friendly and helpful. They genuinely care about their students and try to make |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was in a very convenient location; five minutes to school and located right by a metro and tram stop. The only drawback was that no other ISA students lived in our building. |
| * Food: |
The salads and sandwiches at the university were tasty and cheap for lunch. I made the rest of my food at my flat. I spent under $50 a week for groceries every week and used the extra money for traveling. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My assigned Czech buddy was a lifesaver! I can't imagine how I (or my roommates) would have survived without her. My very first night in Prague, she took me out to eat in an authentic Czech restaurant and the next day she helped me buy my transportation card, taught me how to use public transportation in general, brought me to a grocery store/department store to buy towels, toiletries, groceries, etc. Later on, she helped me with my Czech essays and even invited me to her home in Moravia for the weekend! Take advantage of the buddy system and become good friends with your buddy or your friend's buddy. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No vaccines were needed for the program. Fortunately, I only had to deal with a minor cold during my semester abroad. One of my friends in the program did get sick with a virus and was brought to a clinic with English speaking doctors by an ISA staff member the immediately the next day. Fortunately, she began to feel better with antibiotics. |
| * Safety: |
I can honestly say that I felt very safe in Prague. Prague has a very low incidence of violent crimes. Like most major cities, pick-pocketing will be your biggest worry. Keep your purse/wallet in front of you and to your body at all times, especially in the Old Town area! |
| 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 very cheap compared to all of the other EU countries I visited. Although, it's still easy to spend too much. If you spend too much one week, just make sure to cut back the next week. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 average (trips not included) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't waste money on going out to eat. The money I saved from eating at home went towards trips, entertainment, night life etc. I made an expenses spreadsheet to track my spending. |
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? | 4 years high school |
| 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? | Make flashcards and practice saying small phrases to friends, professors, locals 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? |
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 wish that I had known to only carry the amount of money you will need for the day. I was pick-pocketed and lost hundreds of dollars. I also strongly recommend to NOT carry your passport on you! Carry a copy instead. Not only does a replacement passport cost a lot of money, it can also prevent you from going on an excursion. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
