Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing experience in Prague, Czech Republic Past Review

By (Anthropology/European History, Arizona State University) for

ISA Study Abroad in Prague, Czech Republic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile. Being an Anthropology major, my whole degree is about different cultures and this experience helped broadening my world view.

Review Photos

International Studies Abroad (ISA): Prague - Liberal Arts Photo International Studies Abroad (ISA): Prague - Liberal Arts Photo International Studies Abroad (ISA): Prague - Liberal Arts Photo International Studies Abroad (ISA): Prague - Liberal Arts Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload at Charles University was different then what I had experienced at ASU prior to studying abroad. The classes were strictly lecture and readings. There were no homework. The majority of my classes grades were based off of one test that was administered at the end of the semester. I had one teacher, Mr. Jiri Holub, who was by far one of the best professors I have had in my whole collegiate career. He was personable, invited us to his hometown and his flat in Prague, and his lectures were always interesting.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

My on-site administer, Daniella, was an amazing individual. She was very fun and set up wonderful excursions for us. I had an issue with something early on in the semester and she was wonderful in clearing it up. She also helped some students who had gotten a transit ticket and helped them clear up all the issues (since we weren't fluent in Czech, she went on her own time to help translate).

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I overall enjoyed my living situation. I lived in an apartment with another girl from my ISA program in a Czech apartment building. We were located in Zizkov which was about a fifteen minute tram ride from the university. Our apartment was small but had all the amenities that we needed and was fully furnished. ISA also provided a cleaning service once a week.

* Food:

The food was easily comparable to German food: a lot of potato pancakes and red sauerkraut. I was not a pork eater prior to my experience but ate pork there because it is the most common meat in the Czech Republic. My overall favorite food I had there were the cheese sandwiches. Vendors sell them on the street and they are an amazing cure for a hang over!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

ISA provided field trips almost every weekend. We went to the Czech Opera, a spa town where we went the spa for a day, Czech Swiss National Park, Ardspach National Park, Terezin (a concentration camp), a wine town where we had a wine tasting, and Vienna and Budapest for a weekend trip. With my fellow ISA students we traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia. On my own I went to Birmingham, England to stay with a friend who was studying abroad there and I also went to Nantes, France to spend my spring break with a girl who my family had as a foreign exchange student in high school.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

We were given health insurance through ISA and we knew the location and phone numbers of any emergency personnel. Like any big town there were homeless people on the streets but I never felt uncomfortable walking by myself at night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

Upon arriving we were given a two week Czech course. Our regular classes did not begin until after the two weeks. Our Czech instructor was a very nice lady who incorporated our training with outside activities, such as ordering food at a restaurant.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I enjoyed my host university, ISA's representative in Prague,and the excursions.
* What could be improved?
  • The only thing I can think of is the difficulty I had in having Arizona State University apply the credits to my degree.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It was an amazing experience and program. I would do it again in a heart beat. The first weeks are hard, but over time you get accustomed to the culture change. One of my last days in Prague an American mistook me for a Prague national; you're ability to adapt to the country and it's culture will surprise you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Totalitarianism in the XXth Century
Course Department:
Instructor: Mr. Jiri Holub
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This professor and class was one of my favorites in my whole collegiate career. The class was challenging but interesting. Prof. Holub was an amazing teacher. We visited his hometown in the Czech Republic where he treated us to lunch and a snack at his favorite cafe. We also were invited to his flat in Prague where we presented our final papers and his wife made us sandwiches. Their were only nine students in my program so the class was very interactive. I would go back to the Czech Republic in an instant to have another class with Prof. Holub.
Credit Transfer Issues: I did have an issue with ASU getting my transfer credits applied to my student account.