Prague - a Magical City Past Review

By Walter R Conrad (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/26/2019 to 05/17/2019 with

New York University, Tisch Study Abroad: Prague - 35mm Filmmaking in Prague

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was undoubtably worthwhile. More than anything my learning came from observing how another culture lives from day to day. The historical learning that I have absorbed throughout my life was also given a definite and solidifying context.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The primary focus of this program was to prepare students to create an original short film by the end of the semester. The technical training was decent, but I would not say that we we challenged conceptually in each class.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everyone was extremely helpful and responsive.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The apartments were beautiful and had excellent practice rooms for musicians. The computers upstairs were sufficient for editing purposes for the film students. The atmosphere was very creative and welcoming.
* Food:	I loved the local food options although some students struggled with the Czech diet which consists of a large amount of meat and rich, fatty foods. Cooking for oneself was an attractive option and the grocery stores were stocked with most of the same foods that I could find at home.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I don't speak the language, so it is difficult to become integrated past a certain point. The orientation to the program did offer a significant amount of cultural learning that I found very interesting and helpful.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Although I did not personally have an experience with health care, the system for receiving care seemed good and the staff at my program seemed ready and willing to help if anyone needed assistance.
* Safety:	Prague is a very safe city, and I always felt safe there.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I had a fantastic time in Prague. this is a difficult question but I do feel that I would not have traded my experience there for any other.

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)	Food is very inexpensive. Travel and nightlife are the most significant costs.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Cook for yourself! Also, limit the amount you spend if you go out to a nightclub.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	The professors The setting, in Prague The quality of equipment and services provided
* What could be improved?	Constructive and concept-based course work Communication between host university and FAMU
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I think that going abroad can be an intimidating experience but I encourage anyone to be brave and do it, because if one approaches this time with the right mindset, it can truly be an incredibly fun and formative time in ones life.

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Central European Film
Course Department:	Film and Media Culture
Instructor:	Ivana Dolezalova
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was challenging and forced us to think critically about film. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and inspired thought-provoking conversations - she was always well prepared. I participated quite often in class. We had assigned readings and essays for the midterm and final.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Hoping to transfer the credit soon.

Course Name/Rating:	Intermediate Production
Course Department:	Film and Media Culture
Instructor:	Michael Gahut
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was challenging. I would have liked to have received more direct instruction about how to use the camera. More information about lighting setups would have been very helpful as well. The teacher was very knowledgeable and had a great and infectious passion. We were evaluated based upon the quality of our film at the end of the semester.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Directing Traditions - Theories
Course Department:	Film and Media Culture
Instructor:	Ivo Trajkov
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was not terribly challenging. The teacher was knowledgeable although he did not always seem prepared. We were introduced to a number of concepts although they were abstract in nature and it was difficult to extract meaningful learnings. We were assessed through participation in class and by the quality of our films.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Screenwriting and Analysis
Course Department:	Film and Media Culture
Instructor:	Eva Papouskova
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was challenging. We were given a nice location scouting field trip by our instructor. The teacher was very knowledgeable and seemed well prepared. I participated frequently. We were evaluated based upon the quality of the scripts that we brought to class.
Credit Transfer Issues: