Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An adventure in Prague as well as Central Europe / Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis Past Review

By (Economics., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/16/2014 to 05/14/2014 with

Study Abroad Programs in Czech Republic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to observe many different cultures and see some important landmarks/cities/countries that are emblematic to Europe as a whole.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $100/week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook your own food at home when you can rather than going out to eat often.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 6 years of Spanish prior to college
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? Focus on different tenses and cases.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* 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?
  • classes
  • freedom given to students
  • interactive activities in Prague
* What could be improved?
  • the number of students in the program
  • the kitchen in the living area
  • the Core Course (introdcution) exam
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? What Central Europe is like.

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:

CEE Economies
Course Department: Econ
Instructor: Jidelnik
Instruction Language: english
Comments: It was an extensive econ course focusing on the Communist era in central Europe. We had a midterm, a presentation, and a final paper (10-15 pages)
Credit Transfer Issues: Currently in the process of transferring credit, but no issues with required materials.
Course Name/Rating:

Modern Czech Film
Course Department: Film
Instructor: Ivana
Instruction Language: English
Comments: We watched 10-12 famous Czech films throughout the 20th century. We had weekly film write-ups, a midterm paper and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: I had no need to transfer the credit, but there would have been no issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Elementary Czech
Course Department: language
Instructor: Jitka
Instruction Language: Czech
Comments: It was a challenging introductory course to the Czech language. We had several quizzes, a midterm and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: No problems had I needed to transfer the credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Emblematic Reductions
Course Department: Comparative Culture/Literature
Instructor: Bilek
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A in depth class comparing Czech and American culture, did a good job teaching us the underlying causes and explanations of Czech culture. 2 presentations and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: No problems transferring credit.