Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Bettered myself. Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis Past Review

By (American/United States Studies/Civilization., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/16/2014 to 05/15/2014 with

Study Abroad Programs in Czech Republic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Very worthwhile. Learned a lot about how other cultures live, and also how they view the United States and Americans in general.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

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?

Had to live in a Hotel Dorm in singles with no common room. After a while it was difficult.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Gave us both expensive American doctors, and also the local cheaper doctors.

* Safety:

It was safer than I thought, but after midnight it can be shady. Don't travel alone.

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)

Prague is cheap, but food and other expenses can add up because it is a city.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook your own food

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? None
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? High School Latin 4, and College beginner Italian
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? practice

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • 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?
  • Small size
  • Professors
* What could be improved?
  • Size
  • Better field trips
  • More interaction between students and faculty
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I would be in extremely small classes.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Emblematic Reductions
Course Department: Interdepartmental
Instructor: Petr Bilek
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was a great course taught by a great teacher. The class was very very small so I participated more so than I do at my home institution .I was assessed on papers and presentations of material.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not sure yet, I do not think I will have troubles.
Course Name/Rating:

Czech Modern Film
Course Department: Film + Media
Instructor: Ivana Dolezova
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was challenging at times because Czech films can be very avant-garde, surrealist and generally very off-color and strange. Participated in class and the teacher was great at facilitating discussions. Assessed by weekly responses and papers as well as class discussions.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Czech Language
Course Department: Language
Instructor: Jitka Kauerová
Instruction Language: English + Czech
Comments: Czech language is a very difficult language to read, write and speak. The teacher was very enthusiastic and dedicated to our learning which helped greatly. I participated in class a lot as is expected of a language course. I was assessed on daily participation, quizzes and tests.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Clinical Psychology
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: Mabel Rodriguez and Katka Lonekova
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Had never taken a psychology course but really enjoyed this one. Had very relevant field trips to a psychiatric ward where we spoke with patients about their illnesses. I was assessed on papers, tests and a presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Czech Culture
Course Department:
Instructor: Multiple
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was an intensive 2 week course which detailed Czech culture and history. The teachers were ok, but with so many different teachers it was hard to know what was going to be assessed. I was assessed on one test which counted for all of our grade, which seems a bit too weighted. Field trips were not great either.
Credit Transfer Issues: