Unbelievable Experience Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/06/2017 to 05/19/2017 with

UPCES - Study Abroad in Prague (CERGE-EI, Charles University)

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

Extremely worthwhile. Study abroad gives you a different outlook on life in the United States. You recognize cultural differences much more, and at the same time, I appreciate those differences more.

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.	Most classes were 3 hours of straight lecturing. The professors hardly ever allowed for class discussion of the topics.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Rented my own apartment. The program gives you a lot of freedom with your housing.
* Food:	Prague is inexpensive which allowed me to eat at restaurants quite often.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I never had any health problems
* Safety:	I always felt safe, even in the metros at night.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes The school part of the program was not great. However, we only had class Monday-Wednesday, which allowed for plenty of travel. If i am being honest, I did not study abroad to have an overly rigorous course load, I went to experience living in a foreign country, to travel Europe, and to learn about the wide variety of cultures that exist there. I believe that I accomplished my goal.

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)	Very easy, Prague is super inexpensive. You can eat lunch for $4 and dinner for $6-8 if you eat at a restaurant for both meals. If you cook, you can get by on very little money.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	You are going to spend far more money when you travel than when you are in Prague. So, while you may feel like you can eat out almost every meal in Prague, it doesn't hurt to cook and save your money for when you are in other parts of Europe.

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	I enjoyed taking Czech. It is nice to know the basics.
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?	Haven't taken a language since 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?	Try to speak to people in Czech. The majority of Czechs in the city center speak English, and they recognize Americans almost immediately. Try to initiate conversation in Czech, otherwise they will speak to you in English.

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 International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Prague itself Short school week travel
* What could be improved?	Class Topics Structure of Class
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	How quickly it goes by. Also, have a rough idea of what you want to do/where you want to go, but don't book everything in advance. Some of my most memorable trips were impulsive adventures with my friends that we decided to do the day of. Last piece of advice, take one road trip. Rent a car and go somewhere. Something about road tripping adds an entirely different element to travel.

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:	Comprehending the Holocaust
Course Department:
Instructor:	Michael Plzek
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This was the most interesting, well taught, thought provoking class I took while studying in Prague. The professor is incredibly knowledgable on the subject matter, and he is great at delivering the information. Also the readings were really interesting. Despite being a 3 hour block, the class always flew by.
Credit Transfer Issues: