The best decision I made in my college experience Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/11/2017 to 12/15/2017 with
UPCES - Study Abroad in Prague (CERGE-EI, Charles University)
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The amount of self-confidence you gain from thriving in a totally different country is unparalleled. I feel like I grew a lot from these experiences.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
If you keep up with the reading it is extremely managable |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Didn't have to use any health care services |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
We got free phone plans, discounted gym memberships, and extremely nice housing through the program. Made my transition to Prague that much easier. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Depends on your lifestyle. Prague is very cheap so we would go out to eat often. If one ate in every night he/she would barely spend any money at all |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably just over $120 a week. On dates I'd travel it was more due to flights/hostels. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | 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? | Order food in Czech at the minimum. You learn how to do it early on. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Similar products are carried in Czech stores but there is not the selection that we are used to as Americans. Any specific toiletries/items you will need make sure to bring them with you. |
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 UrbaniteA 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: |
Literature and Society |
| Course Department: | Literature |
| Instructor: | Josef Fulka |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Really cool Professor. Clearly knew a ton about not only the authors but the deeper meanings in all of their works. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Gender and Minorities in Post-Socialist Europe |
| Course Department: | Sociology |
| Instructor: | Alena Soler |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Thought I would hate this class but loved it. Great professor who brings up really interesting topics and discusses why certain groups of people are stigmatized while challenging us to come up with solutions. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Surveillance in Central and Eastern Europe: Social Control Methods Before and After Communism |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Ewa Grigar |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Really interesting course. Made use of different films, powerpoints, and lectures. Positive experience |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Elementary Czech |
| Course Department: | Czech |
| Instructor: | Zuzana Švíbková |
| Instruction Language: | Czech/English |
| Comments: | One of my favorite classes abroad. Usually get frustrated learning a language but Zuzana was incredible. It's a difficult language and she was very understanding and you could tell she was genuinely excited for you when something made sense. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Prague as a Living History |
| Course Department: | Architecture/Art |
| Instructor: | Ondrej Skripnik |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Awesome course. Got to see all of the awesome spots in Prague. Sometimes hard to understand the Professor because of his accent. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
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