Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best Four Months of my Life Past Review

By (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?
I gained a new sense of independence and met so many new people. It was beyond worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The housing process was very annoying and arbitrary. This was because of the administration.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing process was very annoying and arbitrary. I found housing that was fine but I was very annoyed. It was more expensive than the housing I found for myself.

* Food:

Very good food, so many options

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I did not integrate at all. I had a great time and got so much out of the experience, but Czech culture is a hard one to integrate into.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare was very expensive and there was a huge cultural barrier with the doctors.

* Safety:

I always felt very safe compared to other countries I visited.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

It was a very good program in the most amazing city. I learned so much without the academic stress of Middlebury.

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)

It was very manageable if you cooked, as groceries were very cheap. Everything was very cheap in Prague if you put in effort.

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 a lot for yourself, and don't buy groceries in bulk. Buy for only a couple days at a time.

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

It was not crucial that we used Czech.

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? None in Czech.
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? Participate in class and practice the language

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

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • The city
  • The classes
  • The professors
* What could be improved?
  • Housing
  • Spacing out finals and midterms
  • Healthcare access
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The housing process

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:

Prague as a Living History: Anatomy of a European Capital

Course Department: History, Art History
Instructor: Ondrej Skripnik
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was just challenging enough, but one of my favorite classes. The city was our classroom and I learned so much about Prague from visiting sites and knowing the history behind them, as Prague has so much history.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues transferring credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Political Leadership in Central Europe
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Juraj Hvorecky
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was unnecessarily hard. There were no field trips, but the teacher was nice and always prepared. He was very knowledgable but made the course hard to do well. I participated less than I did at Middlebury because his readings were so confusing. We were assessed via papers and exams.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues transferring credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Elementary Czech

Course Department: Foreign Languages
Instructor: Petra Bulejčíková
Instruction Language: Czech
Comments: It was challenging but so worth it. I learned what I needed to know to study abroad in Prague. The teacher was very well prepared and taught in a very effective manner and was a joy to take a class with. I participated way more than I would have at Middlebury because she made us feel comfortable trying, even though we were not good at the language. We were assessed by exams and homework.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues with credit transfer.
Course Name/Rating:

Comprehending the Holocaust
Course Department: Philosophy
Instructor: Michal Plzak
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was the best class I have ever taken. The professor was amazing and knew the material in the most interesting way. He really stretched the way I think and did it in an intriguing way. I participated a lot and was assessed by papers and exams.
Credit Transfer Issues: No credit transfer issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Gender and Minorities in Post-Socialist Europe
Course Department: Anthropology, Sociology
Instructor: Elena Soler
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was challenging, but so interesting. The teacher was very well prepared and knowledgeable. I participated way more than I do at Middlebury because the discussions were so interesting and the teacher generated good conversations. I was assessed via exams and papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: No credit transfer issues.