Life-Changing Past Review

By Alexander Winch (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/08/2019 to 12/13/2019 with

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

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

I learned a lot from my experience. First, I learned a lot about the course material, but more importantly I learned a lot about different cultures and what they prioritize in life. My trip abroad was absolutely worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

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?	$50

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?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	none
How many hours per day did you use 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The course material was very in depth and professors were talented Program offered many trips for free, which all were amazing experiences. The program was very affordable
* What could be improved?	Assistance for emergency situations Longer library hours Recommendations for food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew that each class meets for 3 hours once a week.

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:	The Housing Market in a Central European Context
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Martin Lux
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was very engaging and challenging. The teacher was very knowledgeable and well-prepared with powerpoint for each class session. We had a field trip to explore some of the different housing in Prague. I participated in the course more often than I would have at my home institution. We were assessed by a midterm exam, a final paper, and a formal presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credit.

Course Name/Rating:	Comprehending the Holocaust
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Michal Plzák
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This was my favorite course that I took. It was not overly difficult but did push me in many different ways. There was an abundance of relevant field trips, including a trip to the Aushwitz-Birkenou concentration camps in Poland. The teacher was extremely knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class about as equally as I would have at my home institution. We were assessed by a midterm exam, a final exam, a final paper, and a formal presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credit

Course Name/Rating:	Topics in Industrial Organization
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Jiri Schwartz
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was not very challenging but was very informative and interesting. There were no field trips. The teacher was knowledgeable but didn't really play a large role in the class because the course depended on guest speakers. I participated in the class less often than I would have at my home institution. We were assessed by homework, a midterm exam, and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credit

Course Name/Rating:	Prague as a Living History
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Ondrej Skripnik
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was not very challenging. Each class meeting consisted of a field trip was that extremely revenant to the course material. The teacher was knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class less frequently than I would have at my home institution. We were assessed by our attendance, a midterm exam, final exam, and final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credit

Course Name/Rating:	Elementary Czech Language
Course Department:	Czech
Instructor:	Petra Bulejcikova
Instruction Language:	Czech
Comments:	This course was very challenging but the teacher was very knowledgeable and was good at explaining concepts. There were multiple field trips taken for the course, all of which were relevant to the course material. I participated in the class more frequently than I would have at my home institution. We were assessed by quizzes, a midterm exam, a final exam, and a formal presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credit.