Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best few months of my life January 25, 2023

By (Central European Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/13/2022 to 12/16/2022 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learned how to acclimate to a new culture and a new lifestyle. Definitely worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

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

Great location, great classes, great teachers, great people, great prices

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? $200-$500
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Prague, Croatia, Budapest

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? Intermediate Spanish
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Use it in daily situations (at restaurants)

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
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 people
  • The Classes
  • The city of Prague
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How accommodating teachers are

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: History
Instructor: Michal Plzak
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Yes to everything. My favorite course abroad, great teacher, relevant field trips. I participated in class either the same or more often than I would have in a course at Middlebury. I was assessed through papers, exams, and a presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Elementary Czech
Course Department: Language
Instructor: Sylvie Prevlatilova
Instruction Language: English/Czech
Comments: Challenging language to learn but the instructor was very helpful and accommodating. I participated a lot during class. Went on class field trips. I was assessed through exams and a video presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Prague as a Living History

Course Department: History
Instructor: Ondrej Skripnik
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not too challenging, Field trips essentially every class. Teacher was very well-prepared with information regarding the trips. I was assessed through exams and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: I didn't transfer credit for this course.
Course Name/Rating:

Cryptocurrencies and Digital Currencies
Course Department:
Instructor: Branislav Saxa
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not too challenging but new material to me. The teacher was very knowledgeable due to his profession in finance/banking. I participated about the same that I do in Middlebury courses. I was assessed through two exams and a presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues: I didn't transfer credits for this course.
Course Name/Rating:

Behavioral Finance
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Rene Levinsky
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Challenging course. The teacher was knowledgeable and well-prepared. I didn't participate much in this class. We were assessed through a presentation and exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues.