Tremendous February 01, 2023

By A student (Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/11/2022 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?

It was definitely worthwhile. Aside from the academics it was a really valuable experience to live in a whole new country for three months and provided me with a more worldly perspective upon returning to the United States.

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.
* 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 I loved UPCES because it was the perfect balance of school and travel opportunities. There was no school on Friday which allowed us to go on trips.

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?	Around $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Try and cook food at home because it will save you a lot

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?	I took Chinese for three years
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?	Use flashcards and study with friends

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?	0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The City itself My Czech professor My living arrangement
* What could be improved?	Dining Options within School
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	That travelling is great but really getting to know the city of Prague and embracing the culture is a valuable experience.

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:	Economics of Transition
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was challenging but allowed me to learn about socialism from a European perspective and the transition to democracy and free market systems.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not transferred credits yet

Course Name/Rating:	Intro to Czech
Course Department:	Language
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Czech
Comments:	This was the perfect introduction to Czech course and not only taught me some of the language but also taught me about culture. I participated a lot because it was a language course but it was very fun.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not transfered yet

Course Name/Rating:	Urban Anthropology
Course Department:	Antrhopology
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was not very challenging but was a great course and I loved the instructor. We were assessed with a midterm essay, a presentation and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not tried yet

Course Name/Rating:	Prague As a Living History
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was a walking tour and rarely met in the classroom. It allowed me to see a lot of Prague that I otherwise would not have visited. We had two tests and one on-site presentation. Overall great experience.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not tried yet.

Course Name/Rating:	Health Economics
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This was an interesting and looked at the healthcare system and health in economic terms. I enjoyed learning economics from a differeny perspective. We had two tests, a paper and a presentation. I learned a lot about healthcare in this class and would reccomend.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not tried yet