The Magical City of Prague Past Review

By (University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 01/19/2013 to 05/10/2013 with

USAC Czech Republic: Prague - Politics, Culture, and the Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a more international perspective. It's a very humbling experience being a non-native speaker of a national language. I gained self-confidence by dealing with situations that were very foreign to me all by myself. It was absolutely a worthwhile experience.

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.

Courses were fairly easy, and would have benefited by the presence of Czech students

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Our program director, Jan Stodola, was always very helpful and a pleasure to talk to.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartments were great, but were on the fifth floor with no working elevators.

* Food:

In this program, you are responsible for your own food. Czech food was very good though, lots of meat and potatoes.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I met very few Czech people my own age. However, I didn't feel like a visitor in Prague, I felt like a full resident of the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any experience with healthcare, but the process was explained very clearly to us. It is a bit of a bureaucratic process to be reimbursed though.

* Safety:

I never had any safety related issues.

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)

Prague is very cheap, it's possible to get a full meal and a beer for $5. I only had trouble staying within my travel budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 70
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Budget a lot of money for travel. You think you won't need it, but you will.

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? 203
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

  • 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
  • Program trips
  • Sense of community
* What could be improved?
  • Academic intensity of courses
  • More integration with Czech students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This trip will change your life. You will want to travel a lot, even though you think you won't.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!