INCREDIBLE Past Review

By A student (International Politics and Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/15/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

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

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

For me it was so worthwhile because while I was familiar with Western Europe, I knew nothing about eastern Europe. I am also very interested in the transition from communist economies to a free market economy so I learned a great deal into that that I would not have been able to learn at Middlebury.

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.	I thought most of the classes were very good. I think we had some very qualified professors.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everything was run very smoothly. Everything from health insurance to cell phones to public transportation
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I had an awesome apartment for a very good price
* Food:	The food was great because Prague is a city so you can find whatever you want
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Not all too integrated, but mostly because the language was so different
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I did not have an experience with healthcare, but I knew exactly where to go and what to do in the event that I needed it
* Safety:	I felt very safe walking around Prague, even late at night.
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 was very cheap so everything worked out well. I only spent more money when I traveled around Europe.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I probably spent around 100 dollars
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	I would highly recommend stemming a budget every week and leaving enough money for trips. It is easy to spend money abroad so be very conscious that you will be there for a few months

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	The professor always spoke to us in Czech and we often did exercises in class that made us go out on the streets of Prague and talk to actually Czechs
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 had never taken Czech before in my life
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?	I would just note that the language is completely different from anything you have seen so just be open minded and work on the pronunciations with the professors as much as possible

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?	European-American relations of the 21st Century My Czech class All the other students that I got to meet. I will stay in touch with a lot of the other students that were in the program
* What could be improved?	Some of the english language skills of the professors
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew how much money I would spend on trips outside of the Czech Republic

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 Networker An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Czech Language
Course Department:	Czech
Instructor:	Silvia
Instruction Language:	English/Czech
Comments:	I loved my professor. Her english was perfect and she made learning a difficult language very engaging
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	European Integration
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Nasjlova
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I thought the professor was vey qualified and very insightful. I thought it was a super interesting course, I learned a ton about the European system I would not have learned at Middlebury
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Prague as a Living History
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Svatek
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	One of my favorite courses because we got to see a lot of Prague itself. I would not have seen as much of Prague and its culture and architecture had I not taken this class
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	European-American Relations of the 21st Century
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Zieleniec
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Incredible class with an incredible professor. I have never met someone so qualified as he. He used to be a member of the European Parliament and was a huge deal in the Czech Republic during the velvet revolution.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	CEE Growth and Development
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Stanisic
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Did not like this class. I thought the teacher didn't do a great job explaining her topic and it was taught at a low level. I was often bored in class because it was too easy anther english wasn't the greatest
Credit Transfer Issues: