Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The most amazing four months of my life! Past Review

By (Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/14/2015 to 12/18/2015 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a new understanding of the different cultures that make up a good portion of the rest of the world. It was 100% worthwhile, might be the highlight of my college career.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

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)

Prague is a very cheap city that is great for those on a student budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $120
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Local restaurants are always cheaper and apps like yelp can help you plan and budget how and where to eat.

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? Spanish 200-300 level but I had never taken a Czech language course
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? In country with every storeowner or local person you see or meet.

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 City
  • The Professors
  • The Integration techniques
* What could be improved?
  • The communication before hand
  • Course Descriptions
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That living close to school is vary valuable and that planning ahead for travel is very necessary.

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: Teacher was very knowledgeable and the assessments were fair and varied, I took a lot away from this class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Comprehending The Holocaust
Course Department: History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The most in-depth study that I have done on the holocaust and world war 2 in my scholastic career.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Elementary Czech
Course Department: Languages
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Czech
Comments: Great class that gave me the ability to talk to many locals in Czech.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Housing Market in a Central European Context
Course Department: Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A difficult and challenging course with a professor who could be possibly considered the leader in the studies of housing markets in central Europe. While the coursework was sometimes a little too difficult at times, overall the course was interesting and thought provoking.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Prague As A Living History
Course Department: History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Class was a great way to get to know the city of Prague and the history of the area and central Europe. Teacher was well prepared and all of the assessments were fair to what we had learned.
Credit Transfer Issues: