Prague: Surpassed Even My High Hopes Past Review
By Caitlin R (History, Art HIstory, Tulane University) for
UPCES - Study Abroad in Prague (CERGE-EI, Charles University)
After my experience, I think every student who has the opportunity to study abroad should seize it. Even if you don't get everything you expect out of it, you will still learn so much about yourself as an individual. Since returning, I have spent a lot of time figuring out how to go back and where else I would like to explore next.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Charles University |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My expectations were met and surpassed. I felt that the administration on my program was better than that I encounter at my university in the states. Everyone was extremely helpful, welcoming, and knowledgeable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We moved into fully-furnished apartments that we found once we arrived in Prague. I lived in Old Town, right off the square and could not have been in a more beautiful and convenient area. I never felt unsafe while in Prague 1. |
| * Food: |
Grocery stores have pretty much everything we're used to in America, and you can choose to go to larger stores like Tesco to find more "American" items. I loved the food in Prague, regularly ate at restaurants because they are so affordable, and would buy food from the stands on the streets. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would highly recommend all the trips organized by CERGE, especially Cesky Krumlov and Krakow/Auschwitz. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Prague is very safe, I never felt uneasy or scared there, even when walking through the city alone at night. I would not recommend getting into a cab alone (especially if you are a girl) after dark, though. The local healthcare system was very different from what I'm sued to at home, but it was still clean, efficient, and good. There were no prevalent health isseus that I needed any vaccines for. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I probably spent about 100 dollars a week if I stayed in Prague, but on weeks that I traveled to other cities and countries I definitely spent more for tickets and on food because Prague has the lowest cost of living of any large European city. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you want to travel on the weekends (and you should!) definitely try to plan with your friends and book your tickets as soon as possible for lower fares. Also, stay in hostels over hotels...look them up in the city you are going to on hostelworld.com which offers ratings and reviews. I only stayed in hostels with 95% or higher satisfaction reviews and was always very happy with them. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
We had Czech "buddies" who we practiced language with if we wanted. Also, Czech was definitely used in everyday interactions, and the program did a good job of teaching us phrases and words we need to get by. English was very widely understood and spoken in Prague, but not so much outside the city. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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