Why did you decide to study abroad with AIFS at Charles University?
Mayan: I had recently switched my major to English, so I needed to find a school that would provide the opportunity to take enough English classes to graduate on time. I looked at all the usual places I thought I might love: London, Florence, Paris. They are had their pros...and their cons. I had a friend who had been to the Prague program with AIFS and he was constantly singing their praises-the food, the culture, the beauty of the city! I looked up the website and within the hour I had filled in my application.
The program in Prague was very reasonably priced and had great reviews. Sure, I knew nothing about the Czech Republic (probably couldn't have found it on a map before), but hey! What else is study abroad for?
What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Mayan: I think the number one reason that makes this program so special (besides the fact that, in my unbiased opinion, Prague is the most interestingly beautiful city in Europe) is the amazing staff that work at the office. They are in the office anytime you could need them and are with you enough in your first weeks that you can feel comfortable dipping your feet in the water that is your new city without feeling like you're adrift without any support.
Again, I think that Prague is a really special city--the people, the food, the beer (obviously) and the culture is opposite of American (which is why we stand out so much on the metros). I loved every minute of my time and would walk around the city after the first week weaving through tourists with the confidence that I wasn't one of them anymore. Prague becomes your home really quickly--and it is really satisfying to have a small conversation in Czech or help a tourist find their hotel.
I have had a lot of friends study abroad but everyone I know who comes back after living in Prague is different--as if the time they spent there was more sacred or meaningful. I know everyone misses the city that they study abroad in but I really do feel that there is a different kind of feeling for Prague. Franz Kafka supposedly said "Prague never lets you go…this dear little mother has sharp claws." That really makes sense to me.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Mayan: When I got home, obviously I immediately wanted to go back, but academically I felt on top of the world when I returned because I had just taken classes at one of Europe's oldest universities, with worldly professors who were so influential on my perspectives and made friends from all around the world! I was proud of what I had accomplished. I wrote my senior capstone thesis based on what I had learned of the history of the Velvet Revolution and a very influential book that had been written about it. When I had to give my final presentation, people took my opinion seriously and were very interested. It felt really good to bring another perspective in a class where all the other students chose American authors. I'm now working for a publishing house who recognized the value of studying abroad when I applied but that doesn't mean they need to know I spend time at work looking up photos of Prague... :)