AIFS Abroad in Prague, Czech Republic (CU): Semester

I loved studying abroad with AIFS in Prague. Classes were offered through Charles University, which included a two-week Czech immersion course before we began our semester classes. It was really helpful to go through the basic vocabulary and grammar structure as soon as we got to the country, but my favorite part about that class? I could see Prague Castle from my window.
Being away from my home university and the pressures of extracurricular activities freed up my time to enjoy the city. One of my favorite things to do, which prompted by an assignment for my literature class to "make a coffeehouse your regular spot," was to order an apple tart and cappuccino at Kavarna Slavia, the cafe across the street from Narodni Divadlo (National Theater). While going to a restaurant by myself in the middle of the day was something I would never do at home, I felt liberated to experience the litany of activities that Prague had to offer.
While the housing offered by AIFS was by no means fit for a king, I was generally satisfied with the building. But due to rumors of the washing machine shredding clothes, I would make a 14-stop tram trek across the city every other Tuesday with my clothes in plastic bags to do my laundry safely. The most difficult part of the living situation was the less-than-adequate "kitchen," which included a mini-fridge, two hot plates, and any kitchen supplies that were left over from other residents. As a vegetarian, I really could have used a better kitchen to prepare my meals, as I found myself reboiling leftover pasta because I couldn't heat it any other way. Otherwise, it was useful living in a building that wasn't totally occupied with students - when my siblings came to visit, they were able to stay in a room on the floor above me.
The staff at AIFS was really friendly and helpful. I loved taking trips with AIFS, especially because they planned trips to places I probably wouldn't have considered traveling to otherwise, like Brno in the Eastern region of the Czech Republic and Krakow, Poland. Our program included a lot of free opportunities for day trips, walking tours, and cultural events in and around the city, though tickets were limited and you had to sign up at the program office before they ran out. They were able to recommend anything from apartment services to restaurants in the city and were so dedicated to getting to know students on a personal level. These things definitely made me appreciate going to a smaller, more personalized program such as AIFS Prague.
I have already recommended this program to several friends and will continue to recommend it. While Prague on its own has so much to offer to students, AIFS only enhanced its amazing opportunities.

I honestly could not have asked for a better experience studying abroad. I went to Prague with AIFS during the summer of 2010, and the six week program was everything I had hoped for and more. Not only did I have an incredible cultural experience, I came out with lifelong friends and a group of 22 people we all still fondly refer to as our "Prague Family."

During my time there, I took an art history class and a Central European history class. Both classes provided a different look at the city I was living in; history was academically challenging and the professor was phenomenal, while art history utilized an experiential teaching method with tours of museums, galleries, churches, and so forth. However, AIFS is a program that balances work and play perfectly, ensuring that we experienced all of the culture that Prague has to offer. While in the city, we had the opportunity to partake in trips to historical cafes, tours of the city and castles, etc. Zdenek Benes, a.k.a. "Z," who accompanied us on our travel excursions and led our tours, is the most knowledgeable man I may have ever met. He knows all there is to know about Prague and enriched our experience very much!
Honestly, all of the staff at AIFS Prague are incredibly helpful, knowledgable, and friendly. The excursions planned by the staff were exceptional; we met in London, traveled through Moravia (historical Czech wine country), visited Krakow and Auchswitz, and went to Vienna. In each location, our itineraries balanced planned activities with free time to explore, and these trips were unbelievably fun. I think our travel opportunities were very special, as I know many other programs don't provide as many changes to explore Europe.

My advice for anyone considering traveling to Prague through AIFS:
First, go on as many excusions as possible! I was fortunate enough to be able to go on all of them, and am so thankful. These are when the group bonds the most, and you get to experience places that you may never have a chance to visit otherwise. I know that people who missed out on them were disappointed. Second, get to know the staff. (Especially Z and Jana, if they're still there!) They're there to help you in any situation, and you want to be comfortable with them. Take it from someone who had to go to a doctor, who spoke no English, while in Prague- you want the staff as backup when you're in a pickle. Third, learn basic phrases and try to use the language as much as possible. This not only makes it easier to navigate the city and interact with the locals, but the locals really appreciate it. Even if you're terrible, the mere fact that you respect their language and don't assume they speak English is good. Fourth, take public transportation. The metro is fantastic in Prague and AIFS gives you a pass! And finally, eat the goulash. Every day.

Bottom line: Go to Prague with AIFS. It will be the best decision you ever make.

The best thing about studying abroad with AIFS is the cultural experience that you get to absorb. AIFS Prague staff are your gateway to the entire city as well as the surrounding areas. All inclusive weekend trips, free theatre tickets to ballets, plays, and all that the theatrical world of Prague has to offer, as well as walking tours only begin to describe this experience. And that is just the AIFS part of the trip. Forget the fact that you will be in one of the most stunning cities in the entire world. You are surrounded by history, culture, a great night scene, and overall a fantastic experience. And AIFS does everything and more to give you a home away from home. People seem to always be waiting for their life to begin. My life felt like it was given soul in Prague. It began to breathe in Prague. Plus, the beer is pretty darn good..

Studying in Prague was an experience of a lifetime. The memories I made will last forever. Being able to immerse yourself in a culture completely different from your own and succeeding is one of the greatest feelings you can have. Everything from the language to the people to the culture to the food was amazing. I now know that I love beef goulash! Spending nights walking through Old Town square are memories I will be telling my own grandchildren about. If given the chance to study abroad, I highly recommend going through AIFS and heading to Prague because the staff are always there to help you with whatever question you may have, and Prague is beautiful. I loved it so much I plan on working in Prague as soon as I graduate!

I studied abroad in Prague in the summer of 2010. It was my real first, independent experience. I took two classes over there, Czech Art & Architecture and Eastern European Politics. I had classes 4 times a week. I would wake up, grab a pastry at a local shop or some fruit and yogurt in our cafeteria, and attend class. During my art class we visited many art museums, churches, castles and simply just walked through the city studying the artistic value. After class I would meet friends for lunch and usually explore the city some more, sometimes going to the river beach, the outdoor markets, the outdoor gardens, or exploring Old Town Square. In the evenings I had another night class and then usually would meet up with people to go out and enjoy the night life. The World Cup was going on during that time, and Old Town Square had a huge televised screening of the games! On weekends, we took trips to Moravia, Krakow and Vienna. I saw and learned so much while there. My study abroad in Prague was most definitely my most cherished college experience.

AIFS provided an exceptional program. There was a total balance between work and play, and they were really good about providing cultural experiences that you may not commit to doing on your own. It was great how close all the program participants lived to each other, and they made it easy to make strong bonds with others quickly. The staff was extremely helpful and available to answer questions, and the office was in a convenient location for popping in or printing your travel confirmations for individually planned trips.

Prague was awesome, great nightlife, the side trips to Vienna and Krakow and Warsaw were cool as well. The film classes were interesting, saw some crazy Czech movies. Overall a great time

Studying in Prague with the AIFS study abroad experience was everything I wanted and more. Not only did I have an unforgettable and enjoyable experience because the city was so cultural and picturesque but the classroom experience was fun and interesting, with the Charles University professors being great too. The AIFS staff was the best that I could ask for: each staff member was warm, welcoming and friendly so you could talk to them about anything. In general, I was very impressed with AIFS because they organized all the little details of activities so well that you were never bored and always having fun. We went on weekend excursions in Moravia, Austria, and Poland, and you could tell that a lot of thought went into each activity and how the time was spent. Make sure to bring some good walking shoes because you'll walk around EVERYWHERE. Some other random tips are that you must pay for the water in restaurants and if you don't specify non-sparking water, you will get seltzer...which wasn't a very popular choice among our group. Buy big bottles of water (1.5L) in Prague -- they're economical. Also, be sure to go over your map of Prague carefully! The names are intimidating but you WILL get used to them pretty quick. Lastly, take lots of pictures because Prague is beautiful and you'll soon realize that even the pictures you thought you would delete end up as great memories. :)