Czech This Out: My Time in Europe

My name is Bram Blackwell and I am a junior accounting major and I just finished up my semester abroad at The University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic. This semester abroad I have traveled to 15 different countries, made some great new friends, and learned more skills and life lessons in 4 months than I ever imagined. Studying in Prague is rewarding and extremely challenging. Going to the local market and trying to buy groceries for my apartment proved to be one of my hardest tasks. Only about 1/5th of Czech people speak English and although I am taking language courses it can take 5-10 years to learn the Czech language. Every day is a new adventure in Prague. The people in Prague are full of surprises and still learning how to live without communist government. Many of the local students I have met still remember what it was like during the era when soviets forces controlled Czech lands. Learning about their lives and their parents helped me better understand the people of the Czech Republic. Even today most Czech people don’t smile in public and struggle to adapt to a democratic system. A typical week for me in Prague is usually very busy. The week starts with classes and a tram ride to the nearest Grocery store to buy some food for the week. Usually after my classes end on Tuesday and Wednesday I will go out and explore different areas of Prague. Prague seems like a fairytale land filled with medieval buildings all untouched by WWI and WWII. Most evenings my friends and I will get together to do something. Whether that is having a potluck, going to an AC Sparta soccer game, or taking paddle boats out on the Vltava river there never seems to be a lack of things to do during the week. For me the weekends meant travel time. On Thursday night I would pack for my next weekend trip. After traveling across Europe on trains, planes, and busses I have decided train travel is my favorite. My friends and I would all load up into a coach car close the door and be whisked away like we were off to Hogwarts for the weekend. Traveling for me was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to study abroad: I wanted to see as much of Europe as I could in my 4 months. I loved everywhere I traveled and all the experiences from climbing mountains to visiting some of the most famous cities in the world. Traveling on the weekends was exhausting, long travel days, sleeping in hostels, and walking up at least 10miles a day was the normal schedule during a weekend of travel. My goals: leave each city with no regrets, spend money of experiences not comfort, and most importantly see and try everything that city has to offer. As Sunday rolled around it was time to gather my things from the hostel and head back home to Prague. Everyone referred to Prague as “home” or “our city” so every weekend when I traveled as was just as excited to return home as I was to leave because I knew I had another week of brand new experiences ahead of me. The experiences I have had abroad are once in a lifetime opportunities and I truly feel studying abroad has been the best decision I have mad in my life. Even though it is sad to leave Europe, studying abroad has rekindled my passion for Indiana State, my academics, career path, and my involvement on campus and in the Networks program. Upon my return I hope to use the skills I have gained studying abroad to be the best Sycamore possible.