A Place to Definitely Czech Off the List

Charles University's ECES program was everything I had hoped for in a study abroad experience. It was my first time outside of the United States and not only did this program open my eyes to the Czech Republic, it exposed me to almost all of Europe. The classes in this program were interesting and one of them turned out to be my favorite class in college. The professors expectations are clear and more than reasonable. The program staff for ECES were incredibly helpful and never left me hanging when it came to answering questions. What's more, they always kept me informed about major cultural events in Prague in case I wanted to go. I did live with plenty of American students, but there are chances to meet international students by participating in the Czech Language Buddy program, volunteering at the local high school, or even speaking to people in classes.

Two great things about Prague: cost and location. Living in Prague was cheap but good quality and I miss it every day. Prague's location is also unbeatable. I managed to see nine additional countries while in Europe and the longest day of travel was a 2.5 hour plane ride.

As a result of being exposed to so many cultural differences in Europe, I have solidified my goal of having an international component be part of my career. Being in Prague through this program gave me more confidence to push my own boundaries and take ownership of every experience I do in the future. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is even slightly considering Prague or Europe.