Life Changing Experience in Prague

Before going abroad, I was not only hesitant, but also nervous-excited. I was excited to experience something totally new, but worried at the same time. My experience was so incredibly unique because my program with AIFS and studying at VŠE was only 9 people. For some, this many seem like too intimate of a group, but for the 9 of us; we become life long friends. Because the Charles University group was over 50 people, we were able to constantly go out to dinners, explore Prague, and get to know each other very well. Also, the on-site staff was nothing short of amazing. Renata, Maike, Zdenek, Jenny and Karin, were some of the kindest and most caring people I've been fortunate enough to meet in my lifetime.
One aspect of AIFS that I would like future participants to know is to not be scared of going. It may be an intimidating factor, and worry your parents like crazy, but just to sign up, and go abroad. It became something more than just "going abroad" but rather, learning more about myself and gaining skills I would've never acquired had I not gone abroad. For instance, today I am a significantly more confident person and no longer find it strange to speak to strangers, I love getting lost and find unique nooks and crannies, and meeting new people and learning their stories has become a hobby.
My favorite memory in Prague would just be to walk around the city and take in its beauty. As cliché as it may sound, there is something magical about Prague that is indescribable until you visit it for yourself. It truly does look like a city outside a fairytale storybook!
A few tips I'd love to share is to not overpack! It may be tempting to bring all of your favorite clothes but you really won't wear them and will want to fit in as much as possible which means purchasing clothes once you get to Europe. Also, travel with a hiking backpack! It was so easy to throw everything into my huge backpack and travel to multiple cities all over Europe. Use it as a carry-on when leaving the states and then continue using it for weekend trips. You'll be walking around for hours and hours waiting for your AirBnB or hostel to open up your room so you'll need something easy to carry around while seeing the city and waiting.