Palacky University / Czech Republic
Packing and Traveling
-Specifically,
what kind of linens did you need to bring?
I
brought a pillow case and a blanket.
-What
are you glad you packed from home?
All
my personal stuff so that I wouldn’t have to find it here because some of the
stuff is not sold in the Czech Republic.
Also, I’m glad I packed a rain coat.
It was very useful. I wish I had
brought food, such as chili powder, items that you will not find in the Czech.
-What
do you wish you had left at home?
I
wish I had left some of the clothes I brought. Some I didn’t wear too often.
-Do
you have any travel tips to pass on (planning advice, safety considerations,
guidebooks, train vs. bus, etc.)?
Always
pay attention to where ever you go, just in case you have to go again on your
own or get back to your hotel on your own.
-What
places would you advise future students to see and why?
I
would advise them to see near towns, the country side, and to just take time to
go into random places or shops in Olomouc because they will be surprised at
what they will find.
Social Life
-How
did you meet students from your host country?
First
of all I met my roommates. I also met people by going to different national
nights hosted every Wednesday at BelMondo club.
I met other students by going to social gatherings and volunteering
events.
-How
did you like to spend your free time and why? Is there anything you regret not
doing more of in your free time?
I
spent some of my free time watching one of my favorite shows from back
home. I also went running or just on
walks. Other times I went shopping, got
some food and sat at a park, or read some books I brought from back home. I wish I had gotten out of my room more often,
especially in the first weeks, and just be outside doing things, exploring and
meeting people.
-What
opportunities for social, recreational, and cultural events that the host
university or program offered did you like best? Why?
I
really liked the nights at BelMondo club because you had the chance to see a
little bit of a different culture every Wednesday. I did not attend all of them, but I did get
to help out with Mexican and American night.
I also liked volunteering at Olomouc zoo because it was a very nice
experience and you got to go to the zoo for free. Other than that there really were not many
other opportunities offered by the university.
-What
piece of advice would you give future students regarding their non-academic
life while abroad?
During
the first weeks you will have a lot of free time. Don’t stay in your room most of the
time. Go into town and explore the
streets. Take a walk on a random trail. Once in a while, do chill in your room doing
nothing because towards the last month of your stay you will be doing a lot of
traveling and it will be exhausting.
School Work
-How
did your academic experience abroad differ from your U.S. experiences
concerning?
Studying
abroad did not feel as if I were going to school or taking a regular load of
courses. It was more relaxing and
basically full of field trips, which I always enjoyed and learned a lot from. It was not stressful.
-Relations
with professors/classroom instruction?
The
professors are very helpful and understanding.
They are happy to answer your questions and to teach you everything you
would want to know. They also give
really good recommendations of places you should visit or check out. It was easy to talk to all of them.
-Grading?
I had
no problem with it. The professor from
UNK determined our final grades.
-Study
habits?
I
really didn’t have to study much during this academic experience because it was
more about learning and experiencing the culture. For that you don’t have to study. You just take it in and it stays in your
memory.
-Library?
I did
not visit the library and I had no need for it.
-Computer
access?
I brought
my computer and we had no typed assignments, so I never accessed computers on
campus. You have to bring an Ethernet
cable to get your computer connected in your room.
-What
enabled/hindered your successful academic experience?
I
feel that not speaking the language hindered part of my academic
experience. If I were to know Czech
language, then I would have learned so much more and it would have also been
easier to meet locals and actually converse with them and learn from them. I also wished that the university would have
more cultural and recreational opportunities for us, so that we would meet
Czech students and have a more enriching experience studying abroad.
Money and Communications
-How
much money in U.S. currency would you recommend students have at their disposal
for their whole time abroad?
I
would recommend $3,500 or more if they can.
If they are planning to do a lot of traveling and buying stuff, then the
more money they have the better.
-How
much money did you have in foreign currency when you left for your program? Was
it enough?
I had
no foreign money. Right when I got to
Prague, I withdrew money from an ATM in the airport and it worked fine for me.
-How
did you manage your money (credit cards, traveler’s checks, bank accounts etc.)?
How and where did you access your money?
I
just withdrew money from my bank account whenever I need some. I let my bank know the countries I was going
to visit so that there would not be any problem with my debit card.
-How
much money did you spend on:
Books? $10
School
supplies? $5
Food? $500
Entertainment?
$100
Local
transportation? $50
Travel?
$1500
Personal
items (toiletries)? $100
Postage?
$0
Airfare?
$1000
Laundry?
$50
-How
did you communicate with the U.S.? What would you recommend to future students
(e.g. calling card, set up e-mail account and where, etc.)?
I
used Facebook and Skype. I would
recommend Skype definitely.
Other Comments/Tips:
Enjoy every second
of this experience because it is totally worth it. Don’t worry about small stuff just be
patient. Try to adjust to the rhythm of
how people do things in the Czech. For
example, when going to a restaurant expect to be there a while because they
take their time on everything. Be
friendly and just watch what the locals do.
You will learn a lot by just watching.
Please
also list the “Top 10 Must-Do Activities” to experience during your time
abroad. Please give as much detail as
possible (i.e.- Be sure to go to XXXXXX and ask for Mr. XXXXX as he loves to
chat with students from the U.S., or Take bus #XX to the final stop where you
can see a view of the city.)
Don’t
worry if you can’t come up with 10 activities…just list ones you feel strongly
about! ; )
- Take a run or a walk on the trail that is near the dorms by the fields. It takes them over a bridge and into the country side. It is really peaceful and good when you just need to breathe some fresh air.
- Try the kebab place called “The Big Food Point” that is right next to Varna club, it is near the main square. The kebabs are delicious and cheap!
- Try the Nepalese restaurant called “Crack”. It is right next to Belmondo club. They have buffet lunch and it’s cheap and the Nepalese food is amazing.
- Have an ice cream every day and try the different flavors.
- Visit any of the Vietnamese shops that are on the streets branching from the main square. I don’t know how to describe the exact location, but like I said just go into random shops and you will find good stuff. The Vietnamese shops have everything and it is cheap.
- Take a random bus and see where it takes you.
- Get lost once in a while.
- Go to the main square on May Day, May 1st. There are a bunch of shops and hand made things.
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