Ciao jak se maz from beautiful Praha!
It is with absolute conviction that I say going overseas on exchange was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I made my way to the Universitas Carolina in Prague for six months in my fourth year of an Arts/Laws degree.
Prague is, undeniably, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has been hailed with epithets such as the “Mother of Cities,” “City of a hundred spires” and “The Golden City.” All of which ring true. I opted to complete my arts degree, majoring in ancient history and medieval studies, and my chance to study these subjects in a city which simply exudes history has been priceless. Even the cobblestones have their own story to tell.
As a cultural centre of Europe I could indulge my other love of music and theatre all in its original, architecturally rich, setting. This is not to say it is a backward city. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain Prague has embraced everything modern culture has to offer and uniquely blended it with its proud history.
Being located neatly in the centre of Europe, I had the chance to easily duck across to other countries such as Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia and I was amazed by the diversity of culture in such a small area.
But the most valuable experience of going on exchange was, without doubt, the people I met. My first experience with Czech people was being picked up at the airport by another wonderful student I had known just a couple weeks through one or two emails. Collectively, it takes a while to get to know the Czechs and my first night left me rather daunted after being bellowed at in rapid fire Czech by the ladies in reception at my dormitory. But my friends over there were an eclectic bunch and made up of locals and other exchange students from all over the world. The friendships and connections I forged are life-long and I will never forget my family away from home.
Going on exchange is one of the most incredible, fulfilling and eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had. Sure it can be a little tough at times, but worth every moment. Having no one else but myself to get through the barriers of travelling overseas taught me a lot. And coming back I know there is still a whole world still left to discover. Not to mention the fact it was simply a whole lot of fun.
Read More about Colette's exchange experience here.