Imagine you were going to live in a country for three months and you knew only three words in their language. For me it was ahoj (hello), ano (yes), and ne (no). I had multiple emotions running through my head as I boarded the plane. But I promised myself that I would keep two things in mind; to always stay calm and make every experience a positive one.
Now I have been in Prague for a little over a week and I have learned more about the Czech culture and myself then I ever expected. As of right now, the best advice I could give is to study abroad, DO IT! And secondly, ALWAYS stay calm.
Yesterday was my first time to be alone and venturing through Prague. And being my typical self, I got on the wrong tram and ended up somewhere I didn’t recognize. I thought that I would panic. But I surprised myself and not only chuckled at the mistake I had made but I found myself walking through the streets of Prague as if I was trying to get more lost on purpose. The best thing I have done here is get more lost and take in the cold air and study this beautiful city. I thought that I would be homesick and have had culture shock, but it’s been the exact opposite. I am having the time of my life! I would say that the little things like taking the wrong tram, grocery shopping, or trying to read the menu have all taught me to never take advantage of the little details that occur in your everyday life. So far, my decision to study abroad was the best decision I have made in a long time.
Alyssa Fidel
Classmates Connecting Cultures
Prague, Czech Republic
Spring 2012
Liked the post very much! I too get lost on purpose in new places.. Its wonderful experience!! :D
I got stranded in Ukraine for 3 days with a decent level of Russian language skills and it was easily the worst experience of my life. I would recommend not getting lost on purpose.