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International Programs Office
Student Success Center
Room 0300
Campus Box 1159
Tel: 618-650-2419
Julie Beall-Marshall
Study Abroad Coordinator
jbeall@siue.edu
Dr. Ronald Schaefer
International Programs Director
rschaef@siue.edu
After spending spring semester 2009 studying abroad at the Anglo American University in Prague, Czech Republic, I feel like I have a better understanding of the world around me. These other countries you hear about in the news are not just a far away imaginary place, they are real, with real people living there. And for a small space of time, I feel that I got to be a part of this other place. I also felt a great deal of independence that I have never been able to experience before. It was all up to me to figure out how to find the restaurant I was meeting my friends at or to figure out the tram system. But in a study abroad setting, this independence was more fun than frightening.Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. I lived in a very safe part of town, and I never felt scared or unsafe coming home at night. The cost of living is significantly less than in other parts of Europe. A normal meal at a restaurant can cost between 4 and 7 US dollars. The public transportation is excellent. It was always on time and consistent. The best part of Prague is you can walk almost anywhere in the city, especially through the historic areas. My favorite walk was from the Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral down the "royal way" to school in the mornings, grabbing a pastry and coffee on the way. There are beautiful parks and islands on the Vltava River that we would go to after class to have a beer and just lay in the sun. The city is very relaxed and easygoing.
I took four classes abroad: Politics and Drama, Prague Art & Architecture, 20th Century Art, and Elementary Czech. I had each class once a week for about 3 hours. All of my classes required a presentation, a large project or research paper, a midterm, and a final test. These were the only grades we received aside from participation. So although the amount of work was less than I was used to, the grades were worth so much more and required more work. The Prague Art and Architecture class took us out around Prague once a week to talk about the different styles and individual buildings and to art museums. The Professor had us complete a sketch book of architecture around Prague and I feel like I found parts of the city that I definitely wouldn't have discovered without this class. I also took introductory Czech which was invaluable to my time in Prague. I met many more people with the small amount of Czech I learned. Our class went to a traditional Czech restaurant and on small field trips around Prague. I felt comfortable ordering in Czech at a restaurant and I could understand some things on the menu which allowed me to try even more new things.
The CEA program at the Anglo American University was really great academically and it allowed the students to travel on the weekends. I feel like I got a full European experience with this program because Prague is so central and easy to travel from. I would suggest this program for the student that wants to get a very broad cultural experience through traveling, backpacking, and actually living in an international and historical city in Europe.
For more information on the CEA program in Prague visit: http://www.gowithcea.com/programs/czech_republic/prague.html
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