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Fall '14 Orientation Will Prep Students for the Semester Ahead

The Fall 2014 semester is almost upon us. Let the countdown begin! 

We will welcome our newest group of students on Monday and Tuesday, September 8-9, at the Prague Airport, where UPCES staff will be waiting to arrange taxis to the hotel. UPCES Fall '14 students can look forward to a packed schedule of events during Orientation session, which starts on Wednesday, September 10th and continues until Saturday, September 20th.

For Tuesday evening, UPCES has planned a fun group socializing "ice-breaker" event designed to introduce the new students to their classmates.

Students will be officially registered at Charles University on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

After the first Orientation session on Thursday morning (which includes essential info on living and studying in Prague), there will be an important safety briefing from the U.S. Embassy's Vice Consul Minta Madeley.

After viewing various apartments on Wednesday and Thursday, students will select their new homes for the semester and begin to move in. We'll cap off the week with a walking tour of useful downtown locations in Prague on Friday. The UPCES staff will be available throughout to answer any and all questions that may come up.

By week 2, students will hopefully start to feel settled and acclimatized in their new environment. Week 2 of Orientation will be filled with insightful academic lectures by UPCES professors and academic tours of Prague's most important sites, including the Prague Castle and the Jewish Quarter. In the mornings, students will take an intenstive Czech Language class to help prepare them with the basics -- they may even begin using their newfound vocabulary in everyday life in shops and restaurants!

The Welcome Reception on Thursday, September 18th, will be a chance for all the students, faculty, staff, and Czech partners to relax and enjoy an afternoon in a famous and historic Czech cafe, a masterpiece of Cubist architecture in the Old Town.

Orientation finishes off with our overnight trip to Cesky Krumlov. This UNESCO-listed town, which is considered the "Pearl of Bohemia," is one of Europe's most prized castle towns. This trip introduces students to the history and culture of the region, and is a great opportunity to socialize as well. We can't wait to start an exciting new semester! 

You can view the full Orientation schedule here.