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Spring '13 Orientation Offers a Full Schedule

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UPCES Spring '13 students can look forward to a packed schedule of events for the upcoming Orientation session starting Tuesday, February 5th and continuing until Saturday, February 16th.

UPCES Orientation is designed for a smooth transition to a semester in Prague, both culturally and academically. Students will enjoy workshops and seminars on the most important features of life in Prague. There will be walking tours of useful locations in the city center, as well as instructions on riding the public transportation system and navigating the city.

After "learning the ropes," students will begin seeing the city from a new academic perspective. UPCES faculty will deliver lectures on culture shock, the current state of the Czech economy and politics, the history of the region and its peoples, and an exploration of the remnants of the communist past. There will be film screenings, guided city tours (to the Prague Castle and Jewish Quarter, for example), and social events.

During this same period of time, students will be moving into their new flats in the center and getting a genuine feel for city life. They will also be taking an intensive introduction to Czech language and using their newfound vocabulary on the streets and in the shops and restaurants.

The Welcome Reception on Thursday, February 14th, will be a chance for all the students, faculty, staff, and local partners to relax and enjoy an afternoon in a famous and historic Czech cafe.

To wrap things up, the Spring '13 group will head off to Cesky Krumlov for an overnight trip to one of Europe's most prized castle towns. Academic tours will fill the trip, as will free time to explore.

View the upcoming UPCES Orientation schedule here.