Student Stories
Claire O'Brien, Class of Spring 2017
From my excursions to other countries on the weekends to the experiences in the classroom and even out on the soccer field, my semester abroad in Prague was extremely enriching. I learned many things about myself and this opportunity abroad helped me challenge myself to move beyond my comfort zone and explore not only a city but my own notions of myself as a citizen of the larger world.
Classes and professors at UPCES spoke to the subject matter from a new and different, but knowledgeable and useful perspective. Learning Czech was a huge bonus so that I could implement my new-found knowledge in everyday life among the Czech people. My favorite memories are the times I spent with my flatmates in parks in Prague and adventuring through other countries, as well as the time I spent playing on a men's soccer team in Prague. Meeting new people and developing those relationships was an important and meaningful part of my experience. UPCES’ help in guiding us in the early days made the transition to a new culture easy to navigate.
Isabelle Schilbach, Class of Fall 2015
"My experience with UPCES in Prague is one that has changed my life for the better, and it is something I would wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. The staff at UPCES thought of things that I never even considered I would need. Whether it was making us feel more at home with various social events, helping with the most stressful of visa situations, or even providing a place to donate unwanted items that definitely would not fit into the return suitcase, I am constantly surprised and impressed by their forward-thinking. I had doubts about going abroad as a senior. Some of my advisors were apprehensive that my credits might not transfer in time or that I would be missing out on my senior year at my home university. UPCES has assured me that there will be more than enough time for my credits, and as far as missing out on my senior year… This experience in Prague has enhanced it greatly. Like many students, I struggled during my first couple years in college with choosing a major, finding my place, and establishing myself as an independent person. This past semester abroad has restored my confidence, challenged me in every way possible, and has equipped me to return to the United States with a new, open-minded perspective.
One of the things that was most important for me to keep in mind throughout my time in Prague was that this experience is very uniquely mine. Everyone hears stories and has expectations for going abroad, but there is no way to know what you will learn and how you will grow. For me, an important part of this experience was latching onto what I am passionate about: music. Going abroad does not mean that you abandon who you are at home, but rather that every part of you is enhanced by this experience. I play cello at home in various orchestras, bands, or just with friends around a campfire. I thought for a split-second that I wouldn’t be able to keep it up while I was abroad, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I rented a cello and have been playing more than ever in my life. I joined the Charles University Orchestra and was also able to perform in a band with my fellow students in a couple bars and clubs. My experiences playing music abroad allowed me to connect with other people and Prague in a different way. Keeping up with my passion was an amazing addition to my already-incredible experience. I would encourage every student going abroad to make their experience one that is entirely unique and personal-- one that they’d be proud and excited to share."
Doug Newell, Class of Fall 2011
"I am a law student at UVA right now studying corporate transactions and securities law. The U.S. economy is becoming increasingly globalized. Investments in foreign markets are now critical for economic growth and the world of American business is no longer isolated to transactions solely with other American corporations. Simply put, to succeed as a business lawyer I will need to have an ability to interact with clients and parties from other countries and cultures.
My experience in the Czech Republic and with UPCES in particular showed me the effect that history, geography, and culture have on an individual's identity and way of conducting himself. Up until my study abroad experience, I assumed that people of other cultures always had the classic American response of "I'm doing well!" when you asked them how they were doing, even if they were actually not doing well. It was a culture shock to speak with a Czech person and have them straightforwardly tell you how they were doing when all you expected was a standard optimistic response. This straightforwardness, I learned, derives from the arduous history of the Czech Republic and attitude of realism that emerged from it. From this experience, I learned that to truly connect with individuals of other cultures (even other American ones) I needed to have an understanding of their history, upbringing, and background. Having this understanding helps to better facilitate interaction with individuals in both business and personal settings. I am eternally grateful to UPCES and my abroad semester for the realization that not everybody in the world thinks like I do, and for the ability to connect with people of different cultures."
Brian Love, Class of Spring 2009
"Frankly, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Every single day was a blast, we had a great group of people and the ability to travel to all the nearby areas was spectacular. Since my time in Prague, I learned to love the spirit of backpacking and now consider it a passion more than a hobby. For instance, I have done multiple backpacking trips (including separate 7 month and 4 month trips) based on the positive memories and freedom during study abroad. By March, I'll have travelled to 51 countries, which all stem from my initial exposure at UPCES.
These days, I'm a second year, JD/MBA student at Northwestern University, and take up any school provided opportunity to do an academic trip abroad. And based on my fond memories of Prague, this upcoming August I will be student leader of 25 incoming Kellogg students on an orientation trip. This trip location and itinerary is completely organized by 5 students leaders, and we decided to do our trip in Prague and Budapest. This is due to how much I valued my time in Prague and want to share it with others."
Michael Copacino, Class of Fall 2010
"I lived in an apartment with 5 wonderful people who still call each other "Prague family," who we see once a year. I live with my girlfriend Christine (whom I met on the program) and am also still best friends with Mark, another member of our apartment (who convinced me to join the UPCES program in the first place). I am still a passionate fan of Sparta Praha football and look up their results every few weeks. I teach 6th grade history and I try to incorporate what I learned into class. Kids enjoy hearing what Czech I remember as well as information about the experiences I had, especially about understanding cultural differences. The UPCES program was really wonderful because it gave me exposure to a part of the world I knew little of before hand and would likely never have traveled to without this program. It was really wonderful to be in such a unique culture without needing to be an expert in another language. I also liked the opportunities that the program provided to travel around the Czech Republic to see a great variety of what the country has to offer. I also got to take really interesting classes on topics I did not know much about before, especially one on Culture under Totalitarian Regimes, and another on the Holocaust.
I can not say enough about my experience with UPCES. I never thought I would be interested in doing a semester abroad but when I saw this program I though it was such a great opportunity, and it did not disappoint. I had such a great educational experience, both in class and out and made many of my best friends through the program. Christine and I are hoping to go back in the next year or so and I really look forward to it."
