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."