Aditi Rai's Study Abroad Exprience (Prague Connect Fall'24)

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JOURNAL My Experience in the Czech Republic By: Aditi Rai

About Me Hi, I’m Aditi! ᯓ★ Program/Term: Fall Connect 2024 Major/College: Business Administration IT Concentration Poole College of Management Why did I choose to study abroad?

My older sister’s experience studying abroad in Singapore inspired me to apply. I saw it as a chance to gain independence and explore more of the world.

My Experienc e

With Food

As someon e who is ve getarian an allergies, I d has remember being nervo navigating u s about food in ano ther countr experience y .

My with buying groceries, p meals, and re p a ring going out to eat was es interesting pecially due to the nature of C culture. For z e ch food example, a lot of Czec tends to be h cuisine meat-heav y, with dish goulash an es like d svíčková being popu options. Ho la r menu wever, I’ve definitely n Prague has o ti c ed that a growing n umber of v and vegan egetarian restaurants , and at the there’s alw very least ays typicall y one or tw available f o options or people w ho don’t ea animal pro t meat or ducts. It’s also stand in the Czec ard for me h Republic nus to li st allergen numbers th s by at are show n next to th containing e dishes them. This s ystem mad easier to c e it much heck the in gredients o ordered an f the foods I d eat food with dietary restrictions .

It was reall y fun to co ok with oth had commu er people. W nity kitchen e s in our ap and my frie artment, nds and I w ould make try new rec dinners and ipes togeth e r. Even if it it was a fu was a fail, n process!

It definitely split up the helped to work and s hare our ute seasonings nsils and . It’s a grea t option if looking to s you’re ave some m oney.

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As for grocery shopping, I found it to be a little stressful towards the beginning mainly due to the language barrier. It’s helpful to download Czech on Google Translate and use the camera feature so that you can easily take a picture of food labels in the store and understand what they are.

I had to get a little creative with simple staples – lots of fresh vegetables, bread, cheeses, and fruit.

I tried to cook as much as possible in order to save money and avoid going out too much. However, I did end up discovering several “go-to’s” that were great options, including Golden Egg’s delicious scrambled egg sandwich, Burrito Loco’s vegetarian speedy burritos, and brown sugar boba from Bubblify right outside the university.

As a big foodie, it was really fun to pick out new places and explore different parts of the city. It’s a little adventure every time you go somewhere new, and you’ll never know where you end up. There’s also plenty of cheap places around, as long as you do your research to avoid the tourist traps.

My experience with food in the Czech Republic taught me a lot about flexibility and planning.

There are so many accommodations and options, and food is always a great way to bond with the people around you.

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Academics an d Classes

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Education is very different in the Czech Republic. It took a while to adapt to the different academic environment and learning culture. First of all, rather than choosing our own classes, we were assigned to tracks that consisted of predetermined courses. I was assigned to the International Studies II track, in which I took European Politics, Stellar and Galactic Astronomy + Lab, Principles of Sociology, Transition into a Diverse Community, and Czech Language and Culture. For all of these, I was with the same group of students, and I had to get used to being around the same people all the time. I was transitioning from high school to college, so I was used to grades being based on frequent, short assignments and regular quizzes in the U.S. By comparison, I felt like there was a greater emphasis on selfguided learning and independence. We focused on a few major projects and exams that carried a substantial weight in determining our final scores. This shift pushed me to develop new study habits and become better at managing my time effectively. I had to be more self-motivated and put a lot of effort into the few assignments that I had, as well as stay on top of note-taking and studying in order to prep for my midterms and finals. With fewer and more highstakes assessments, there was attention to quality over quantity. It could be stressful at times, knowing that so much rides on just a few assignments, but it also pushed me to give my best effort. Professors trust students to take responsibility for their own learning, and while they are always willing to help, they also expect a certain level of independence. This approach taught me to be more selfreliant and to seek help when needed, such as through studying with groups. Forming a study group with your track is helpful, and university center rooms with whiteboards and projectors are great for exam prep!

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I would also say that one of my favorite aspects of studying in the Czech Republic was being able to learn about the culture of the country in all of my classes.

Many of the courses I took included fun field trips and excursions, allowing me to experience the city’s remarkable history firsthand. I visited historical sites like the Jewish Quarter, explored incredible science at the Stefanik Observatory, learned about Czech culture through films at the local movie theater, and admired artistic expression at the John Lennon Wall. Overall, I would say that studying in Prague was a really great experience. It challenged me to think differently and learn a lot of valuable skills. I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and the memories I’ve made, both in and out of the classroom.

Transportati on One of my favorite things about the Czech Republic is how easy it is to get around. I am so than kful for the public transportation because it made goin g to class, shopping, hanging out with friends, and exp loring a much more enjoyable experience during my time abroad. Initially, I was worried that the map ping system would be too confusing and that I would get lost, or that the tram would be like the few I have experienced in America: dirty, crowded, unc omfortable, and sometimes dangerous. But, they are quite the opposite - clean and safe. I took time to lear n the tram system pretty quickly. Rather than relying on friends to help get me places, I made sure to experie nce taking the tram alone as many times as I could early on so that I could be sure that I could take care of myself during an emergency. The numbers and rout es were confusing, but I got the hang of it after the first week or so. In my opinion, trams are especially nice because they are above ground and let you see pret ty views, unlike the metro. I took the metro a few tim es, but I was not too fond of it because I preferred to take in the beautiful scenery around as much as pos sible. The transportation system is such an importa nt part of the city, and I’m grateful that it always help ed me get to where I needed to be in the easiest and most convenient way possible.

Traditions + Holid ays I couldn’t help but notice the difference between holiday traditions here and in the United States. For example, Halloween was completely different from what I was used to back in America. There wasn’t much going on besides the occasional costumes seen in nightlife with other kids our age, while back in the U.S. there would be streets filled with children in costumes going from house to house till dawn collecting candy. I did see several Halloween-themed spooky decorations, but there wasn’t the “trick-or-treating” that is such a staple back in America.

Around the same time, the Czech Republic celebrates St. Martins Day, which has some similarities to Halloween. It was referred to historically as Old Halloween or sometimes Old Hallowmas Eve, and it is a holiday that marks the transition from autumn to winter. There are many celebrations centered around gathering with friends and family and eating foods such as roast goose together, which also reminded me of Thanksgiving. It had the same themes of having a feast and expressing gratitude, which I found to be heartwarming. During St. Martin's Day, there were many shops offering special treats like mulled wine, and I saw some people celebrating in the streets. We celebrated our own Thanksgiving/St. Martin’s Day at the NC State University Center, and it was really enjoyable to see everybody come together and happily share food. I appreciated the communal nature of how holidays are celebrated in the Czech Republic and their sense of togetherness and community. The cozy atmosphere developed even further when I saw many Christmas decorations being put up throughout November. It was exciting to see large trees being put up in malls and lights hung up all around. Czech people celebrate Christmas in their own way with St. Nicholas Day, but I recognized many similarities. The city feels so magical, and I loved noticing new customs and traditions around the country every day.

Language + Communication The language and communication style was also a big adjustment for me. Many more people than I expected spoke English, especially in tourist areas and with younger generations. However, the Czech language continues to remain an extremely important part of culture in the country. I have learned a little bit of language structure and a few basic phrases, and I try to use them when I am interacting with locals. A simple “dobrý den” or “děkuji” can go a long way in terms of showing respect, and many people appreciate that you’ve taken the time to learn a few terms even if you don’t know much. I am always excited when I successfully get to use a bit of Czech.

The language definitely has a lot of unfamiliar sounds and rules that took some getting used to, but practice really helped me build my proficiency. There is also a lot of nonverbal communication that happens. I’m used to making a lot of eye contact and greeting people with smiles, but I have noticed that it is not a norm that is typically observed here. Instead, many people are more reserved in their body language. I took this to be impolite and slightly rude at first, but I’ve come to see that it is normal here. In fact, I’ve adjusted my own gestures in order to not come across as too forward. Learning the importance of the language and how to communicate has been challenging yet rewarding. Having respect, patience, and dedication to learning the culture of other people besides yourself is an important quality to have, and this can be applied to not just this but to all my cultural experiences here. I am so grateful for my study abroad experience and I will carry the lessons I have learned here throughout my life.