My first month and a half in Europe has been quite the adventure so far. As my university in Prague did not start until the middle of February, I had the opportunity to travel around Central/Eastern Europe with my mom. Having not been to Europe since I was younger, being able to experience and adapt to such a different culture with someone by my side was quite helpful. We traveled to Berlin, Vienna, Budapest, and ended our trip exploring Prague. Each one of these places offered their own cultures and traditions and history but also had many similarities as well. These similarities and differences were a very eye-opening and well-needed experience for me. I feel that at home I was constantly always in a similar routine and always in my comfort zone and by getting out of that, I feel that I was able to grow as a person.
As Prague was the last leg of our journey, there were not any big shocks upon my arrival. There were some small differences that took some getting used to, however, the main thing I had to get used to was that this was going to be my home for the next 3 months! This was made easier by the fact that I am living in the exchange dorms for the semester. Being surrounded by students who are in a similar situation as you, and being able to talk and meet theses students from all around the world, is amazing to me. I have met people from the Netherlands, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Finland. Being able to learn and connect with people who are so different, yet so similar has been one of my favorite things through my time here so far in Prague.
Prague has also lived up to all my expectations. It is beautiful, cheap, and right in the middle of Europe! Exploring the city is so easy and provides a new experience each time. You can get lost in the little cobblestone streets with endless amounts of cafes and pubs surrounding you, and then all the sudden stumble upon the Charles Bridge or Prague Castle. The city also has tremendous food and beer that is crazy cheap. This is great while you are in Prague, however, it does throw off your perception of prices when you travel; paying more than $8 for a meal with a beer now pains me! Travel is another great thing about Prague. Traveling has been so easy and has been another one of the great aspects of studying in Prague. Besides the trip I took at the beginning of the semester, I have been skiing in the Swiss Alps and have had fish and chips in London. I have another trip planned to Amsterdam and hope to visit Copenhagen and Poland in the near future. The start of this journey has definitely been one to remember and I can’t wait to see how the rest of my time here in Europe plays out.
