Stepping off of the plane for the first time really wasn't as crazy as I thought it would be. If it weren't for my amazing Czech buddy though, my first thoughts of Prague would not have been so grand. Jan (pronounced "yawn" for those Americans like me), took me to Masarykova, helped me check-in to my room, showed me around campus, translated Czech all day, and then finally took me for my first dish of Czech goulash and beer. Pretty rockin, right?
In general, the buddy system here at CTU is amazing. The group organizes trips, puts on presentations, and coordinates activities throughout the semester. Simply having someone to focus on the difficult parts of studying abroad for you (i.e. where to visit, how to get there, where to stay, how to speak Czech...) means you can spend more time truly enjoying your stay abroad. Always capitalize on that chance.
Dorm Room:
When the Czech say dorm room, you should never think "American" dorms. I doubt I can describe it, so here are some pictures:
This is my flat's kitchen. Notice that we don't have a fridge, microwave, or oven. Only a stove top and sink. Nothing is provided for you here. I guess this is a lot like some campus dorm rooms, but it just seemed that something would be different for international students. We were able to buy a fridge from some friends, but other than that, we've survived on what we have. I suggest googling some common ways to prepare food on a stove top. Not as difficult as it seems.
This is our bathroom (well, part of it). There are 5 of us in a flat - potentially 7 - and we all share one bathroom. I would have thought it would be more difficult, but it really isn't too bad. One major difference with this ordeal though is that guys and girls share the same flat. In mine, there are two girls from the US, two girls from Taiwan, and one guy from the US. In some rooms, there are only guys, only girls, or a pretty even split of both. Sharing one bathroom therefore does become a little more tricky...
This is my part of the bedroom. It's a bit messy (which is typical for me), but rather roomy. Each section comes with a bed, a desk, a closet and set of shelves. There's actually quite a bit of storage and since I was lucky enough to draw the three person room, LOTS of room. Biggest disadvantage of where I'm located though is the laundry. In Masarykova, there are around 800 students. Sharing 3 washers. No driers. The row of flats I live in have coordinated laundry days just so we can get the key to the room. Patience is truly a virtue (and having packed a lot of extra underwear).
Culture Shock:
To be honest, culture shock is all about accepting the fact that things are going to be different. Prague is not Manhattan, Kansas. Goodness, it really isn't similar to anywhere in the United States. But that doesn't mean that it has to be difficult to manage. Meeting other people from the United States was of course the first thing that helped me. Together we tackled the grocery store, the metro system, and Prague parties. And if you aren't successful at something, it's ok. Not everything is going to go smoothly when you're in a country that doesn't speak much English. Again, that doesn't mean it has to go poorly.
Overall, simply know what you are getting yourself into. No, that doesn't mean that you have to listen to all the travel guides and study all of the history. For me, it meant knowing that I would be away from "home" for 5 months and that I would miss certain American conveniences. It does always help to have a piece of home though... :)
Until next time,
Chelsea
Czech Phrase of the Day:
Dobrý den! (Good day!)
