Studying abroad is something I swore I would do before graduating college. However, every single year, some inconvenience would occur, preventing me from following through with a program. First it was the COVID-19 pandemic, then it was trouble with finding a program that would fulfill my degree requirements. Then, before I knew it, I was a junior and senior year was creeping up on me; I thought it was too late.
This is when my professor, whom I have had two previous writing and editing classes with, mentioned a brand new study abroad program she had created. It was a three week long summer program studying “The Struggle of the Free Press – Fake News and Conspiracy Theories.” This is when everything began to fall into place. Not only did it fulfill my degree requirement, but it was also a chance for me to study the press and media in a different country.
Without a blink, I applied.
Summer 2023: The Most Life-Changing Summer
It was July 16, 2023. Two other girls I barely knew and I left Raleigh, North Carolina to head to Prague, Czech Republic. After numerous flight delays and cancellations, we finally made it to Prague and were immediately thrown into the new culture. An hour after we got there, it was time to attend our first class.
Excited. Flustered. Exhilarated.
My mind was filled with so many thoughts, feelings and emotions all at once. It was overwhelming, but in a good way. Ever since we stepped foot in Prague, we were on the go. We got the chance to sit in on a culture and language class where we learned simple terms like “Dobrý den,” which means “Hello” or “Greetings,” “Děkuji,” which means “Thank you,” and most importantly “Na zdraví,” which means “Cheers!”
We went on many day trips to media industries like Radio Free Europe and got to talk with local journalists. It was eye-opening seeing their perspective on the media and their view on U.S. issues. We also ventured out on hikes as a group and tried different Czech cuisine. They are big fans of potatoes, dumplings and goulash.
Diving into this new culture with no hesitation was the most astonishing thing I think I could have ever done. It is different from the United States; I liked this change. I think change is good. It’s all about how you choose to embrace it. Seeing how people live so freely and carefree was truly inspiring. In Prague, people tend to live as if nobody’s watching, which is quite ironic considering their view on staring. Yes, staring. While here in the U.S. we deem that as being rude, they take it in quite the opposite way. When you stare, it means they find you “interesting.” Now, what you consider “interesting” to mean, is up to your own interpretation.
Whilst in this new country, I found myself to grow insanely close with the peers that also came along on this adventure. I made some of the best friends I think I could ever have. It’s confusing because you don’t expect to become best friends with people you have only known a few days, but that’s exactly what happened. We share experiences that I will share with no other. Being thrown into a new culture with new people and a new language is quite the bonding experience.
We laughed, we cried (specifically when I accidentally threw my phone off the edge of a cliff during our hike… but that’s a story for another time), and we lived like there wasn’t a single care in the world. We embraced the trams, trains and busses. We found excitement in walking over to the local Lidl to get morning pastries and the largest of water bottles. And lastly, we took in all new perspectives and a new found love for the complex world of media through this program.
They never talk about how bittersweet the ending is. Just three short weeks was all it took to form the most genuine tears and the hardest goodbyes. I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been if it had been longer, although, I wish it had been. I formed a bond with my professor, friends and the Czech Republic that I will cherish forever.
I learned perseverance, I learned teamwork, I learned true friendship and I learned pure and genuine happiness.
Děkuji Praha.