Finding a Sense of Home in Prague

By: Dylan Kircher

Before arriving in Prague and beginning my CIEE program, I was nervous. I had never been away from home, my family, or my friends for this long and I was definitely feeling the pressure. Little did I know, the best 4 months of my life were right in front of me.

As soon as I arrived in Prague, and did a walking tour of the city, I felt at home. My roommate Clyde, also from Tulane, helped make the adjustment easier as well. I live in Prague 10, which is a smaller town about 25 minutes away from the downtown area, which ultimately allowed us to form close relationships with the people we were living with. 

Throughout my time in Prague, I have tried local cuisine, like goulash and Roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, which are local Czech delicacies. Through my CIEE program, I’ve also had the opportunity to take the Czech language, which has helped immensely in terms of adapting to the local culture here. I can order food in a cafe, communicate with taxi drivers, and shop at a grocery store, fully in Czech, which is something I never thought I’d be able to do here. Choosing Prague as my study abroad destination is something I’m so glad I did and I’m so grateful for the experience I’ve had.

In addition to Prague, I chose to study abroad to travel to new destinations. We have classes off on Fridays, which allows us to be able to explore different countries. Some of my favorite places I’ve seen were Krakow (Poland), Athens (Greece), Madrid (Spain), and Copenhagen (Denmark). Some highlights from each of these destinations were exploring local food markets in Krakow, climbing the Parthenon in Athens, going to the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, and going to the El Rastro flea market in Madrid. All these trips have allowed me to experience different cultures and shown me a little glimpse of what it’s like to live in these different countries, which are experiences I will never forget.

Overall, I couldn’t recommend studying abroad in Prague more, it is truly a life changing experience.