What inspired you to go abroad?
As someone who grew up in a small town and stayed in the same town for college, I knew if I wanted to succeed in my future career I would need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. My time spent abroad was definitely successful in placing me outside my comfort zone time and time again, and giving me the opportunity to prove to myself that I am capable of adapting and even thriving in new situations.
Why did you choose CEA?
I choose to complete an internship through CEA for a lot of practical reasons. The cost was lower than many other study abroad organizations I had researched, and they offered scholarships and travel vouchers. However, the real selling points for me in choosing CEA were the accessibility of the staff and the continuous opportunities to grow post-program. The staff was extremely helpful in assisting me with any questions/concerns I had leading up to my departure and in helping me choose the program that was the best fit for me.
CEA has an Alumni Ambassador Program that you can apply to post-program. This program allows you to network with other CEA study abroad students and CEA staff under a common goal of promoting study abroad and its long-term benefits.
What was your favorite part about Prague?
My favorite part about Prague was the foreignness of it. Most major European cities tend to feel very Western-influenced. However, I feel that Prague is still very rooted in its own distinct Czech culture, and there is so much that can be learned through it. I loved that every day I was discovering another hidden or hole-in-the-wall gem.
Charles Bridge
What made your experience abroad unique?
What made my experience abroad unique was that I truly did discover my passion through my internship and, upon my return, I am following through in fulfilling my dreams of becoming an international human rights lawyer!
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The CEA on-site staff was incredibly helpful. They provided an orientation to familiarize students with the Czech culture and the city of Prague itself. They really encouraged students to get to know one another along with the staff. The on-site staff were great about checking in with students, keeping track of their weekend travels, reminding us about upcoming cultural excursions and maintaining a weekly coffee and pastries day schedule!
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
I wish I had journaled more and documented more of my travels! Nobody wants to be the touristy-tourist carrying around a massive camera, flash, tripod, etc., but journalling the same evening as an interesting experience or day trip is a great way to ensure that you will remember all the important details and lessons learned through your experiences.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
A typical day consisted of eating a breakfast of bread, cheese and cold cut meats, stopping at the next door coffee shop, walking a little further down the block to my internship site, working for a few hours, grabbing lunch with other interns/staff from my internship site, returning to work for a couple more hours and then meeting my roommates and our friends for either dinner, drinks, shopping, exploring (never a shortage of fun and interesting ways to close out a typical day).
Old Town Square
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I really enjoyed trying out new coffee shops or packing a bag of snacks and books and finding a nice little park to spend some time alone to reflect. It truly does feel like in the blink of an eye the program is already a quarter, half, or three quarters of the way over, so I made it a point to schedule some time to regularly check in with myself and evaluate my progress.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
My accommodation was a shared apartment with other students in CEA programs. I shared an apartment with 5 other girls, which seems like it might be a little overwhelming but it was more fun than anything. Each of us was doing a completely different course of study. Some of us were completing an internship, some were taking classes, and all of us had such distinctly different interests and career aspirations. We learned a lot through each other during our time under the same roof.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
It's completely ok to be nervous. I am, by nature, a fairly anxious person so studying abroad was a little bit scary for me (but so so worth it). There will be moments where you think to yourself "oh my gosh, can I do this?" and the answer is "yes. yes, you can." Studying abroad is an incredible experience from which you will grow immensely and be forever grateful for.
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
Wow, so much! Since returning home, I was accepted to be an Alumni Ambassador for CEA and have since be promoted to a Senior Alumni Ambassador. Through this role, I host biweekly Skype meetings with CEA Alumni Ambassadors nationwide, plan and host creative study abroad promotional events on my campus, etc. This leadership role, along with my growth throughout my study abroad experience, is something I am able to articulate upon in my law school applications and interviews.
Would you recommend CEA to others? Why?
Absolutely! If you want to take part in a program that doesn't break the college student budget bank, offers staff that is there for you every step of the way and provides continued opportunities to develop your skills, CEA is definitely it!
