AFS Intercultural Programs: Study Abroad in Czech Republic

My time abroad gave me a sense of accomplishment, broadened horizons. The other exchange students in the area acted as great support, and we were able to connect and share our experiences during orientations. The reputation and extensiveness of AFS made me feel comfortable going with them to the Czech Republic.

I chose AFS because they had the best program for the Czech Republic that suited my needs. While on program I made an amazing network of close tight-knit friends from around the globe who will always be there for me.

My AFS program year in the Czech Republic deeply impacted my life and who I am as a person today! I am so glad I found AFS and chose to apply for the program to the Czech Republic! The application process was straightforward and the details of what needed to be done were always clear and communicated well to me and my family. One of the most exciting moments in the weeks before I left was receiving an email from the people who were going to be my host family, introducing themselves with pictures and a greeting! That was also when I learned where I was going to be living in, which meant finding it on a map, seeing what was near – it was all extremely exciting. The orientations in New York prior to leaving, plus the longer orientation we had once we arrived in the Czech Republic were well-organized and led by dedicated and friendly staff and volunteers. We got to talk to many AFS program alum, who gave us the benefits of their own experiences, and advice for how to make the most of our program years. I found myself thinking back to the information we received in these orientations quite often, and it did help guide me in some challenging moments when I was feeling down or frustrated. The orientation in the Czech Republic also gave us the tools for starting to learn to speak Czech, and started to introduce us to some of the Czech foods and cultural practices we’d be likely to encounter with our families. My host family was young, with small children, and lived in a rural village in the southwestern area of the country, which is mountainous and beautiful (it is the area that Czech people often dream of having a little cottage in, when they retire). My host family was really quite active and enjoyed hiking, taking long bike rides, and taking day trips on the weekends which suited me – I felt like the volunteers did a really excellent job matching my interests with the family’s. My host family’s home was an old, old building with massive thick walls across the street from a church that dated back to the 12th century! Other AFS students lived in many other places in the country, including Prague. I rode a bus to school in a larger town about 20 minutes away – my oldest host brother who was seven also rode the bus to go to his school, and for the first few weeks, was a great help pointing out things to me and “explaining.” I loved my little host siblings! We read books together, I took the oldest two on walks or bike rides after school, and we developed an awesome big sister/little brothers bond. My host family was very good about not treating me like a live-in babysitter; I really felt like a loved and cared-for part of the family. At school, I joined a class of about 18 students who had been together in school for several years at that point. I happened to be the first exchange student their school had had, so everyone was interested in talking to me, and very welcoming. I learned to change into my school slippers each day when I arrived, just as I changed into house shoes at home! My classmates spoke to me in English at first, as they were studying it as part of their schoolwork, but they also helped me learn Czech through conversation. I developed friendships with many of my classmates that continue through today. School was an important part of my program, because it gave me a way to see how Czech people my age were learning and preparing for their future studies and careers. My host family arranged to eat lunch at the cafeteria most of my classmates used – we would walk together over to it, and eat a hot, cooked from scratch lunch that always started with soup (lunch is the big meal of the day – breakfast and dinner were usually bread and cheese, yogurt, or other lighter things). I was also able to get involved in some groups through connections with people at school, including playing in a municipal orchestra, which held their concerts in another very old, beautiful church. We had periodic AFS weekends where we’d all gather together and have some sessions about adaptation and where we were in our programs. They were held in interesting places and it was reassuring to see how the other students were doing. I felt supported by the AFS volunteers and staff and knew I could reach out to them if I needed help. How can I sum up a year? A lot of it was normal living – helping with chores, laughing at dinner with my host family, going to school and studying. I stayed in contact with my family back home through email and letters, and received packages from home every once in a while. I made my host family a Thanksgiving dinner, which they appreciated, and cooked them some other favorite recipes from home at other times. I learned Czech by studying it, speaking it, and trying to understand as much as possible. By the end of the year I was fluent, which is still amazing to me. I read about Czech history and asked a lot of questions, and was lucky enough to get the opportunity to see many different points of interest in the country, including castles, ruins of castles, museums, and other historic places. The Czech Republic is a small enough country that was easy to travel around the country with my host family who enjoyed the opportunity to share these places with me. The people I met in the area I lived were open with me about what it had been like when the country was communist, and I was even introduced to some older people who remembered when American soldiers liberated that area at the end of World War II. I am humbled now to realized they shared some of their most difficult memories with a teenager from another country, but they did that because they wanted me to learn and understand. The Czech people I met were very open with me, and I loved speaking and talking to many different people in my host community. The Czech Republic is a small country with a long history, many beautiful natural areas, a robust train and bus system and networks of walking paths through the countryside in many areas of the country (I’d often opt to walk home from school on one of these paths if the weather was nice). I still miss so many things about living there! It has given me a real appreciation and understanding not just of other ways of living, but it gave me a starting point to think about how I wanted to live as I grew into becoming an adult, and what was important to me. My AFS program year improved my interpersonal skills, taught me you can connect with and love people who may be from quite a different place than you, and was really instrumental in building the person I am today. I am so glad I went as a teenager – living with a family, and being invited in to visit with new friends’ families, gave me an inside perspective there would be no other way to get. I’ve kept in touch with my host family and have been back to visit several times already – it is time to plan the next visit back!