Name: Ben Van Dokkumburg
Major: Finance
Program: Panrimo
Traveled Abroad Before: No

Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your study abroad experience?
A: Deciding to study abroad was the best choice of my entire life. I met some awesome people while in Prague, and it was by far the most beautiful city we visited.

Q: Why did you choose this destination?
A: I chose Prague initially because none of the other cities I wanted to go to ended up working out. Now that I went to those other cities I wanted to study in, Prague was by far the best. It was the most beautiful, cheapest, fun, and easy to travel from.

Q: What are some things that surprised you about the campus, the classes, the culture, customs or traditions?
A: The school we studied at was really nice and in a beautiful part of town. The people, though, were very quiet and to themselves especially compared to other Europeans.

Q: What are some things you would like students to know about studying abroad in this destination or the program provider you studied with?
A: GO TO PRAGUE! It is the best city to study in. The language was not an issue, they city was amazingly beautiful, it is a really fun city, the people are helpful, and there are a lot of other students there as well.

Q: What advice would you offer?
A: Don't waste your time when you are there. There were some days when I would head back to the flat early because I was tired or something, but looking back on it I wish I would have stuck it out and taken more in.

Q: What was your academic goal while studying abroad?
A: My academic goal was to find the differences between the education systems and try to learn things in those classes that I wouldn't necessarily be able to learn in the classroom back here in the United States.

Question? Email Ben!

Name: Amanda Jurczak
Major: Psychology
Program: AIFS- Prague
Traveled Abroad Before: No

Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your study abroad experience?
A: So many things come to mind when I think of Prague. I think of the wonderful friends I made, I think of the gorgeous city I lived in and got to know so well, and I think of all the memories that I never want to forget.

Q: Why did you choose this destination?
A: Prague seemed a bit more mysterious and foreign than many places in Europe. It has such a fascinating history and is hands-down one of the most beautiful places in the world. It's a blast to live in, too!

Q: What are some things that surprised you about the campus, the classes, the culture, customs or traditions?
A: Czech people are very quiet! I remember that at first, I had to make a conscious effort to speak more softly. Also, beer is a standard drink of any time of day... and it's cheaper than water.

Q: What are some things you would like students to know about studying abroad in this destination or the program provider you studied with?
A: AIFS is awesome, and provides you with anything and everything you need. Prague is beautiful, has great nightlife, and is the safest city I've ever been in- I felt perfectly comfortable exploring on my own. It also is in the middle of Europe, so it's SUPER easy and cheap to travel to lots of places- I was able to go to Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Austria by train.

Q: What advice would you offer?
A: Keep an open mind and BE PRESENT while you're there. Also, if you're even considering going for a semester rather than a summer, or a year rather than a semester- do it. You won't want to leave, I promise.

Q: What was your academic goal while studying abroad?
A: I was very interested in learning more about the history of the Czech Republic, so I took courses focusing on Czech art, literature, and history. It was fascinating and really added to my experience in Prague.

Question? Email Amanda!