University of Wisconsin–Madison

Czech Republic: Rosalie Powell

Program: Czech University of Life Sciences Exchange, Spring

Rosalie’s Majors: Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences Communication

Rosalie smiles in a courtyard outside of a castle made of tan brick with pillars, archways, spires, and domed roofs.
A photo outside the Hungarian Parliament Building on a trip to Budapest.

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

My advice is to think in a broader fashion than just what city you want to live in. Consider what you would like to get out of your study abroad experience, i.e. certain education opportunities, specialization in a field, language skills. That being said, Prague is incredible and I really recommend this program.

I learned how to be more understanding and empathetic. When you are constantly interacting with people from different cultures you really need to remove any preconceptions about how people should think or act.

A group of students pose outside of a cafe with windows lined with books. The cafe storefront is painted green and says "Ouky Douky: Coffee & Books"
My roommates and I on our last night together outside of our favorite cafe.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

One challenge was adapting to a very different university system. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are confused! Full time students are a great resource and really helped me figure out the Czech exam system.

How did your identities impact your experience? What advice would you give to students with similar identities who are considering a similar experience?

As an American a lot of people I met had interacted with my culture though popular media, social media, or American tourists. In some cases this heavily skewed perspectives on how I would act and my viewpoints. I think that I why it is so important to remember your role as a ‘representative’ of the US. How you act will influence how others perceive the U.S. As a queer person, I had no issue in Prague; in fact, there is a large queer community.