Besides the excitement of travel, one reason to study abroad is that you will experience new customs, holidays, foods, art, music, and politics firsthand. But why study in the Czech Republic?
"Well, I learned the Czech language, improved my English and am now fluent in both, but perhaps more important was how much I learned about Czech culture and cultures of other international students studying with me. I learned this from the viewpoint of an active member of the community, not from the tourist's point of view," Leila, student at University of Hradec Kralove.
Another reason for studying abroad is that you'll gain self-confidence. Dana, studying at the Charles University, says she learned how to better stand up for herself and her beliefs and to express herself in another language. What could make you more confident than that?
Studying in the Czech Republic would definitely improve your language skills and help you be more unique on the global market when looking for your future job. Universities and employers know that studying abroad provides leadership skills in a world that is increasingly globally interconnected. Most of all, it's fun! You're not likely to suffer from sophomore slump or general boredom while you're studying in a different learning environment.
Perhaps you're not certain what benefits you can reap from an extended stay in a foreign country, such as the Czech Republic, here are 10 excellent reasons why you should take the plunge:
- Study in the Czech Republic is the optimal way to learn a new language. There is no better and more effective way to learn a new language than to be immersed in a culture that speaks the language you are learning. The Czech language, belongs to the group of West Slavic languages. From another perspective, Czech is an inflectional language, which means that the words “inflect” (their endings change). The meaning a given word has in a sentence is primarily determined according to this inflection.You will be surrounded by the language on a daily basis and will be seeing and hearing it in the proper cultural context. Language learning happens most quickly under these circumstances.
- Study in the Czech Republic provides the opportunity to travel around Europe. Weekends and academic breaks allow you to venture out and explore your surroundings - both your immediate and more distant surroundings. Since studying in the Czech Republic puts you in the middle of Europe, you have a great chance to discover all European countries and places you might otherwise not have had the opportunity to visit. Traveling in Europe is cheap and fast.
- Study in the Czech Republic and specifically in Prague allows you to get to know another culture first-hand. Cultural differences are more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and personal habits. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way that s/he views the world. Students who experience cultural differences personally can come to truly understand where other cultures are coming from.
- Study in Prague or in the Czech Republic will help you develop skills and give you experiences a classroom setting will never provide. Being immersed in an entirely new cultural setting is scary at first, but it's also exciting. It's an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges, and solve new problems. You will encounter situations that are wholly unfamiliar to you and will learn to adapt and respond in effective ways.
- Study in the Czech Republic and specifically in Prague affords you the opportunity to make friends around the world. While in the Czech Republic, you will meet not only Czech natives, but also other international students who are as far from home as yourself.
- Study in the Czech Republic helps you to learn about yourself. Students who study abroad return home with new ideas and perspectives about themselves and their own culture. The experience abroad often challenges them to reconsider their own beliefs and values. The experience may perhaps strengthen those values or it may cause students to alter or abandon them and embrace new concepts and perceptions. The encounter with other cultures enables students to see their own culture through new eyes.
- Study in the Czech Republic expands your worldview. Students who study abroad return home with an informed and much less biased perspective toward other cultures and peoples.
- Study in the Czech Republic gives you the opportunity to break out of your academic routine. Studying abroad is likely to be much unlike what you are used to doing as a student. You may become familiar with an entirely new academic system and you will have the chance to take courses not offered on your home campus. It's also a great opportunity to break out the monotony of the routine you follow semester after semester.
- Study in the Czech Republic enhances employment opportunities. The world continues to become more globalized, and companies from countries around the world continue to invest in the international market. Through an employer's eyes, a student who has studied abroad is self-motivated, independent, willing to embrace challenges, and able to cope with diverse problems and situations. Your experience living and studying in a foreign country, negotiating another culture, and acquiring another language will all set you apart from the majority of other job applicants.
- Study in the Czech Republic can enhance the value of your degree. While in the Czech Republic, you can take courses you would never have had the opportunity to take on your own country. You would obtain a competitive advantage, such as an additional language skill, that is so important nowadays in the globalized world.
