Word To The Wise (and in my case, unwise?).

A Park I Can't Pronounce in Prague

Hello all you future NYU abroaders....and Steve. =) So, I’m going to tell you the real skinny on the beautiful city of spires and cheap beer (and awkward and hilarious encounters with Czechs...don’t worry, they get friendlier as the semester goes on, I promise) known as Prague, here in the beautiful (and beautifully cheap!) Czech Republic. To begin with, I will be completely honest: I do have mixed feelings about Prague. Prague is a gorgeous city that looks like something out of a Disney fairy tale. A breathtaking castle, classical architecture and horses (yes, horses!) are more than enough to make you feel as if you’re having a strange dream where you are a royal out of a Disney film after watching the movie Enchanted right before bed. However beautiful Prague is though, I have to say that I didn’t care for the usually dreary and depressing weather and the not-really-all-that-friendly-to-foreign-people Czechs. The weather doesn’t really get half decent until the end of April here (if you would be studying abroad in the spring), and by then, you’re just irritated that it took so long to get nice outside! While this is bad, this is not a Prague bashing post at all. You see, while Prague has its cons, it is also the site I would recommend most for students looking to travel Europe.

Because Prague is smack-dab in the middle of Europe, it is relatively easy to travel almost anywhere, and the other great thing is that flights from Prague are usually relatively cheap when bought in advance, and bus lines such as Student Agency Bus make exploring eastern and central Europe a snap. This, added to the fact that Prague is rather inexpensive (though comparing almost anywhere to New York City would make it seem inexpensive by comparison) means you’ll have more money to save for your travels. An added bonus for those who choose to study abroad in Prague is that the program is one of NYU’s smallest programs, meaning there is a definite sense of community, which is rather difficult to find amongst NYU’s 40,000+ students back in New York. Words of advice to those studying in Prague: watch where you walk, as owners almost never curb their dogs, you will pay for water at restaurants (even for tap!), tipping is a modest 10% (except in the city center, where NYU is located, of course), most of the Czech population still doesn’t speak English, so please do pay attention during your intensive Czech lessons (this will come in more handy than you think!), and have brunch at least once at Radost FX, and you won’t need about 60% of the clothes you initially pack. Additionally, don’t be afraid to explore Prague! Most people never venture from the typical NYU haunts, and there are so many amazing places here! I also recommend taking classes that include excursions to places in Prague, such as Reporting the Arts and Czech Architecture. Lastly, if you want the “nicest” dorms, live in Osadni, which are rather out of the way, but the most spacious. However, if it’s a community you’re after, Czech out (oh yes, I went there) the Machova or Slezka residence halls, which resemble more traditional dorm-like setups. I hope this helps, and feel free to ask anything else!

Location