Off-Campus Study: Exploring the Czech Republic and Beyond
Fátima shares some of her favorite excursions while studying abroad in Prague.
Fátima shares some of her favorite excursions while studying abroad in Prague.
Off-campus programs are packed with all sorts of organized opportunities to explore your host country (or countries) and enhance your classroom learning with real-world experiences and sights. Carleton’s psychopathology program in Prague is no different.
During the 10 weeks we spent “tasting the Czechness” (as our history professor loved to say), we got plenty of chances to get to know the Czech Republic and some of its closest neighbors.
Slovakia
Our first organized trip was to Slovakia, the Czech Republic’s closest cultural, political, and linguistic brother (they were one and the same not too long ago, after all). An overnight train and then a bus took us to Nový Smokovec, a relatively small but cozy town where I realized my love for the quiet provincial lifestyle.
Our time in Slovak territory included everything. From visiting a medieval fortress, rafting alongside the Polish border, to trying potato dumplings with chocolate-honey syrup. The highlight was our day-long hike of the High Tatra mountains. This was my first time ever attempting such a hike, and though it took us over 8 hours, a lot of water, and frequent pauses to complete, there are no words to describe how rewarding it felt when we made it to the top and admired the beautiful mountain we had just conquered. It was certainly a good omen of the weeks to come.
Český Krumlov
The historic Bohemian city of Český Krumlov was one of our first opportunities to venture outside of Prague within the Czech Republic. This absolutely stunning town, almost completely surrounded by the Vltava river, is home to an impressive castle, the former home to the Hamburg dynasty and later other important Central European noble families. We were blessed with a private tour of the interiors of the castle, and though we weren’t allowed to take any pictures, you’ll have to trust me when I tell you just how incredible it was to see what life looked like for 16th-century royalty.
On our last morning there, I woke up super early to try to catch the sunrise from the Hill of the Cross. A somewhat unpleasant (courtesy of early morning fog and cold), but thankfully short hike got me there just in time to watch the sunrise and shine upon the fairy tale town. I stayed there until it was time for breakfast back at our hotel, so I got to admire all the different shades of the sky as the fog cleared up and Český Krumlov was brought to life. It was a magical moment, and one of my favorite OCS memories.
Karlovy Vary
Perhaps because it was our last excursion as a group, I remember fondly the days we spent in Karlovy Vary. The city was made famous after, according to legend, emperor Charles IV discovered several mineral hot springs with curative powers. Today, thousands of people make pilgrimages to the city throughout the year to drink from its various fountains, sometimes directly advised by medical professionals. We too got to drink from every fountain and though I cannot vouch for their medicinal attributes, I can say that some of them I’m glad I’ll never have to drink from again.
Later, a small group of us ventured into the woods for our last hike of the term (yes, hikes were prominently featured in every single one of our trips, in case you were wondering). We made our way to the Diana Observation Tower, where we had a wonderful country-like lunch, and down to the Charles IV Tower. We had a blast returning to the hotel just as the sun set, and thus began preparing to say goodbye to our OCS adventures.
Want more fun OCS content? You can read my friend Anna’s amazing PragueBlog, a detailed account of all our fall term coming and goings, featuring even more stunning pictures of the landscapes and beautiful people we met along the way.
After a trimester abroad, Guatemalan sophomore Fátima (she/her) is looking forward to continuing her pursuit of a SOAN major and an Educational Studies minor. In addition to blogging, she works at the Admissions Office and the Spanish department. Outside of class, Fátima can be found watching cartoons, poorly playing the piano, attending Bible studies, or desperately missing her dog, Cosmo. Meet the other bloggers!