#ipewinter23

For the last time, hi!

It's been just over a week since I've gotten back to the states and it's a bit surreal. I'm lucky that I have quite some time to rest before my internship starts but that means I've been spending a lot of time with my thoughts.

As I was packing everything up to go home, I almost couldn't believe I could basically fit my life into two suitcases because I feel that so much has happened and I've grown a lot. (It's a little fitting that I show you these in juxtaposition to all the stuff I brought in my first post haha).

I'm so grateful for the experience I had abroad, and I don't think I could have imagined the relationships and memories I would get. While people always say that going abroad was one of the best times in their life, I don't think there's anyway to internalize it besides going through it yourself. Even as I've been meeting up with friends here back home, I find it really hard to describe what happened while I was abroad; summaries don't seem to do the time justice.

Without getting too sentimental, I met so many cool people in Prague. I think about sometimes how even though we go to the same school we probably would have never met if not for this program and it blows my mind. Honestly I'd have to attribute my self-growth to one of our classes too. There was so much reflection over who I am and what I wanted that I think it's really helped me see what's important in my life. I also developed such an appreciation for the city and Europe in general. (Limited public transit, tax not being included in prices, and the lack of convenient apple pay-ing really does it lol) Living in Prague was like waking up in a fairytale everyday...

a little blurry and messy but <3

To anyone going abroad and especially to Prague, enjoy it while it lasts. Don't be afraid to do something crazy/try something new, you'll never know who you'll meet because I certainly couldn't predict anything that happened, and I wouldn't change any of it.

Good luck in all your study abroad adventures, I can't wait for you to have the time of your life :)

Diky nashle,

This is the last blog post before I head back to the US. Time flies!

Berlin is the vibrant capital city of Germany. From its iconic landmarks to its cultural heritage, Berlin provides an unforgettable experience to every tourist. I visited specifically for its history during cold war, and to meet up with my friend.

My main purpose of this trip is to visit the Berlin Wall, which once divided the city into two parts. Many sections of this wall still remain and serve as a reminder of the struggles that the people of Berlin faced in the past. You can take a guided tour or simply walk along the wall to experience its significance.

For history buffs, the Berliner Dom or the Berlin Cathedral is a must-visit location. This magnificent building is known for its impressive architecture, stunning mosaics and paintings. The cathedral is situated on Museum Island, which also houses several other museums that tells the story of Berlin's rich history.

Berlin is known for its vibrant street art scene. Take a walking tour of the city to explore its many graffiti and murals, including the famous East Side Gallery that showcases over 100 artworks on a section of the Berlin Wall. We visited a brewery that has been renovated into a museum.

Lastly, no tour of Berlin would be complete without a visit to the Tiergarten. This is one of the largest parks in Germany and is perfect for an afternoon stroll or a picnic, with beautiful gardens and plenty of open spaces.

Athens is one of the ancient cities in Greece that is filled with spectacular landmarks. It is known for its rich history, art, and culture, making it a top destination for tourists from all over the world. Athens is also a modern city that hosts many events, exhibitions, and festivals throughout the year.

The city's most significant and famous landmark is the Acropolis, which sits high above Athens, overlooking the city. The Acropolis contains several ancient ruins, including the Parthenon, renowned for its grandeur and iconic status.

In addition to the Acropolis, there are several other significant sites to visit in Athens, such as the Ancient Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Roman Agora, and the National Archaeological Museum. These sites offer visitors a glimpse into the city's rich history and how it has evolved over the years.

Athens also has a vibrant culture that is celebrated across the city. The city has an incredible food scene, with delicious dishes such as souvlaki, gyros, and moussaka being popular dishes for both locals and visitors. Athens also has a great nightlife scene, with many bars and clubs that stay open late into the night.

When visiting Athens, it is essential to explore the city's many neighbourhoods and explore its streets by foot. Monastiraki, Plaka, and Psyri are all great neighbourhoods to wander through and are home to many shops, cafes, and restaurants that serve delicious food and drinks.

Before heading back to the US, I have to explore Budapest - a charming and vibrant destination that combines rich cultural heritage, stunning architecture, delicious cuisine, and a bustling nightlife scene. It is known as the "Paris of the East" due to its impressive landmarks and historic charm, attracting thousands of tourists every year.

One of the most notable features of Budapest is its thermal baths and spas, which are scattered throughout the city. These baths are a great way to relax and rejuvenate after a long day of sightseeing. The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is one of the most famous and largest medicinal spas in Europe, featuring indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and a wide range of wellness treatments.

Budapest is also home to a variety of impressive landmarks and attractions that reflect the city's rich history and culture. The Hungarian Parliament Building, located on the banks of the Danube River, is one of the most iconic buildings in Budapest and an architectural masterpiece. St. Stephen's Basilica, a magnificent cathedral named after the first King of Hungary, is another must-see landmark in the city.

The city's culinary scene is also something to rave about. Hungarian cuisine is known for its hearty and delicious dishes, such as goulash, chimney cake, and strudel. For a traditional Hungarian dining experience, visit the Great Market Hall, a grand indoor market where vendors sell fresh produce, meats, and local specialties.

Budapest is also a city that never sleeps, with plenty of nightlife options for everyone. The city's "ruin bars," located in the old Jewish district, are a unique and popular attraction. These bars are located in abandoned buildings and courtyards, giving them a quirky and alternative vibe.

The education systems in both France and the United States have different approaches to delivering education to students. While both education systems have their strengths and weaknesses, it is essential to compare the two to gain a deeper understanding of the approaches to education in both countries.

Firstly, the French education system is centralized, with a strong focus on academic achievement and intellectualism. The French education system is known for its comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes the importance of mathematics, science, and language studies. The French education system is rigorously structured with a fixed curriculum, strict class schedules, and teacher-led instruction. The students are expected to perform well academically, and students who excel are identified and further encouraged to pursue higher academic studies.

In contrast, the American education system is decentralized, with decentralized access to education, and there is more emphasis on practical and liberal arts education. The American education system encourages creativity and offers diverse learning opportunities for students. Unlike French education, there is no general curriculum in the American education system, and each state has its own curriculum. Some American schools emphasize testing and grade comparison, while others focus on social and emotional learning.

Another significant difference between the French and American education systems is funding. In France, education is considered a public service, and it is funded by the government. In America, education is funded by the local and state government. This difference in funding has a significant impact on the quality of education that students receive. The American education system tends to have more funding issues since it is based on the state's income, which tends to fluctuate.

A significant contrast in the classroom dynamic is also evident. In the French education system, teacher-student relationships tend to be formal and respectful. Academic progress is based on performance in standardized tests, and intellectualism is valued over creativity or personal expression. In contrast, the American education system emphasizes building relationships between teachers and students, creating an open environment encouraging self-expression, free speech, and individuality.

While the formal, centralized French education system is seen as beneficial to academic performance, the American education system's open approach to education is known for its benefits to creativity and encouraging individuality.

One week later… My post-study abroad adjustment has been slightly different than most. Since my mom came to visit, we decided to travel to Italy for an extra week before the start of my internship. Therefore, the fact that I am leaving Europe has not actually settled in yet. It has been weird leaving the routine of seeing the same people and walking the same paths every day but traveling has become a routine of its own.

We stored our luggage in the Prague airport and spent the week along the coast of southern Italy in Naples, Sorrento, and Rome. At heart, I am an ocean and beach person. My favorite source of protein is seafood and in my past time, I love swimming in the open waters. Therefore, finally not being landlocked felt amazing. I got to eat way too many bowls of seafood spaghetti.

The highlight of my trip was hiking the Path of Gods along the Amalfi coast. It was a great change of pace from all the other European cities I have been visiting. Instead of walking around for hours looking at historical monuments that all started to blend together, I got to take in the beautiful views of the mountains and water in Italy.

Toward the end of this trip, however, I was ready to go back to America. I was getting burnt out from traveling and knowing that I only have a day at home before going to California for my internship was becoming a stress factor for me. If I got to replan this last leg of my study abroad experience, I would have chosen to leave when the program ended and spent an extra week at home to recover. Studying abroad has been the best time of my life but it also has been more taxing than anticipated. There have been a lot of sleepless nights traveling and making the most of Prague but it did pile up. Starting my internship already exhausted is less than ideal but I am hoping that my day at home will be a good refresher. 

I hope you all have enjoyed reading my blogs this semester as I have enjoyed writing them. I initially took on this role with the intention of wanting to help out future U-M CoE students to decide on which study abroad program to choose or if they should even consider studying abroad (which is a definite YES from me). However, this blog has become a baby to me. I began to enjoy the process of looking back at what I have accomplished this week and even weeks before because I often forget. Luckily, these blogs will be here forever so I hope this can become a keepsake for myself and a resource for someone else out there. 

My last bit of Czech lesson: “Diky, Naschledanou” (which translates to thank you, good bye <3)

Janice Liu

Computer Science

It’s finally here, the very last week… Honestly, it did not settle in until the last day. Most of the week was at a cafe grinding out my last few assignments and studying for finals. Not the ideal way to end off a study abroad experience but it is how most semesters go.

This week, food was my coping mechanism to get through all of the studying. At the end of each long study day, my friends and I would go try a new restaurant that has been on our bucket list. This was a great way for us to still bond throughout the last week while also not taking up too much time from our studies. We intentionally chose more international restaurants because we were all sick of meat and potatoes (the typical Czech diet). We ate at Matzip, Agave, and Yami Sushi, and to my surprise, they were all amazing! Although it was on the slightly pricer end, they were able to satisfy my craving for more culturally diverse foods.

IFSA also really kindly treated us to a graduation lunch. This was the last time our entire program got together and it started to hit me that this fever dream I have been living is actually coming to an end. I came into this study abroad experience with little to no expectations. I was just chasing something new and thought that going to Prague for a semester would do just that. Now, as it is ending, saying that this semester exceeded my expectations is an understatement. I have grown so much as a person through all the uncomfortable experiences I had to overcome, such as facing frustrating language barrier interactions or navigating a foreign country. I even built up the confidence to solo travel, which was a daunting task just months before. 

Being in such a small program and being forced to live, study, and travel together created a tight-knit community that I will forever be grateful for. Most of us were U-M computer science majors yet, I only knew a handful before coming into this program. Now, I can call them my close friends and know that I will be able to go back to campus with a group of people that make Ann Arbor feel more like home.

Okay, enough sappy stuff. I ended this program on my birthday, which was the best birthday I could ever ask for. It is now becoming a tradition that I do an escape room every year for my birthday and to our surprise, we were able to find one in Prague. It was all in English and we even managed to escape in time, which never happens! Then, we gathered with the rest of the program to celebrate the end of the semester and my birthday. Just having everyone there that night made it super special.

Even my mom was there! She came to visit me on the last few days of my program and for my birthday. It was super fun taking her around Prague since I finally had a good enough grasp of the city. I was able to show her the most touristy parts of the city and also how my day-to-day life has been for the past three months. She said her favorite part was the rows of colorful buildings each with its unique architecture. 

Overall, this has been the best semester of my college career and I will be forever grateful that it happened. We still have one more blog coming so not goodbye yet… I will see you all very soon for one last time. 

Janice Liu

Computer Science

My last week came so much faster than I expected. As much as I knew it would suck saying goodbye to the friends I'd made these 3 months, I don't think I fully understood how tough it would be.

The beginning of the week consisted of hours and hours of studying. I had 2 presentations, an exam, and 3 reports due (yay exam season), and I'm not typically one to leave everything last minute but, you know, the joys of studying abroad :) Not all is bad though. I got to visit the Cubism cafe which we actually saw on our tour the first week in Prague. I'm really going to miss all the random cafe and study spots to discover; the Ugli and Kinesiology just can't compare

Grand Café Orient! (pretty cubism vibes)

I wanted to make the last of my time here, so I spent more time exploring too. I didn't know this place existed, but there are these gardens under the Prague Castle that are gorgeously maintained. (I don't think many other people know about them either since it was almost dead when I went) I made the decision this week that Prague is my favorite city visually. Even in the cloudy weather, the red roofs and pastel buildings are stunning.

Gardens under the castle & street strolls

And, of course, I had to spend some quality time with my friends <3 I can't express how much they mean to me and how much I'll miss them. It was so fun spending our last night going out together though. We got a whole group of us to our apartment to celebrate Janice's bday and it was a perfect way to close out the semester!

all crammed into our living room

(an extra big shoutout to my roommates and challenge project group)

I'll be back next week with my last post after a well deserved rest at home...