Aiden Budinski (pictured above) spent his fall 2019 semester abroad in Prague. While there, he encountered difficulties with the language barriers. Aside from all obstacles, he is grateful for the experience as it helped him grow as a person (courtesy of aiden budinski / staff writer).
I spent the 2019 fall semester in Prague, Czech Republic on the CIEE Central European Studies Program.
As a communication and political science double major, I knew that I wanted to study abroad because it would give me a chance to see more of the world and it would be a great experience for my career aspirations of becoming an international reporter.
Part of studying abroad’s appeal was that I was able to take classes and take advantage of new opportunities that I do not have here at Geneseo. The classes I took were also taught through a European lens, which was something new to me.
While abroad, I took a film class that focused on propaganda in films, a class on international reporting, a world religions class, a political science course about the rise of populism in Europe and a communication class about the effect of social media on society. Not only were these courses interesting to me and different from any of the courses I could take at Geneseo, but they also fulfilled requirements for my majors.
On top of my classes, I also worked as an intern for a lifestyle magazine called Oko! My internship gave me opportunities to write about events going on in Prague and I was also able to do things that I would have never done. Highlights include going to an art exhibition about the Velvet Revolution—which ended communism in the country—and interview a Canadian art collector.
Outside the classroom, I also encountered a plethora of cultural experiences that ranged from Christmas markets to the opera. Most notably, I learned about the fall of communism through cultural events that celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.
During my time abroad, I traveled to six different countries—Austria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Switzerland. I went ziplining in Croatia, paragliding in Switzerland and a boat cruise of the Danube River in Hungary.
While my experience abroad was great, it did not come without challenges. The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was the language barrier. I could say a few key phrases—like hello, goodbye and thank you—but I could not hold a conversation with someone in Czech.
Despite most people speaking English, it was hard not being able to understand people in everyday life. As I became more assimilated into the Czech culture, it became increasingly difficult for me, especially when people thought I was Czech at first.
My favorite language experience occurred when I was walking home from class one day. I passed a group of runners and one of them said something to me in Czech while holding out their phone. I had no idea what they just said to me, but I knew from the context that they wanted me to take their picture, so I did. At that moment, I felt like a true Czech.
Despite the obstacles I faced, studying abroad was a great experience that allowed me to learn and grow as a person.