PRAGUE, PEOPLE & ‘PIVO’: WHY CZECH REPUBLIC IS A MUST VISIT!

Although only 3 weeks into my exchange, I already can’t recommend Czech Republic enough! Coming over here, I chose to study 2 direct equivalents and 1 free elective from my degree in Mechanical Engineering. I share a room with one other Aussie, and amenities with 4 other people from Italy and Portugal. Sharing a space with other nationalities is something I got lucky with on exchange, as it’s interesting to experience other cultures. Within a few nights, I was giving the Portuguese some of my Vegemite, and the Italians have already insisted that they cook us their Nonna’s carbonara recipe.

Although it’s early in my course, the teaching is pretty similar to UTS. I have to attend lectures, tutorials, and laboratories, with my classes having a mix of exams and experiments. Even though I want to spend as less time at university as possible while I’m here, I’m really enjoying one of my subjects that looks at Instrumental technology and the manufacturing of small watch parts and ball bearings; something I’ve never been exposed to before!

Although I haven’t explored the city nearly as much as I would’ve liked during the day, the Old Town is amazing and the nightlife is a lot of fun, with living much cheaper than Australia. My weekly food bill is also cheaper, and if you like beers, they’re as cheap as $3 a pint. Student accommodation is also very affordable, the dorm where I stay is only $84/week, which is crazy coming from Sydney rental prices. There is also a dorm society at my accommodation, where you are given access to the gym, fitness room, billiard room, and internet for a one-off fee of around $70.

The International Student Club (ISC) here is also so well organised and there are so many events to meet new people. Since I’ve been here, I’ve gone to the city where Pilsner was first brewed, done an overnight hiking trip, gone in Prague scav hunts and parties organised by the club & played traditional Czech sports.

The thing I have found so different about Czech Culture is the drinking! Consuming the most beer on average per person in the world, Czechs are notorious for big nights, and during some of the o week trips they were asking us to play drinking games at 9am in the morning.

Czech Republic is also so centrally located within Europe, so it is easy and cheap to fly, train or FlixBus to Eastern Europe especially. Already, I’ve done two snow trips to the French and Austrian Alps, have already planned a Copenhagen trip, and am currently looking at flying to Albania.

The thing I have enjoyed the most about the Czech Republic so far is meeting new people (locals or internationals) and building a new life around them. My tip would be to throw yourself in the deep end and join a sporting club or society with only Czechs to avoid seeing only international students. The other thing I’m glad I did was a summer subject at UTS before coming here because you don’t want to get stuck with a full 24CP workload overseas while your colleagues travel on their 4-day weekends.

Eden McQueen
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Global Exchange Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal