Sociál

Survey Amongst the Foreign Students of FSV

Questions :
1) Why did you choose the Czech Republic for your Erasmus experience?
2) What has been the biggest disappointment here for you so far?
3) How do you think the Czech people behave towards foreigners?

ROB VALSLER
Media studies (IKSZ), London

1) The amazing architecture and the abundance of affordable culture, such as opera and ballet. These factors seduced me along with the impression garnered from reading Franz Kafka and studying the history of the Bohemian region. Along with this culture and history, the way of life in Praha attracted me, with so many fine breweries in the Czech Republic, being somewhat of a connaisseur of the beer, I felt this aspect would also be nice to experience whilst studying at such a prestigious university.

2) Disappointment is such a strong word to use against such a nice city and university; if pressed I could possibly identify a couple of areas where a slight shortcoming has arisen. The accommodation at Hostivar, whilst understandably communist in origin, does fall short of the standards maintained in other countries. However in some ways this has deepened my experience of a former socialist country and is therefore difficult to be described as an entirely negative factor. Secondly, again straining to produce answers when having such an amazing experience, perhaps some of the organisation at the university occasionally malfunctions. This results in unnecessarily complex procedures, which, although with unquestionable importance, sometimes try the patience of a minority of Erasmus students. To conclude, let me reiterate that for me this experience has thus far been without significant fault.

3) For me the Czech people are some of the most genuine I have ever met. Devoid of the insincerity of Americans, the over-exuberance of Latin nations, the pedantic efficiency of the Germans, abruptness of the French and boring “neutrality” of the Scandinavians, the Czech people are in a modest and respectful way, warm, helpful and interesting. My relations with Czechs I have met, not least in the Int’l club, will be among my fondest memories of my time here and I hope to have many new friends to visit in this beautiful city.

Original version before the explanating breafing with the INT’L club:
1)The prices, the people, the pivo.
2) Prague castle
3) It depends how much you pay

MATTHIAS ECKE
Economic Studies (IES), Leipzig
1) I’m very interested in the political and socio-economic process of the new EU member states in Central Europe. Also because Prague is well-known for being an interesting, exciting and beautiful city, so it was not a hard decision to make.

2) I would like more lectures regarding the political situation of the Czech Republic and its neighbouring countries.

3) I didn’t have an unsatisfying experience with Czechs in Prague. A lot of people speak English. Furthermore, I am surprised by Prague’s inhabitants being so relaxed considering the crowds of (usually misbehaving) tourists.

HANNES BETH
Economic Studies (IES), Hamburg
1) I visited Prague 3 years ago and I was impressed. When I found out about the possibility to do Erasmus at Charles university, I gave it a try.

2) Although I am a foreigner myself, I get sick of this huge number of tourists, even more because I attend lectures in Opletalova street near Vaclavske namesti.

3) Some Czech people can be very impolite. At the same time, I must say that the people I got to know at the University have been very friendly, helpful and communicative.