First Impressions of Prague

July 11, 2017

After a seven hour flight, a three hour lay over, and another one hour flight, we finally landed in Prague at 4am EST, 10am Prague time. We were advised to stay awake the whole day in order to get over the jet lag but by mid afternoon we had all fallen asleep at one point or another. After checking into our hotel, we went off on our own for lunch and then had to meet back at the hotel for a walking tour. My initial impression of the city is that it is very English friendly, especially the airport. So far, after only one day, I have not had any difficulties trying to communicate with anyone here.

During our tour, as tired as we were, we were able to visit Prague castle which is actually more of a huge compound. It’s considered to be the largest closed complex castle in the world. We also walked down the Charles bridge, famous for its multiple statues and for being the largest stone bridge in Prague.

Our hotel is situated very close to the Old Town where there are numerous restaurants and shops to explore. The cobblestone streets and the red rooftops really make any street you walk down look like it came from a travel magazine. The city is filled with squares where people gather to hear music, shop at the market, buy food, or just relax and take in the atmosphere. I get the impression that Prague is a very laid-back city.

It’s hard to believe it’s only been one day in Prague when it feels like we’ve been here for a week. It’s even harder to believe that this is just the start of the Dialogue. Having the chance to explore Prague and learn about its abundant history makes me even more excited for what awaits us when we get to Poland.

Written By

Sarah Tyrrell

I am a rising second year International Affairs and Economics major and going on a Dialogue to the Czech Republic and Poland. This program focuses on the 20th century in Eastern Europe from World War II to the Cold War. I chose this Dialogue because I wanted to immerse myself in a different culture and learn about important events in history from a different perspective. I am excited to be able to study one of my favorite topics in depth and in the region where all of these events took place. By the end of my study abroad experience I hope to have developed new language skills that will be useful back home as well as an appreciation for another country’s customs and history.