When exploring a new country and experiencing a new culture, there’s always going to be adjustments from your normal day-to-day life. These adjustments are what make traveling so worth-while and enriching. 

The first, not so enriching, adjustment I had to make was getting accustomed to the six hour time difference. After a full day of traveling, we landed in Prague in the early afternoon, which meant that we still had a full day of sight-seeing planned. Luckily, all of us were so excited to see the city that our adrenaline kept us going despite the lack of sleep. Once we were one day in, we had all adjusted to the time difference and were ready to keep exploring!

The next major difference that I noticed in Prague is the transportation system. Prague is not a very driveable city. Between the narrow cobblestone streets and an influx of tourists, driving is certainly not the best mode of transportation. Conversely, the tram system in Prague is incredible. When we first arrived, we downloaded an app that acted as our tram pass to get us around the city for the duration of our trip. One thing that surprised me is that the tram drivers did not check your tram pass, they instead used the honors system. Randomly, security guards check your ticket when entering the tram station, but I only saw this once during the nearly two weeks we were there. Comparatively, the transportation in Prague reminded me a lot of campus life at Pitt. I do not have a car on campus so I either take the bus or walk where I need to go. It is vastly different from where I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. There are hardly any buses so having a car is essential. 

 Overall, our tour guide Jana made sure to make us aware of any major difference that we may encounter between US and Czech customs. Because of her, the transition was relatively smooth 

When looking back on the program, there were several highlights that stood out to me. From taking a guided tour of a castle in Kutna Hora to touring an operating coal mine, this program gave me exposure to sights I would have never seen on my own. My favorite experience was probably our walking tour through the old city. Our tour guide pointed out statues, murals, and buildings with historical significance and gave us time to take pictures and explore. It was a great way to get acclimated to Prague.