mattocs

I am trying to decide where to study abroad for one semester. I will be going in the Fall of 2014 so I have a while before I go, but I need to start making plans now. I have narrowed my choices down to these two cities but can't decide between them. At the time I go abroad I will be 20 turning 21, and am looking for a well rounded experience.

The biggest things to consider in deciding/weighing options is:
Friendly people
Cheap(ish)
Safety
Fun nightlife
Attractions
Ease of communicating (should I learn the language or will I be fine in both)

Another point I should make is that during high school I had a foreign exchange student from Prague and so I would already know someone and we would hang out for a lot of the time I was there, so he would be able to show me around and everything.

Michael

I would think that language is or primary importance: Czech or German?

mattocs

That is why I am trying to decide based on other factors now, so that I would have over a year to learn either language.

Michael

It's not the time before going to learn the language that counts, it's what you think you will be more useful to you in the future.

nytraveler

English will be more widely spoken in Berlin (I believe required of all high school students) but Prague is catching up. And for a native English speaker another germanic language would be easier to learn that a slavic one. (I never studied german at all but was able to intuit a fair amount since it is so similar to english in roots.

Prague is probably somewhat less expensive, although Berlin is a bargain for Germany.

What about the schools/courses you would be taking - are there no differences there?

mattocs

As far as which language would be more useful in the future for me, I don't really know that one is better than the other and I guess both could be equally useful.

The coursework aslo isn't an issue because I would be doing mostly electives and that could be accomplished through either program. The one difference is that the program for Berlin requires you to take at least one German Language course so that you know at least the basics of the language.

I should also note that the program in Berlin is about $2,500-$3,000 more. That isn't really an issue but I would want to be sure that paying that is actually worth going to Berlin over Prague.

mattocs

I would say that the extra cost is partly due to a one week excursion to a city (changes each semester but past examples have been Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest) which is included.

The program in Prague does offer a few excursions but mainly to other Czech cities or Berlin, and the excursion is only a few days compared to one week.

goldenautumn

For more than 25, Prague has hand an English language newspaper, started by young Americans because there was such a market for it. It has a circulation of about 50,000 as I recall.

I would simply rather learn German and live in Berlin and Germany, because they are so much more important to Europe as a whole and the world as a whole. Sort of like saying: Where should I study? New York City or New Orleans?

But I also think it matters what field you are studying. Some schools and cities are much better than others for some things.

Christina

I haven't been to Berlin so can't comment on that from a personal experience of the city. I would have thought actual course content would be of prime importance in deciding where to study, not night life, etc. Call me old-fashioned. So this is really an unnecessary experience just for fun, it sounds like, not really based on academics or even going to place that bears any importance on your future job prospects or academic course of study? Because clearly if you were interested in WWII German history, you probably would go to Berlin, for example. But if neither place is of any importance at all in your academic experience or coursework because the courses you are taking will be trivial and equally good at either place ---

I'd probably choose Prague. I really like Prague, you know someone there, and you can visit Berlin easily from Prague during your stay if you want to see it -- and to me, $3000 is a LOT of money.

goldenautumn

I think objectively that knowing German will open many more doors for you later in life than knowing Czech, unless you can foresee a time when you would specialize in some field that was directly related to Czech interests.

It's possible that the ambience of Berlin would be more high pressure in every way, and that you personally would thrive and blossom in a more communal environment. Hard to guess over the internet, but I would think about that.

goldenautumn

Christina,

You're old-fashioned.

What you are saying is also simply not true. Many students and -- even more imporantly -- many schools recognize that a year abroad is in and of itself a tremendously educational expereince, even if the year isn't spent with one's nose to the academic grindstone.

You are being excessively unpleasant for no reason and what you are saying doesn't sound educated at all.

goldenautumn

mattocs,

sorry for some typos in my first post. I was addressing the issue of how much English there is in Prague, and I meant to type that for "25 years, Prague has had an English language newspaper"

annhig

another thought - how will a term in Prague look on your CV as against one in Berlin, in which you've done a course in german?

if I were an employer, I know which one would impress me most.

on that basis, it's an extra $3000 well spent.

mattocs

I am majoring in Environmental Science and just plan on being a Environmental Science professor at a university here in the states. That said, neither program offers courses related to that, so I would be doing electives/gen. ed. classes such as history, psychology, sociology. The only course that would be something positive or negative comparatively is that I have to do a fine art for my major and the program in Prague offers a photography course which is a hobby of mine and the program in Berlin does not (this would not be enough to make me pick Prague over Berlin though). I would end up studying both languages whether before or during my stay there it doesn't matter.

So.....I guess I really am more interested in which city would provide me with a fun, interesting, and culturally expanding semester.

Dukey1

I have been to and like both cities. For a much greater wealth of experiences I think you would be better off in Berlin; it simply has more to offer.

mattocs

Dukey1,

Can you elaborate more, what made it have more to offer compared to Prague? Thanks!

annhig

I guess I really am more interested in which city would provide me with a fun, interesting, and culturally expanding semester.>>

in your sphere, i find it difficult to believe that a term in Germany, specifically Berlin, wouldn't be more relevant and prestigious than one in Prague.

and more scientific literature will be in german than in Czech.

and whereas Prague is a nice place for a few days with lovely buildings and good beer, Berlin is a major world capital which has been at the centre of an Empire and before that of a major european power. It has major art and museum collections and very important place in recent world history. it also has excellent access to any number of lovely and interesting places including Prague. and good beer.

is that enough?

mattocs

Thanks annhig, a lot of that I already knew and I guess it's not a really fair comparison is it. Berlin just has much more history and I think I am starting to see that as a whole Berlin does just simply have more to offer, and I can still take some time to go to Prague and see the sights/hang out with my friend.

annhig

a lot of that I already knew and I guess it's not a really fair comparison is it.>>

sorry, Mattocs, it wasn't clear what your level of knowledge was from your posts.

but I agree that the comparison is not a fair one.

please don't get me wrong - we really liked Prague, [who can not like a place that has puppet theatres and a microbrewery serving beer in things called giraffes?] but Berlin really is in a different class.

mattocs

sorry, Mattocs, it wasn't clear what your level of knowledge was from your posts.>>

Dont worry about it, I am glad you said all that because it just reaffirmed what I knew! I definitely plan on traveling to Prague still if I go to Berlin!