Czech Republic May 2024

COR 375 Dr. David Hopper & Brianne Witt

$1,450 student cost*

*Cost with the full university discount. $150 study abroad fee is not included in this amount. University discount applies to 1st CCS program only. Students who transfer in 58+ credits should contact the
CCS office to determine their level of discount.

Nestled in the heart of central Europe, the Czech Republic (Czechia) has long served as a crossroad for culture, commerce, and power across the continent. This cross cultural experience provides an in-depth study of its historical development and the forces leading to contemporary Czech culture. The team will be headquartered in the center of beautiful Prague, making multiple rail excursions throughout the country and to a number of the bordering countries.

Learning activities may include:

Economics

From the ashes of World War II and the long subjugation of communist and Soviet rule, Czechia has risen to the top 50 in the world, both in total domestic output and in GDP per capita, a measure of the standard of living for its citizens. Explore this truly modern and fiercely independent society, in the very heart of Europe. Although an active member of the European Union, the Czechs have proudly retained their own currency, the Czech Koruna, providing something of a shelter from the recent fluctuations of the Euro. Experience a tour of one of the world’s most modern automobile factories, in Mladá Boleslav.

Education

Tour prestigious Charles University, founded in 1348, making it one of the oldest in the world. Interact with students and faculty at the Christian International School of Prague (CISP), a highly respected institution in the heart of the city. Learn of the European education system and the many differences from the American system.

Family

Far beyond the experience of mere tourists, learn firsthand in the home and social circles of a typical Czech family. Gain entry into the normally very private world of Czech society, through informal activities and visits to private functions.

Government

Through visits to Czech institutions, museums, and the U.S. Embassy, learn of the struggle of freedom over repression and foreign domination that epitomizes the last thousand years of Czechia’s history. Learn of the many issues facing the Czech Republic today, including that of the Roma ethnic minority, and the burden of absorbing immigrants fleeing the wars in Syria and Ukraine.

Religion

Explore the wide variety of faith traditions steadily gaining ground in a society long viewed as the “most atheist” on earth. Through visits at three different church venues and meeting fellow believers, gain an understanding of the thirst for the gospel in a part of the world considered “post-Christian.” Learn from Sasha Flek, the project director and lead translator of Bible 21, a ground-breaking and best-selling version of the scriptures in the modern Czech language.

Other potential activities:

Revel in the glory of Prague, a center of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements. Experience a Mozart opera in the very opera house where Mozart himself conducted the debut. Enjoy the beauty and cultural importance of Český Krumlov, a World Heritage town, little changed from the middle ages. Explore Lidice, a town obliterated by the Nazis in retaliation for the assassination of Hitler’s second-in-command. Visit Terezín, the central concentration camp and city that shipped most of Czechoslovakia’s Jews to the notorious extermination camps, such as Auschwitz. On a lighter note, Prague is home to Europe’s finest zoo! As a bonus, this experience regularly includes side visits to Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria; and Dresden, Germany. In each case, this provides the necessary historic and cultural connections for making sense of Czechia’s history and culture.

My Cross Cultural experience was my first time traveling to a different continent. It was a trip full of firsts: first plane ride, first ride on a subway, first train ride, and first time being told to experience a huge city in a brand new country full of people who didn’t speak English. I boarded the plane leaving Detroit not knowing anyone, and I got on the plane in Prague wishing I never had to say goodbye to the people in my group. Prague is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen; I took hundreds of pictures, but none can do this trip justice. The memories I made in the Czech Republic will last forever, and I can’t wait to go back someday. I am so blessed for having had this opportunity.

Jordyn Moore

The experience at Terezin was like nothing that can be felt within our own culture. To see the intense hatred for a people based simply on their cultural and religious heritage that overtook and changed the face of a nation was extremely moving. To walk through the camp and tour the museum realizing that these were real people with real stories and dreams made world history and the tragedy of hatred come alive. The bright pictures and hopeful writings of children, artists, and musicians followed by the sobering phrase, “died in Auschwitz, died in Treblinka, died in Dachau” brought about emotions that cannot be experienced simply by hearing or reading. While visiting the Museum of Communism in Prague, I was stretched again to better understand just how deeply the Soviet system with its repression, persecution, and fear impacted the lives of each and every person living under it — rich and poor, young and old — even after the system has crumbled. These were experiences that made me realize more fully how privileged I am to live in a culture where I don’t have to suffer for my beliefs and where my freedom is protected. To spend time in a culture still dealing with the scars of Nazi hatred and Soviet repression changed my worldview.

Liz (Dickinson) Slager

Travel Information

Departure Dates

May 2024 experiences will begin sometime during the week following the projected commencement date and will last 19-23 days. Students should not make irreversible plans until their departure date is confirmed by the CCS office in February 2024.

Health & Safety

This experience, like all CCS experiences, is subject to political and safety realities at the time of departure. CCS options can be physically and emotionally intense and stretching. Before enrolling, all participants should consult the disclosures on Physical Hardships of CCS.

Covid shots are not required as of December 2022 for Czech Republic. For more details on required immunizations consult the immunizations chart.

Passport and immunizations required (both at additional cost).

Trip Costs

CCS May program costs do not include summer school tuition charges. Participants who are full-time students at SAU both fall and spring semesters 2023-2024 are encouraged to consider NOT taking a class for interim (January 2024), as the available January credits may then by applied to the summer school tuition charges of a May or Summer 2024 CCS. Tuition and program costs are separate monies.

CCS program costs do not include: tuition, passport, immunizations, or the $150 study abroad fee. The study abroad fee provides basic medical evacuation insurance, travel photos, and support services.

CCS trips are not guaranteed and are subject to change.