Growing up my summers were always filled with helping out on the family dairy farm, going to county fairs, and sitting around a campfire hanging out with friends. This summer had a very different rhythm to it. I spent most of my summer 11 hours away (by plane) immersed in a different culture surrounded by new friends.
This summer, I studied abroad in the Czech Republic for six weeks starting in mid-June and ending in July. Five U.S. universities participate in the Czech University of Agriculture – Prague exchange? program: Missouri, Ohio State, Kansas State, Penn State, and Texas Tech. In all, 
about 30 students from the states were in the program with me. While in the Czech Republic, I took classes in English on the Czech University of Agriculture – Prague campus during the week and experienced various study tours to different farms, industries, and environmental attractions to see what we learned in the classroom first hand. To the left is a bull raised for beef; this breed is the typical Czech breed, red and white coloring with horns. The first three weekends we were free to travel on our own, the fourth we went home with a Czech student to experience the Czech family life, and the fifth week we were gone on a study tour traveling the countryside.
In the evenings, we had the chance to experience the Cezech culture and try a wide variety of Czech cuisine. While beer is the prominent drink at any time in the day, fresh fruit and vegetables, hard crusted bread, soup, pork, and potatoes were popular during the lunch and supper hours. We also toured Prague to see all of its famous attractions, including the Charles 
Bridge, Prague Castle, Jewish Quarter, National Theater, Old Town Square, and its old, articulate buildings which have been kept up over the years to maintain their beauty. To the left is a picture of outside the cathedral inside of the Prague Castle walls. Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and I am so lucky to have spent my summer there.
On the weekends, I traveled to surrounding countries to see major sights and experience different cultures, including Vienna, Austria; Zurich, Switzerland; Cracow, Poland; and Germany on my free time to travel. Austria is by far my favorite country; the sights both in the city and on the country side were amazing! We briefly toured Schonbrunn Palace, which is the most beautiful building I have ever seen. My friend Lindsay from Texas Tech and I toured Vienna for a day and a half and saw some articulate buildings, beautiful parks, and had some great food! While in Germany, I visited my distant family in the town where my ancestors resided, the house where they lived, and the church where they worshiped.
Studying abroad has been one of the most unique experiences of my life. It has broadened my perspective on how our country’s past affects the economy and way we live today. Studying in a different country has enabled me to learn about different aspects of agriculture and how cultures interact with one another. I feel I have also gained more personal dependence and realization of different aspects of life and culture which are important in our lives as Americans. I strongly suggest traveling abroad while in college, it may be the last time you have to opportunity to do so. If you have any questions about the program I studied, please contact me via email, schulte@ksu.edu. For information about studying abroad, contact the Study Abroad Office via phone, 785-532-5990, or email, oip@ksu.edu.
Until next time,
Kristen Schulte
