The effects of studying abroad

It is exactly three years now since I left Prague with two pieces for luggage and headed to Durham, small town in North East England I have not visited ever before, yet this place was to become my home for those three years. There are not many Czech students around in Durham and it took me about 6 months to bump into the first one, so I have inevitably ended up making friends and living with people from all over the world. In this environment I have realised that most of my friends see my homeland as a very different country. Many would reject the concept of central Europe straight away – and their position makes sense. Central Europe has no natural borders, while the dividing line of the former Iron Curtain still seems to be very distinctive – from concrete housing blocs to the political culture. At first I was trying to combat this and ‘enlighten‘ my classmates, yet I eventually came to realise that I myself am heavily biased too. I also came to realise what is the media picture of the Czech Republic abroad – and it was not a pleasant surprise. There are not many mentions of our country in the international media, and the only mentions of the Czech Republic on the BBC’s main page were related to the ‘Czech Berlusconi‘ Babiš, xenophobic statements of Czech politicians or affairs like Chilean pen of president Klaus or the ‘flu‘ of president Zeman.

With every trip home I saw my country from a different perspective. When I gave Prague tours to my friends who came over, one English friend asked me, whether is the gilded baroque style somehow linked with the eastern Orthodox church. While this thought is rather shocking from our perspective, for an Englishman accustomed to much less decorative gothic and Victorian styles it is understandable.

And that is the reason why I think that studying abroad is so beneficial, it is not just due to highly reputable universities, but also due to this broader experience – for a year I lived in a flat with a practicing Muslim, and not only did I learn loads about Islam, but I also got a new perspective on my own religion. And I also came to realise that religion, ethnicity or origin are nearly irrelevant – every single person needs to be approached individually regardless their cultural baggage.

Another issue that came as a surprise to me was the number of students going straight into work after undergraduate degree. Only a small fraction of students actually continues with master’s degree, which I think is a proof of high applicability of the UK education – many of my Czech friends cannot imagine going into work after bachelor studies. I have decided to continue studying, as I want to return to Prague at some point and postgraduate qualification might come handy. As English weather was probably too nice was me, I have decided to move further up north to Edinburgh, where I have joined even more international community – there is not a single one Briton in my class and only one third are Europeans.

In conclusion of this and all my previous entries I would like to thank The Kellner Family Foundation for their support. Without it my studies would be barely possible and with their funding I could fully focus on my studies and other activities and worry less about finance. But it was not only about money, but also about the great network of students the society brings together, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you!