My STEP Signature Project entailed a four week study abroad program to Prague in The Czech Republic. Throughout the week, we would have morning classes that focused on sustainable agricultural at The Czech University of Life Sciences. In the evenings, we had a lot of free time to go and experience the culture of the Czech Republic by exploring the many castles and historical sites in Prague. During the weekends, we would have excursions that took us all over Northern and Southern Bohemia (and I did listen to Bohemian Rhapsody the whole time).

I found myself transforming into becoming a more independent person as I completed my study abroad. Out of the gate, I had to fly internationally alone for the first time in my life. I had no one to rely on to lead me to my gate on time, I had to do it all myself. And then once I landed in Prague, I was in a foreign country that spoke a different language. I had to trust in myself to navigate and get to the Czech school. Once I had gotten to the school, I was surrounded by OSU students who I did not know. I had to find the confidence to go and talk to these strangers and make friends. It did not stop at the OSU students, I also made friends with the Czech Buddy students who all spoke varying levels of English (I so envy that most of the students were so fluent in multiple languages) which could get difficult at times. It taught me patience and to not feel uncomfortable when they did not understand me. I just learned to go with it and to try to explain things in a different way until they understood. These newfound communication skills are very valuable. Additionally, this trip challenged my world views and what misconceptions I had about central Europe. These experiences taught me to trust in myself, to have patience when communicating with others and also to expand my view on the world.

Throughout the study abroad, my fellow OSU students and I would travel into Prague alone. Not one of us could speak a lick of Czech. In order to get into the city, we needed to take a bus and then transfer to a tram or subway. It is very easy to get lost in a city as large as Prague so the first few times were a bit scary. I was the only student who had data on their phone so it was up to me to follow the maps on my phone. If I messed up, we could all have gotten really lost. The more we went to the city, the more confident I felt to lead our group. The confidence only grew when we took a trip to Budapest and I was successfully able to get the group to an antique flea market in the outskirts of town. This gave me a new confidence for traveling to new places. I know that I can navigate new cities and get myself and others to places safely.

Many of the Czechs we met spoke near perfect English. On our study abroad, we had what we called Czech Buddies. These were students at the university who volunteered to help us get around Prague and show us all the good places to eat/hang out in the city. At times, we would speak too fast or use too much English slang for them and the Buddies would become confused (which is fair, English is such a tough language to learn). I then would have to think of other ways to say the same thing. Sometimes even my back up explanation would not make sense to them. This taught me patience as it would be frustrating to both me and the Buddies at times. However, in these sometimes awkward situations I found that laughter was the greatest remedy.

I did not know what to think about the people of Central Europe before I visited. I knew that they had faced many horrors in their history, from The Holocaust to a rigid communist regime. I was not sure if the Czechs would be more reserved/cold as a result of their past. I found that my conceptions could not have been more wrong. From day one, the Czechs welcomed us into their country and made us feel at home. We were greeted at the school with Buddies who took us to their local pub for food and drinks after an exhausting day. They were so happy to meet us and get to know us. It was little things like this that settled my nerves. It made this foreign place a lot less foreign. We even got to do a home stay and where our Buddies graciously took us to their family and introduced us. Everyone we met was so kind and welcoming. It was not the reserved/quiet misconception I had in my head. Also the Czechs are some of the biggest partiers ever which I did not expect. They are very free spirited and I hope to absorb some of their care free energy.

Having confidence in myself, learning the value of patience and expanding my world view are critical lessons for me to learn. I now know that I can trust in myself to navigate any place or any situation that crops up. If I have to travel for a business trip to a foreign country, I know that I will be okay. Additionally, learning how to communicate effectively with people of different backgrounds/nationalities is critical for my future job. It also taught me how to work in a group setting which is necessary for any job/ school project.  Finally, this study abroad opened up my world view and challenged my assumptions that I had made about a country I never visited. This demonstrated to me that things are not always as they seem. It has made me more open to other cultures and how big the world truly is.  Additionally, having a study abroad trip has made me more marketable when searching for a job, which will give me an advantage over other applicants. It demonstrated my ambition to learn outside of the classroom. I did not go abroad simply to travel, I went to better my character and do all that I can to be the most productive member of society that I can be. I also met so many great people that I can now call friends while abroad.  Overall, this study abroad to The Czech Republic will forever be etched in my memories and will better me for the now and for the future.