The location of the program makes it ideal for students who want to travel all throughout Europe! You have opportunities to travel all across Central, Eastern and Western Europe!

The people that I met were the most kind hearted, genuine, and fun people I am ever likely to meet. Everyone I came across was accepting and enthusiastic about getting to know me and my story. By far the greatest thing anyone that studies in Brno and stays at the Vinarska dormitory will take away are the friendships and camaraderie you are bound to create whilst abroad. I would trade the Sistine Chapel for some of the friends I have made in Brno. I greatly hope that I will have the opportunity in the future to see them again.

My favorite part of the Masaryk program was definitely the people. Since Brno isn't a really huge "tourist destination", you met people who were there for the "Erasmus Experience" (Erasmus is the European exchange program). They were there to study, to meet people and make friends, and have fun being in a new place. I loved that it was a dorm-stay program instead of a home-stay because it meant that I got to live with 200+ people from all over the world, learn about their customs, culture, food, interests, etc. My roommate was from Portugal, and is now one of my best friends. Everyone was so genuine and I think it was the best mix of people I could have possibly imagined.

The Czech Republic is in the heart of Europe. Being in the Czech Republic allowed me to travel to areas of the world that I didn't think were possible and gave me the opportunity to see European culture as a whole. I was able to experience the history of Europe, especially World War II, in a manner that would never be the same elsewhere.

I enjoyed being able to meet people from everywhere around the world. We worked together a lot in the classroom and we spent a lot of time traveling and experiencing Europe together.

My favorite part about the Masaryk University program was the fact that it was in Brno, Czech Republic. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic. It is a big enough city that I was able to explore and experience something new each day, but it was small enough that tourists weren't crawling the city and I was able to get to know the locals and the Czech culture.

My favorite part about this program was the connections I was able to make. Not only did I spend time with other exchange students, but I was able to meet a lot of locals. I was very involved with the community. I truly value the connections I was able to make and I do intend on maintaining those relationships.

The freedom to travel to almost any country in Europe was priceless. The Czech Republic is smack dab in the middle of Europe and you can get to three or four countries within two hours and all within a reasonable price range. Also, if you are on a budget while abroad, the Czech Republic is a great place to go because the prices for food, drink, and entertainment are some of the lowest in Europe.

I loved getting involved on campus. We worked with a university group that discussed and helped present ideas and solutions to the Syrian refugee crisis. I enjoyed the culture a lot more than the academic experiences because I felt I learned a lot about myself and about other cultures while abroad.

The most rewarding element of the whole program was the level that I got to know other international students. I lived in an international dorm (Vinarska) and met friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. As much as I loved traveling while I was abroad, the best part was having the opportunity to live in an area with like-minded students from countries all around the world.

The most rewarding part of the program was experiencing the different cultures. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to explore the world. Brno was in a central location and that enabled me to travel a lot. I visited over 10 countries and 20 cities. I put myself in situations that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I learned a lot about different cultures in the countries I went. I got to experience everything first hand instead about just reading about it online.

My recommendation is to do a lot of research on the classes. I ended up taking a class that was pretty misleading on the description and ended up hurting the academic experience I had. I would also recommend doing your best to get involved with the campus activities. It is a great way to meet people and open up the opportunity to travel with some great people. Lastly, do NOT be afraid of talking with strangers (other students), they are all in the same boat as you! Oh, and make change before you go, you'll need coins!

My perspective on situations, people, and the world has completely shifted due to my time abroad. I was fully immersed in Czech culture, as well as the cultures of students from all around the world. Nothing will ever compare to the experiences and opportunities that Brno had to offer. It is essential to be completely open to the idea of meeting new people and experiencing new things first hand.