Where should I study abroad: Prague, Capetown or Australia?

mrmillersd · Post by **mrmillersd** » June 21st, 2013, 8:59 pm

Which should I study abroad in? The advantages of Prague is that I would LOVE to visit europe, especially Austria, Germany, Eastern Europe. The downside is that I have to take Czech (mandatory) and will have to overload on classes next semester because of it. Also, I'd be going spring semester and Europe is cold in the winter.

If i Chose S Africa, I wouldnt have to take a language that I don't want to invest time in. It would also be warmer...I would also be living in a house with all American students-I consider this a HUGE advantage because it will create more permanent relationships....I wouldnt be able to visit Czech Republic often, so it would be hard to build lasting relationships with local Czech students. However, activities would be limited to the great outdoors-which I absolutely love...

Im absolutely torn-the fact that I have to take Czech really messes with my graduation schedule. Does anyone have advice?

I am a Asian male and i'd like to date some foreign women. I am 5'11 and very American and have had much success dating American women, but I find european women so much more...charming.

zboy1 · Post by **zboy1** » June 21st, 2013, 10:37 pm

If I were you, I would choose Prague. Why the hell would anyone want to go to Capetown, South Africa? The place is crime and violence-prone, and you have racist Blacks and Whites murdering each other in that country. Do you really want to be in a situation like that?...

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » June 21st, 2013, 10:38 pm

mrmillersd wrote:Which should I study abroad in? The advantages of Prague is that I would LOVE to visit europe, especially Austria, Germany, Eastern Europe. The downside is that I have to take Czech (mandatory) and will have to overload on classes next semester because of it. Also, I'd be going spring semester and Europe is cold in the winter.

If i Chose S Africa, I wouldnt have to take a language that I don't want to invest time in. It would also be warmer...I would also be living in a house with all American students-I consider this a HUGE advantage because it will create more permanent relationships....I wouldnt be able to visit Czech Republic often, so it would be hard to build lasting relationships with local Czech students. However, activities would be limited to the great outdoors-which I absolutely love...

Im absolutely torn-the fact that I have to take Czech really messes with my graduation schedule. Does anyone have advice?

I am a Asian male and i'd like to date some foreign women. I am 5'11 and very American and have had much success dating American women, but I find european women so much more...charming.

Most people here will advocate Eastern Europe, but if you had success dating girls in the US, you will have success in any of those places.

Robert77 · Post by **Robert77** » June 22nd, 2013, 2:52 am

Choose prague... but dont go thinking that because you're an American then women will fall automatically for u!!!

Czechs are a bit cold and distant and dislike loud obnoxious Americans.... act with CLASS overall and accept that to make a woman fall for u ur gonna have to have some game.... being American and wearing a baseball cap and speaking with a loud, nasal american accent is not enough for women to go crazy for u.

Capetown and south africa are beautiful but there is too much racism... too much crime, is like living in new orleans pre-katrina

as far as australia..... wouldnt reccommend it, some of the nastiest, more openly racist people ive met come from there, and being an asian in australia is as exotic as being a redneck in texas (they're everywhere and most look down on them)

Think Different · Post by **Think Different** » June 22nd, 2013, 3:29 am

Robert77 wrote:Choose prague... but dont go thinking that because you're an American then women will fall automatically for u!!!

Czechs are a bit cold and distant and dislike loud obnoxious Americans.... act with CLASS overall and accept that to make a woman fall for u ur gonna have to have some game.... being American and wearing a baseball cap and speaking with a loud, nasal american accent is not enough for women to go crazy for u.

Capetown and south africa are beautiful but there is too much racism... too much crime, is like living in new orleans pre-katrina

as far as australia..... wouldnt reccommend it, some of the nastiest, more openly racist people ive met come from there, and being an asian in australia is as exotic as being a redneck in texas (they're everywhere and most look down on them)

I lived and worked in Prague for two years in the 1990s and worked my butt off to learn Czech, which got me to a high-intermediate level. I'm a language buff and Czech is tough. Prague is my favorite city in the world and if you want culture up to your eyeballs, then go there. The Czech women are very stand-offish and the Czechs in general can be cold, distant, and intellectually snobby. Most Czechs automatically consider Americans to be loud, stupid, spoiled, and culturally ignorant. So, be prepared to prove them wrong. I say, head to Prague, but be prepared to put in the extra work. It'll be worth it.

germanguy · Post by **germanguy** » June 22nd, 2013, 7:01 am

All of these places are trash...

mrmillersd · Post by **mrmillersd** » June 22nd, 2013, 7:47 am

South africa may be more fun because its with other americans just having fun in africa and partying alot...but igeuss i could do that here in the usa....

I want to sent up a connection or like a base in europe because i plan to go back alot in the fall. However, prague is definitely not where id want to go in the future. id want to go to vienna or stockholm...but i do not have those options thoguh school as of now

Jackal · Post by **Jackal** » June 22nd, 2013, 8:35 am

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that Czechs are already somewhat used to Asians (unlike people in a lot of the other countries in Eastern Europe). There is a Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic because of an old labor agreement between it and Vietnam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese ... h_Republic

Czech culture was also quite popular in some parts of China about 7 or so years ago and many Chinese students were studying Czech (so much so that Czech courses were offered in Chinese in the Czech Republic).

But I haven't been in the Czech Republic in a while, so I don't know what things are like there now. Prague gets more westernized, more expensive and more touristy every year that passes. Lots of locals can't afford to live in Prague anymore. If you go there, you should definitely visit some smaller cities and towns to get a feeling of the "real" Czech Republic that exists beyond the tourist traps of Prague.

germanguy · Post by **germanguy** » June 22nd, 2013, 9:03 am

mrmillersd wrote:South africa may be more fun because its with other americans just having fun in africa and partying alot...but igeuss i could do that here in the usa....

I want to sent up a connection or like a base in europe because i plan to go back alot in the fall. However, prague is definitely not where id want to go in the future. id want to go to vienna or stockholm...but i do not have those options thoguh school as of now

Vienna or Stockholm? Why? Are you planning to bore yourself to death?

mrmillersd · Post by **mrmillersd** » June 22nd, 2013, 9:20 am

central to my research interests....I love german and nordic culture also.

why? what is boring about these places? i HATE big cities and lots of people....i grew up in Manhattan went to school in Los Angeles and absolutely cannot stand large cities. id never live in a place like london or paris....maybe berlin.

i love country and scenic places

germanguy · Post by **germanguy** » June 22nd, 2013, 10:13 am

mrmillersd wrote:central to my research interests....I love german and nordic culture also.

why? what is boring about these places? i HATE big cities and lots of people....i grew up in Manhattan went to school in Los Angeles and absolutely cannot stand large cities. id never live in a place like london or paris....maybe berlin.
i love country and scenic places

German culture? Nordic culture? What is that? Lederhosen und Bratwurst? All you will find is western mainstream culture...

If you canÂ´t stand big cities why aim for Stockholm and Vienna...These places are both big cities and the capital of the country try are in. Berlin is a huge city just like London or Paris...Where is the difference?

mrmillersd · Post by **mrmillersd** » June 22nd, 2013, 10:27 am

primarily in language. i want to learn german!

German culture/art like Wagner, and I could actually see a real life Opera!
What cities would you recommend? I dunno, but ive been told that vienna is quite different from NYC

Jackal · Post by **Jackal** » June 23rd, 2013, 1:37 am

mrmillersd wrote:primarily in language. i want to learn german!

German culture/art like Wagner, and I could actually see a real life Opera!
What cities would you recommend? I dunno, but ive been told that vienna is quite different from NYC

That's great that you like German culture, but I also suggest that you broaden your horizons and don't get stuck in the usual limited American view that the UK, France, Germany, and Italy are the only "real" countries in Europe!

The Czechs are also quite good at classical music, and a few great composers, such as Dvorak, have come from their country.

The Czech Republic also has plenty of small towns and villages.

Jester · Post by **Jester** » June 25th, 2013, 10:56 am

Jackal wrote:I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that Czechs are already somewhat used to Asians (unlike people in a lot of the other countries in Eastern Europe). There is a Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic because of an old labor agreement between it and Vietnam.

+1
GREAT point re in the OP's favor. I had a beautiful slender, feminine, intelligent, diligent assistant from Slovakia (used to be one country with Czechs) who was happily married to a Vietnamese guy.

Jester · Post by **Jester** » June 25th, 2013, 11:09 am

mrmillersd wrote:South africa may be more fun because its with other americans just having fun in africa and partying alot...but igeuss i could do that here in the usa....

I want to sent up a connection or like a base in europe because i plan to go back alot in the fall. However, prague is definitely not where id want to go in the future. id want to go to vienna or stockholm...but i do not have those options thoguh school as of now

Just the architecture, beer, and numerous young expats working in Prague will make it interesting for a while. Most inexpensive place in the EU to set up an EU business, according to Eurobrat. So lots of regional hq's there apparently. Once you're in Europe, getting around is easy.

My son did a semester or two in Prague, traveled to Vienna, former Yugoslavia, Hungay, Italy...

Check out this thread:

topics/na2-13988.htm

South Africa will make a great extended vacation when you have time, but there is no future, unless you're a mining engineer, IMO.

Happier Abroad Forum Community

Where should I study abroad: Prague, Capetown or Australia?

Where should I study abroad: Prague, Capetown or Australia?

Re: Where should I study abroad: Prague, Capetown or Austral