Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is renowned for its support of writers, artists, and the bohemian lifestyle. Outside of the historic capital of Prague, you’ll find a countryside full of farms and forests, villages and castles. The beautiful mountain ranges, rivers, vineyards, and farmlands, coupled with cities and fairytale villages make for a unique intercultural experience of self-discovery and intercultural journey.

Czech teenagers enjoy spending their free time outdoors: hiking, cycling and swimming in the summer or skiing in the winter. You shouldn’t miss the opportunity to join after-school activities, including sports, drama, and computer sciences. Czech teens like to spend time and go out together.

A photo posted by RestyN17 (@restyn17) on Sep 25, 2016 at 11:21am PDT

People of Czech Republic

Czech people value direct communication, friendliness and modesty. One of the things you’ll notice in the Czech Republic is that people say hello and goodbye to strangers in various situations, such as small shops, lifts or train compartments. A little insider’s tip: remember to take your shoes off when you go into a Czech home.

Host Family & Community

You will probably be hosted in the rural areas of Bohemia and Moravia, although AFS students have also lived in Prague and Brno. Czech families rarely have more than two children and will warmly welcome you. . They are usually close-knit, and it’s common for extended family members to live together, especially grandparents. In small towns, people live in apartment blocks but enjoy visiting their country cottages during the weekend.

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School

You’ll most likely attend a local public high school called a gymnasium, which prepares students for University. You can expect to spend your school day with a “tree class”—a group of students who attend all their classes together. You don’t need to wear a uniform but it’s typical for students to change from shoes into slippers when entering school.

Food

Czech people enjoy their cuisine, which is a mix of German, Hungarian, and Polish influences. Dumplings, meat, potatoes and rice are very popular. Most dishes are topped with a thick sauce and vegetables or sauerkraut. Caraway seeds, bacon, and lots of salt are common flavorings. While meat is a big part of the Czech diet, vegetarianism is also pretty widely accepted.

day 8 : breakfast similar to thai breakfast, czechs like to keep their breakfast simple. their bread usually come from their local bakeries. there are various types of bread ranging from sweet to savory and they are often eaten with marmalade, spread or anything left from the fridge. i personally like the pastry with pineapple and ham fillings. #30daysofAFS #AFSeffect 🍞🍞🍞

A photo posted by 10! (@chayn88) on Aug 31, 2016 at 4:41am PDT

A photo posted by RestyN17 (@restyn17) on Sep 15, 2016 at 12:43am PDT

Language

The main language spoken in Czech Republic is Czech, many people are quite proficient in English and also speak Slovak, Polish, German or Russian. Having a basic knowledge of English will be an asset in the beginning and will help you learn the local language. AFS will organize language courses in the first few months or provide you with materials to learn the language on your own before going on your exchange.

Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure

Go abroad with AFS to discover who you really are, make new lifetime friendships and immerse yourself in a fascinating intercultural experience.

TEEN PROGRAMS (UNDER 18 YEARS OLD)

Our learning program will prepare you for an amazing AFS intercultural experience. The program begins at your home country with a pre-departure orientation and continues with orientations and other supported learning activities and facilitated conversations will help you maximize your experience, cope the challenges of navigating a new culture and community and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding, throughout your time abroad, and as you return to you home country. AFS volunteers will be there to support and guide you and your host family through your learning journey abroad.

ADULT PROGRAMS (18 YEARS OR OLDER)

The Global Competence Certificate (GCC) program will support your intercultural learning experience. This state-of-the-art program prepares you to successfully navigate new cultural environments—during your AFSNext experience and long after you finish the program. Online intercultural learning modules combined with in-person sessions help you develop practical and global skills, knowledge and attitudes that employers need and mission-driven organizations believe will help achieve their social impact goals. You will receive your certification upon completion of the training program.

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