This study abroad experience has been amazing and I am so grateful for the opportunity I am having. I am just beginning the main part of my research through our tours and excursions, along with some information coming from my classes. Most of my research will be conducted in the US though as it requires more reading and analyzing than interviews and observation. With that in mind though I am starting the process and discovering interesting things about the Czech Republic and its foreign policy. So far I have not talked to anyone directly yet about my research because I have to do that when I return back to the United States. My mom’s friend lived in the Czech Republic until his late twenties and would be a great person to interview when I am back home. He lived there during the Communist period which heavily impacted its foreign policy and history. Even though I have not interviewed anyone here, I have learned things on our excursions that will contribute to my research, especially regarding the impact the history of the Czech Republic has had on its people and government. Additionally, I have observed some of the aspects of my research in Czech society, in my environment around me. Because of its history, the older generations living in the Czech Republic are a bit more reserved, hesitant, and conservative, while the younger generation is more lively and curious. The politics and culture of the Czech Republic derives from its complex and difficult history and the ambiance here reflects that. What is interesting though is that even though the Czech Republic is a relatively new country, it has a very long and interesting history and the buildings are old and beautiful! So far I haven’t had much of an influence on my environment, mostly because I am trying to be respectful towards the culture and lifestyle here and I don’t want to be an annoying tourist. On a general note though, Prague’s economy does very well because of tourism and the travel industry, seeing strength in the restaurant and food industry, transportation sector, and more. I may not have a direct impact but I am influencing my environment in some way or another. For my summer experience, the interviews and the observations will differ because you would not know about the difficult history the nation has gone through just based on the buildings and pretty architecture. Based on the ambiance and the environment, most people don’t know about the complex history of the Czech Republic solely based on what you can see. You can’t see the stories that people have of their hardship during the Communist regime. Finally, for me, co-constructing knowledge means learning information with a group as opposed to taking it all in by yourself, creating a shared learning experience for knowledge to grow. With this in mind, co-constructing knowledge can help build critical thinking skills as you can be exposed to new ways of thinking, new perspectives, and a new approach to the world.
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