Alone in Prague – How Studying Abroad Changed Everything

When I decided to study abroad in Prague, I didn’t know anyone else going. I didn’t speak Czech. I’d never been to Eastern Europe. And yet, something inside me told me to apply to the program.

I wanted an experience that would push me - not just academically, but personally. I wanted to see what would happen if I stepped way outside my comfort zone. I just didn’t realize how far outside it would feel… until I got there.

After a long day of travel, I arrived in Prague late at night, exhausted and disoriented. My phone wouldn’t connect to the airport Wi-Fi, Google Maps refused to load, and the driver who picked me up didn’t speak English. By the time I made it to my hostel room and sat down on the unfamiliar bed, it hit me: I was completely across the world from everyone I knew. In a country where I didn’t know the language. With no cell service. Alone.

That moment - sitting in silence with jetlag, anxiety, and the eerie hum of a new city outside my window - was one of the most intense feelings I’ve ever had. I felt overwhelmed, disconnected, and unsure if I had made the right call.

But then... things started to change.

The next day, I met a few other students in the program - people from all over the world. Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Ireland. None of us had the same background, but we all shared a curiosity and willingness to explore.

Within weeks, Prague felt like home.

We wandered cobblestone streets, took late-night trams, and discovered hidden coffee shops and castles. We traveled to Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. Every weekend was a new adventure, every train ride a new memory. I learned basic Czech phrases, started to understand the culture more deeply, and found myself adapting in ways I never expected.

Most importantly, I built real friendships. We talked about the differences in how we were raised, how we viewed the world, and what we each hoped to do with our lives. Those conversations expanded my mind more than any textbook ever could.

Stepping outside my comfort zone didn’t just make me stronger - it made me more human. It reminded me how adaptable we really are when we let go of fear and lean into uncertainty.

Looking back, I’m so glad my phone didn’t connect to Wi-Fi that first night. That moment of total solitude and discomfort was the start of one of the best experiences of my life.

Prague taught me that growth doesn’t happen when things are easy. It happens when you take a leap, even if you’re scared. It happens when you arrive in a foreign place and figure it out one day at a time. It happens when you trust yourself enough to go alone - and end up finding your people along the way.