The story of a transformative experience travelling through Europe is not a new one. We've all seen the movies, read the books, and liked our friends' posts about their Greece trip on Instagram. In all honesty, I had written this off as a bit cliche, but I've quickly learned that it's all true. I'm currently halfway through my field school in Prague, and I can truly say that it has already changed my life. I was lucky enough to receive an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion - International Mobility Award, which has allowed me to prioritize my time here without constant financial stress. 

We've just returned from a three-night stay in Jindrichovice and Český Krumlov, two incredible towns in southern Bohemia, with gorgeous landscapes and rich histories. We stayed in a 16th-century chateau (à la Bridgerton) for the first two nights, and the third was spent in a hotel room with a wonderful view of the Castle Tower and the night sky. 

I was lucky enough to be in Prague while they hosted the IIHF World Hockey Championships. I watched amongst hundreds of lifelong Czech fans in the old town square as they screened Czechia's win of the whole tournament. The crowd counted down the last ten seconds of the game and erupted into cheers when the time finally ran out, Czechia beating Switzerland 2-0. The atmosphere reminded me of the hockey culture back home, and I found comfort in its unity. 

There are indeed many a tourist here in Prague, but in my experience, the tourists here have been some of the kindest people. As much as I feel like I've settled into the Czech lifestyle, it's always nice to meet other travellers and hear their stories. I've had the opportunity to make so many international friends, specifically with other ECES and Erasmus students. From these encounters, I've been able to make further travel plans, finding people to stay with, in cities I had only ever dreamed of travelling to. 

One of the many benefits of staying here in Prague is that it is so easy to travel to other stunning cities in Central Europe. My classmates and I planned a trip to Vienna during our second week. The eight of us travelled there together and had such a wonderful time, visiting museums, palaces and parks. Although we were only there for three days, I found that I had already started to miss being in Prague. I'm not sure how I'll manage when I inevitably have to go home. I'm sure I'll be back, as this city will always have a piece of my heart.