Mobility specification

Country:USA

Institution:Juniata College

City:Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2022/2023

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Informatics

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?they have tons

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?One credit in America = 2 credits at MUNI

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The teaching was more like high school. I didn't have any lectures in the big hall. There were usually no more than 15 of us in the class, and it was kind of a combination of lecture and seminar. The teachers knew us by name and the school was much easier compared to muni. I only had one exam, all the other classes ended with a project. Ironically, the Tai Chi exam was the most stressful, where we had to memorize the routine.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there was a lot of that. At the beginning we had an orientation week for international students, then the American freshmen joined us for an adaptation course, where some groups went camping, others played sports, volunteered, or did art. The school was tiny, with 1600 students in total. Yet it offered around 80 student clubs. Every now and then there was an event on campus outside of the clubs. I also participated in the Language in Motion program, which allowed me to teach in American elementary schools. In addition, the school offered a Friendship family program, which connected us with American families.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Crisis intervention
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I was surprised that we had to pay a lot of expenses (around 80000 for visa, flight, insurance, school fee) in advance when we hadn't received the scholarship yet. Otherwise, I have to say that once we got the scholarship, the whole stay worked out pretty well financially for how expensive the US is.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?The dining room is open all day and has several pre-paid meals. I bought unlimited meals for the whole semester for 8000, so I was already spending money on travel only.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

And what about transport outside the city?terrible

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?There was no public transport in the town at all, you could walk everywhere. For trips outside the city, I recommend buying train tickets directly through the Amtrak website. The train only runs once a day. If you want to take the bus somewhere, someone has to drive you to State College.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?perfect

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?There's hardly anything in Huntingdon. Still, I loved it and every time I walked around the town I felt like I was in a movie. It's a real authentic America that you don't find in a big multicultural city. They have a nice Huntingdon sign and a few coffee shops (I definitely recommend the Standing Stone, the Wildflower Café and Downtown Joe). For a nature walk, the Cliffs and Peace Chapel (beware, there is no chapel, it's just called that) and 1000 steps hike are great. The movie theater was a cultural experience too.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Raystown lake is great, you can rent kayaks there for free from the school. Friendship family took us to Trough Creek State Park. I can recommend that one too. The Amish villages are an interesting experience. (We just drove through there, I don't know of any museums or open air museums to visit.) Otherwise, travel is pretty limited due to the fact that the train only runs once a day in Huntingdon. I would recommend renting a car and making the most of any vacations during the semester. I was able to see New York, Boston, Washington DC, and Miami. The school also organized a trip to Hershey theme park. Be sure to join the Language in Motion program as well, because it gives you a look at different small towns in Pennsylvania that you probably wouldn't go to just for a trip. In general, I recommend combining well-known places like New York or Niagara Falls with lesser-known trips around the area.

Share your best experience:I've been through a lot, but I remember one moment that I couldn't believe was really happening. I was lecturing at an American private high school, where students wore uniforms, about the Czech Republic. Then I cooked strawberry dumplings for the whole class in the school cafeteria.

We went on a lot of amazing trips, but I'll never forget coming back to Juniata afterwards, having pizza and burritos with my friends in an empty cafeteria because they had nothing else at 9pm. We talked about what we had experienced that day and I felt like I had come home.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?yes

Where can it be arranged?At the US Embassy in Prague

What is needed?I had to wait until I received the DS-2019 document from the school. Then I filled out the DS-160 online, then I had to pay the SEVIS fee (5200 CZK), confirmation of the appointment at the embassy, confirmation of the visa fee payment. Just in case, I also brought my invitation letter, confirmation of studies at MUNI, bank statement and photo, but none of that was needed.

How long does it take approximately?I waited about 5 weeks for the earliest available date at the embassy. After visiting the embassy, my passport and visa arrived home by mail within three days.

How did you get to the place?Plane
Train
Car

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?There's only one train to Huntingdon a day, so find out what time in advance. You'll probably be travelling for a day and a half.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Adapter

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?It was like a movie.