Mobility specification

Country:Italy

Institution:Česká škola Řím, Associazione Praga, sdružení krajanů a přátel České republiky

City:Roma

Program:Erasmus+ traineeship

Activity type:Traineeship

Academic year:2022/2023

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of Primary Education

Study level abroad:Master

✅Check the boxes

How would you categorize your internship?Education

💼How-to: Interning abroad

How did you discover this internship opportunity?Field coordinator
Other

Other - please specify:The coordinator shared an offer of an internship at a Czech school in Calgary. I was first interested in this school, but it was unrealistic for me due to finances and distance. Thanks to this, however, I started to find out more about Czech schools around the world.

What specific responsibilities and tasks did you do during your internship?I taught third grade students, I led a music club for kindergarten and first grade children, I prepared school graduates for certified exams in ČJ, I was involved in the preparation of events of the school and Associazione Praga.

Did your tasks align with the pre-defined conditions?yes

Did the internship meet your expectations?yes

Did you apply any theory you learned at university during the internship?yes

How well did you manage to communicate in a foreign language?neutral

Do you have tips on how to make a great impression on the institution?Appreciate all musical talents - singing, playing a musical instrument. The school is housed in a seminary; it is certainly not necessary to be Catholic, but it is good to have a positive or at least neutral attitude towards the faith and the Church.

How competitive was the selection process? Did you have to go through an application procedure?I'm not aware of going through any selection process. I'm sure it must be because I contacted the headmistress very early. My first contact was in December 2022, I was approved for the internship in February 2023 and did not start until September 2023.

Why would you recommend students do an internship?Both of my internships abroad were a valuable experience that opened new horizons for me - not only professionally, but also personally. In Rome, I had the opportunity to learn more about the specifics of educating bilingual children and to test my pedagogical skills in a new environment. I know from my experience that a foreign internship teaches you to be more independent, courageous and adaptable to new challenges. It's a great opportunity to boost your own confidence, improve your language skills and make new contacts. If you have the opportunity to go, make sure you take it - it's an investment in yourself that will pay you back many times over.

💰And how to fund it?

What were your average monthly expenses during the internship?13000 CZK/month

Did the institution provide accommodation?no

If not, how did you find it?I wrote to a lot of ads on Italian real estate sites, but no one got back to me. Only on the FB group Czechs in Italy a lady wrote that she was offering a free room for two students. I was happy to take advantage of this as the apartment was affordable and I could also communicate with the lady in Czech.

Did you have any unexpected expenses during the internship?no

Do you have any tips on how to save money during the internship?Shopping at Lidl, arranging discount cards in shops. I personally saved money by eating simply and basically vegetarian, not going to parties, and staying in a shared room.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How difficult was it for you to adjust to life abroad?no problem at all

How well did you manage to communicate in English?neutral

How does public transport work in the city?terrible

And what about transport outside the city?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?A clarification on transport - the metro and trains work reasonably well, but the buses basically don't follow the timetable. If you're looking for accommodation, make sure it's close to the metro route. In Rome, you can buy a monthly transport card (cost 35 euros) and it's always valid for a specific month (i.e. 1 September to 30 September). It's a good idea to think about this when buying it, whether it's worth it or whether it's cheaper to buy single tickets (towards the end of the month). Otherwise, it's definitely a good idea to download the TicketAppy app to buy public transport tickets (single and monthly), Moovit for timetables and Treniitalia for train tickets.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?You can look up the classics (Colosseum, Trevi Fountain...). It's definitely worth booking a visit to the Borghese Gallery, the Doria-Pamphili Palace/Gallery or the Modern Art Gallery. The Via Appia Antica is a beautiful walk, and there are also several catacombs along it. I love the golden hour that you can enjoy on the Palatine , and the sunset over Rome that can be seen again from Borghese Park. The Spanish Steps without tourists can be enjoyed early in the morning. And I could go on for a long time, there is always something new to discover in Rome.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Tivoli (the town where Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa are), Ostia Antica (the ancient port) and Lido di Ostia (the sea, basically accessible by metro), Cerveteri and Tarquinia (Etruscan monuments).

Share your best experience:It's hard to pick one. For me, it was great to see the improvement in the relationship with my students, when at first they were trying to see what they could do with me, but from about halfway through the stay we respected each other and had a lot of fun. In my free time I enjoyed my solo trips to the seaside. And a completely new experience for me was my first Christmas away from home.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The need to arrange a Codice fiscale.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Suitable clothing for church sightseeing and also very warm clothes for school. I wore gloves and a very warm sweater to my class in the winter.

🥳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?The internship in Rome was a time for my professional and personal growth - a space to realize who I am and what I can already do. All the while spending time in the backdrop of the Eternal City, which pleases not only your eyes but also your taste buds.