Is there life after academic mobility?

I spent 4 months in Pilsen living my best student months I have ever had. Now, that I am back in Saint Petersburg to my normal not international way of living, I am ready to value my whole experience without bias.

So, how was studying in the Czech Republic?

It was beery.

The Czech Republic is the Kingdom of beer. It's hard to expect less. I learned dozens of jokes about beer and know how a lager differs from a stout.

It was way too sociable.

Before moving abroad I have never talked to so many people at once. I have met more than one hundred new people. (My Facebook is filled with new contacts, my Instagram gained new followers ;). I am finally not afraid of small talk, I know how to start a conversation and how to support it. Before that, it was a big challenge for me.

Also, you always have somebody who will keep you company, because international students are easy-going and ready for adventures. No more awkward trips to an unfamiliar place alone.

It was enlightening.

Insider information about European countries, which is hard to find on Wikipedia, was very accessible. I find it useful to understand who these foreigners are in truth and to find out whether the grass was so green outside of Russia.

Moreover, due to the fact that you have limited time for communication with your new friends, you try to discuss as much as possible. Philosophy, art, natural sciences, and many other topics are in demand. Knowledge effortlessly gets into your brain. I think I'm ready for any quizzes.

It was non-stop.

I don't remember a day when I didn't do anything. I even stopped watching TV shows, because there was always something more interesting to do. There were always various events on a weekday, and there was always a trip on weekends. Nobody wanted to stop for a minute and stay in one place. Maybe we got lucky with the University. Teachers were exacting, but they didn't give time taking tasks.

I was a little bit homesick.

Academic mobility is a unique opportunity to fall in love with Russia. Honestly, you start to miss Russia very unexpectedly. Only abroad I truly realized that Russia is a quite technologically advanced and convenient country to live.

In the Czech Republic, there are still a lot of places where you can pay only with cash. Few people understand this "international" flick of the phone, which means I will pay contactless.

Furthermore, it was very challenging to call a taxi. In Pilsen, there is an Uber-like app, but there is always a risk that when you order a cab, there will be no drivers. For the first time in the last 5 years, I had to call to book a taxi.

Compared to Russia, they have insanely expensive Internet. In St. Petersburg I pay 400 rubles per month for unlimited Internet. Here I paid 100 CZK (300 rubles) for 500 MB!

The beauty industry is very developed in Russia, it is easy to get any cosmetic services for little money, while in Europe, you should make an effort to search.

These things are hard to understand until you live in Europe.

After all, it was a party to be thrown.

Life after academic mobility exists, but it is not as bright as it was before. My months in Pilsen were more intense than I could have expected. If you have the opportunity to study abroad, be sure to use it. Travelling does not give such a complete immersion in real foreign life. New experiences, new friends, new language, unexpected twists of fate, say goodbye to fears and comfort zone…

…and thank you, ITMO!