NYU Prague Student Blog
I was pretty anxious before coming to Prague. Was it because I didn’t start packing until the night before? Because I’ve never left the US for more than a week at a time? Because I didn’t know a word of Czech? Probably all three, but nevertheless, I was also excited. For the next three months, … Continue reading A Month in Review: Expectations vs. Reality at NYU Prague
“Yeah… my family is Czech! I think they had something to do with Prague history I’m not really sure…” This was my default answer when anyone asked why I chose Prague for my semester abroad. I knew I wanted to study somewhere in Europe so that I would be able to travel on weekends, and … Continue reading Homecoming… Three Generations Later
What does it mean to be queer in a city located in the heart of central Europe? Many current NYU Prague students found themselves looking up whether Prague was safe for queer people before applying to study abroad here. The internet overwhelmingly said yes and living in Prague has confirmed that. But students also wonder … Continue reading A Glimpse into Queer Life in Prague for NYU Students
by Grace Bradley Roma people, known by the derogatory term ‘gypsies’, have been historically persecuted and still face extreme racism in the Czech Republic and many other former communist countries. During the Holocaust, 90% of the Czech Roma people were killed in concentration camps. In the Czech Republic 2011 Census, less than 14,000 people (about … Continue reading Roma in Europe: Toward Representation and Recognition Conference
by Anagha Mahesh The Czech Republic is one of the most homogenous countries in the world, with over 90% of Czechs identifying as ethnically Czech. This means that, to some extent, everyone looks the same. While Prague is a metropolitan city which, by nature, attracts a diverse population of tourists, the city is still largely … Continue reading Living as a Minority in Prague
by Ellen Ying On Sep 11th, my class was invited by our professor, who is a Jazz guitarist, to go to his Jazz Trio concert. The only thing I know about Jazz was that it is a musical genre of African-American origin. I have been exposed to some pieces also originating from African-American communities, … Continue reading After AghaRTA Jazz Concert – A Reflection on Diversity
by Nandini Kochar I have the pleasure of interning at ROMEA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of the Czech Republic’s marginalized Roma population. As part of the internship, my friend Vitoria and I recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend in the small town of Rumburk with Romani high school … Continue reading Rumburk with ROMEA: A Weekend with Romani Students from Across the Czech Republic
by Andres Cedeño Coming to NYU—or to any school—as a member of the LGBTQ community comes with plenty of challenges and anxieties. Coming to an NYU site in a foreign country as a queer person is arguably even scarier. Being a gay man myself, I have become interested in discovering the queer scene here at … Continue reading Half-Way: Queer Student Experiences at NYU Prague
Malé náměstí, the small square which is triangular in shape, may not be as famous as its closest neighbor Old Town Square, and may not have been where hundreds of thousands gathered with their jangling keys in the heady days of the Velvet Revolution, but even modest little Malé náměstí has an impressive and long … Continue reading The Home of NYU Prague: The History of Our Small Square
Between shelves brimming with Mandarin literature, walls filled with Chinese tapestries, and an aroma inundated with the scent of Longjing tea, Martin Kriz’s home décor is fitting as he describes his life as an African Czech using one word: different. A Chinese Translator and founder of a non-profit organization for orphaned children, Martin Kriz … Continue reading An African Czech Perspective: Difference as a Source of Empowerment