Matt Shirley [pictured above, drinking some kind of fruit juice, I'm sure...], a Bachelor of Arts student at La Trobe University in Melbourne, participated in our International Security in the Modern World program at Masaryk University. Matt tells us about what it was like studying in the awesome town of Brno in the Czech Republic and the importance of the phrases: ‘Si krásna’ and ‘Dal bych si tři piva, prosím.' Read on to find out more...
Hi Matt! Why did you choose AIM Overseas' International Security in the Modern World program?
The thing that appealed to me most was the location. So many people go to Europe and just visit Paris, Madrid, London, Amsterdam....and miss out on all the fun that can be had in the less touristy parts of the world!
Did you have any fears or concerns before doing the program?
Absolutely! It was my very first time overseas, so I was freaking out about EVERYTHING! My biggest concerns came from the organisation of funding, but Jooliet from AIM Overseas was always there to help me!
Tell me about a typical day at Masaryk University
I don’t think anything about our time at Masaryk was typical!!! Usually we’d wake up (just) before class and grab some breakfast on the way to campus. Classes were always entertaining and we became quite close with our lecturers, often heading out for lunch (or more frequently beautiful Czech beer!!!) after class.
Then the afternoons were largely free, but our program director Martin would always have loose plans or ideas for amazing places to visit. Somedays we’d find ourselves visiting battlefields from the Napoleonic Wars, or heading out for an afternoon on Lake Brno to visit a castle, or maybe we’d just end playing football against our Czech & Slovak friends. After a quick disco nap, we’d all grab some dinner and then head out to experience the Czech nightlife! If we were lucky, we’d be back before the sun came up, ready to start all over again!!!!
What was the highlight of the program for you?
The Czech beer costing less than a dollar for half a litre! Hahaha, seriously though, as cheesy and staged as it sounds, the people. Not only did everyone get along so well right off the bat, but we made such amazing local connections. We all became such a tight knit group, it just made for the three most consistently awesome weeks of my life!
Matt with the awesome friends he made from the course, who ended up being the highlight of the program for him. All together now: "AWWWWWWWW!" :)
Do you have some tips for someone who’s going on this course? If you find yourself in Brno, I have two words for you: Two-Faces. This club was like something out of a 90s music video! There’s a spa inside the club, foam that shoots from the roof and looks like snow, strobe lights, people dancing on podiums, and everyone just having a great time!
The Czech Republic is so cheap that we would catch a cab into town, spend a whole night ordering litre beers, rounds of shots for the whole table, dinner, and catch a cab home....and have spent about AUD$30-40 for the whole night. It was absolutely amazing.
Some sage words of advice from Matt: "Drink Responsibly! Or I should say, it is your responsibility to drink!" Thanks Matt!
How has this program impacted you?
This program was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to travel overseas for the first time ever (with government OS HELP funding no less!), make some amazing friends from all over Australia and Europe, and really experience life in a culture different to my own. I could tell you about all the amazing places and cities we visited, but the best memories came from just wandering around with friends, and just spending time in such a beautiful country.
What would you say to someone who is thinking of doing the program?
Why are you still reading this? APPLY APPLY APPLY!!!!!! It was without a doubt the greatest experience I’ve had.
My final advice if you do decide to do it? I’d say the most important thing to make sure you take advantage of your surroundings. Some of the optional trips organised by the uni that I went on turned out to be some of the best moments our group had together. Those of us who travelled and experienced all that Central Europe had to offer still managed to get excellent marks. These courses are as much a cultural experience as they are an academic one, and I’d really implore you to devote enough time to both aspects.
Also, write these phrases down, they helped us immensely: ‘si krásna’ & ‘Dal bych si tři piva, prosím'. That’s Czech for “You’re Beautiful“ & “Three Beers Please“.
Hmm... you'll have to tell us the stories connected to these phrases some other time then, Matt!
A gorgeous view of the Czech Republic, where Matt lived and studied for three glorious weeks
This program runs every year in the July uni holidays. To find out more about this program or to apply, please go to our website: www.aimoverseas.com.au or email us on info@aimoverseas.com.au
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