Amy Abroad: Dartmouth resident Amy Koczera starts a new journey in Prague

Traveling is incredibly important because it not only opens doors to new cultures and unexplored places but also to a further understanding of yourself.

I chose to go to Prague to study abroad this semester because I thought that it was off the beaten path when considering most major places in Europe. All those that I have talked to about the Czech Republic have had nothing but good things to say. I figured that Prague would be the perfect place to find myself: a humble city of uninterrupted life and knowledge desperate to be discovered.

So far, Europe, particularly Prague, has far exceeded my expectations.

Just one month ago I began a journey not only to see more of the world, but also to find myself.

As my plane began its descent into the city of Prague, my home for the next four months, the vast stretch of the city made a profound impression.

Composed of red rooftops, Gothic churches and cobblestone streets, everything about the city invited exploration. After settling into my apartment, just a 10-minute metro ride from the heart of the city, I was eager for adventure.

Read the full column on SouthCoastToday.com, published on February 27, 2018, as part of travel column ‘Amy Abroad’ written during a study abroad term in Prague, Czechia.