Students share experiences from abroad and motivate their peers

The common denominator at a recent meeting were stories and observations of students who had returned from their stays abroad. "We live your life stories with you, and this includes various experiences, including venturing into the world for an internship. You don't need to worry about being exposed to any danger – if the situation gets complicated, we are always ready to bring you back to the Czech Republic," reassured the Dean, Dr. Ivana Chloubová, after listening to a series of diverse narratives. Dr. František Dolák, the Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations, repeatedly emphasized that going abroad means stepping out of one's comfort zone, which, among other things, teaches students responsibility. One presentation even concluded with the quote from the writer Neal Donald Walsch: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."

The participants filled Lecture theatre A and experienced a very interesting afternoon full of inspiration, enthusiasm, and shared memories and experiences ­(both professional and personal). The International Relations Office regularly organizes these meetings at our faculty. This time, students who had prepared presentations about Albania, Nepal, Slovakia, and Slovenia were given the floor.

At the same time, participants learned about the possibilities of foreign study stays, internships, and the activities of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in which they can participate. Bc. Lenka Nedvědová,Vice-president of ESN USB Budweis, spoke about the purpose, benefits, and advantages of this network. Currently, there are only six students from the FHSS USB in the ESN, so others are welcome to join.

Mgr. Radek Vistořín, a second-year doctoral student of social work who focuses on migration issues, spent two months in Albania. This was the first time he had embarked on an internship abroad and he regrets not having done it earlier. "I gained a broader perspective and I´m now also aware that I can take care of myself in a foreign country. The most valuable thing I realized was how great we have it here," he summarized. He spent his two-month internship in a country that is experiencing an exodus of its citizens.

The second presentation described the experience of four students who worked for two months in Nepal. The students were Bc. Michaela Haisová and Bc. Alžběta Šmejkalová (postgraduate study in Nursing), Michaela Popová, and Petra Pragerová (second year of Physiotherapy). They appreciated meeting with Dr. Urbanová before leaving. She helped them prepare for the cultural shock, which later proved to be very beneficial. They remembered their stay with great enthusiasm, sincere joy, and humour, even offering contact information for reliable accommodation and other advice to anyone considering a stay there. The audience showed great interest during the presentation. Dean Chloubová and Vice-Dean Dolák also visited Nepal last year in November. The Dean reminded everyone, "You can't really talk about Nepal, you just need to experience it." They agreed that their value hierarchy had changed. Nepal is a country that can heal and give a lot to sensitive people.

Students of Medical Rescue, Roman Klabouch and Tereza Forstová, spent three months working in the mountain rescue service in Slovakia (where our faculty has been sending students for many years). For experienced skiers, it is a very popular place with friendly colleagues. "We realized that this can only be experienced once in a lifetime,” said the students. “It was still fieldwork, which always requires improvisation. We had a lot of outings, sometimes as many as 25 a day – we didn't even have time to return to the base, and we hopped from snowmobile to snowmobile."

The last presentation described a stay which was short but also intense. From September 8 ­–15, three General Nursing students and one Paediatric Nursing student participated in the Simulation and Play in Nursing Education summer school held by the University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences in Slovenia. The summer school was held in English and offered students valuable content and an unforgettable stay in Slovenia. Veronika Mandyszová and Michaela Kuchařová presented their experiences. They enjoyed their first short stay abroad and are now planning another longer stay.  

Our faculty offers many opportunities for students to go abroad because we have a dense and well-functioning network of international relations. It is an exceptional opportunity to experience different environments, compare working and living conditions here and abroad, improve language skills, and gain new colleagues and friends. The majority of students who take advantage of these opportunities return enriched with lifelong experiences. All the students who talked about their foreign internships on Monday confirmed that they had received great support from Ing. Jana Ředinová at the International Relations Office of FHSS USB. Ultimately, they recommended that participants should not be afraid to go abroad, as such an opportunity and service won’t repeat.