Meet Jenny Ngo

Program and Location:

Summer, NC State Prague: Classic Summer; Prague, Czech Republic

Major/Minor:

Psychology/Linguistics

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I never really knew what studying abroad meant until I came to NC State, and I decided as a freshman that it was just something that I simply must do! I knew one day I wanted to travel the world after finishing graduate school, and I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to do it in my undergrad. I wanted to see new places and learn about different cultures. I’m an only child, so I wanted to branch out and challenge myself to do something independently.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned how overly organized and prepared I get for every situation. I’m still unsure if it’s because I was scared to be somewhere new, or I was just overthinking everything. It all ended up working out in the end. I consider myself outgoing (once I get to know others), but I’m quite shy at first, and this program showed me that I could be myself no matter what.

What was one of your favorite parts of your program?

I loved traveling around different cities in the Czech Republic. I saw that there were some places similar to a big (touristy) city like Prague, but some towns were a lot different with just the locals. I also had the opportunity to explore different cities in Europe on the weekends.

What advice do you have to future study abroad students?

Branch out and try something new! Try the local cuisine and famous dishes. You won’t regret it. It’s easy to fall into things that you’re familiar with, but explore on your own or with some friends. Get lost a little, you’ll be fine and find your way back.

How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at NC State? Did you take any field trips or do anything outside of the traditional classroom?

My classes abroad in Prague were so much different from the traditional classroom setting that I’m in at NC State. This is mainly due to how small my class was, but we went on a field trip about 3-4 different times over the 6 weeks. It was very interesting getting to take the material we were learning from class and witness it in person. Towards the end of the semester we even got to go to a modern art festival hosted by art students from the local universities.

Would you do it again?

Absolutely!