Meet Lara Salazar-Casajus (she/her)

Program and Location:

Spring, NC State European Center; Prague, Czech Republic

Major/Minor:

Fashion and Textile Design Major, Business Entrepreneurship Minor

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I chose to study abroad because I have always loved traveling, learning about other cultures, and meeting new people. I thought this would be the perfect way to immerse myself fully in different surroundings and gain new perspectives and experiences! I am also interested in moving outside the US after I graduate, so this was like a test run.

What did you learn about yourself?

I grew up moving internationally with my family, but this was my first time being in a new city for a prolonged time without them. I was pleasantly surprised as to how my upbringing prepared me to adapt to any environment easily. I was lucky to go to Prague with some of my closest friends, but it was still a learning experience to live and travel with them.

What was one of your favorite parts of your program?

There are many things about this program that I loved, including the planned trips and the classes offered for design students specifically, but the best part was the location. Prague was unlike any city I’d seen before, and it was such a privilege to live and study there for the semester. It is a very special place with so many things to discover while being centrally located making it easy to travel to other countries easily.

What advice do you have to future study abroad students?

My advice would be to make the most of every day because the semester flies by way too fast. While traveling and visiting neighboring countries is exciting, also take time to explore new areas, events, and the language and culture of the city you’re in because that is what will give you the most authentic experience. One of my favorite days of my experience was going to Masopust, a Czech Mardi Gras festival.

Were you surprised by anything during your time abroad?

I was surprised at how many friends I made in the program. Everyone was very open, friendly, and excited to be there. It was such a positive experience being with so many like-minded individuals.

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?

In my sculpture class, we visited one of the national galleries of Prague, The Trade Fair Palace. Prague has so many great art galleries and museums which inspired me in my time there. I loved this field trip because we got to see so many iconic pieces by Czech artists as well as international artists. In one of my Industrial Design courses we got to work with a local furniture brand. We toured their factory and had a critique with the designers about potential new office chair designs we had come up with.

How did your study abroad experience prepare you for your future career?

Studying abroad made the idea of working and living internationally less daunting and more attainable.

Would you do it again?

Absolutely!