Adriana was searching for university study options with her dad and found scholarship offered by MU almost accidentally. Looking through potential universities, they found a scholarship for people with Czech roots and became interested. „My dad's a fourth-generation American, but my great-great-great-grandfather was Czech from the Moravian region,” Adriana explains. Her mother, originally from České Budějovice, moved to the US in her twenties. At first, Adriana considered going to college in her home state, but the idea of reconnecting with her Czech roots appealed to her more.
She was drawn to Masaryk University not only because of its academic offerings, but also because the tuition was also affordable. “I wanted to reconnect with the Czech Republic and improve my Czech. It’s a hard language, but I’m making some progress. I understand a lot but don't speak it well yet. My mom is fluent, though,” she notes, adding that she also studied Spanish in Colorado.
Adriana is in Czechia on her own. She lives in the dorms and makes friends from all over the world. „Pretty much everyone in the dorms is from abroad. Most of the international Erasmus students stay there as well. My roommate this semester is from the US, and last semester, it was a girl from South Korea, so quite a contrast,” she says with a smile. „I even met a girl who's half German, half Czech. She came here to connect more with Czech culture, too,” she adds.
To get into the General Medicine programme, she had to pass the difficult entrance tests. She used online preparation materials from the faculty's website, including sample exam questions. „I had a strong background in biology because I took some college-level courses in high school, which helped a lot,” Adriana explains.
The exam covers three subjects: biology and chemistry, with an option to choose between physics and math, which is a relief for those stronger in one over the other.
Despite the challenges of studying medicine, Adriana is doing well in her first year. She appreciates the supportive attitude and knowledge of her teachers. „The teachers are clearly very educated experts,” says Adriana.
She particularly enjoys the hands-on approach in classes. „We've worked on real specimens and mixed substances and observed the results firsthand. We even did PCR to analyse DNA and detect certain genes,” she shares.
As she settles into life in Brno, she is starting to appreciate Czechia’s atmosphere. She has also made Czech friends through the Medicine programme. Even though she has adapted to the new culture, she naturally misses her family back home. For Adriana, there's also the burden of the time difference. „My family is eight hours behind, so sometimes I want to call them, but I can't. It's not a huge difference, but it still makes it harder,” she says.
During exams, she spends most of her time in the Masaryk University libraries. „Right now, I really like studying in the library at the Faculty of Social Studies," Adriana assesses.
She had to get used to Brno's public transport because she drove everywhere by herself in Colorado. „There was basically no usable public transport back home. So, during my first month here, I kept getting on the wrong bus or tram. Even when I got the number right, I'd go in the wrong direction,” she laughs. She figured it out eventually, and now she easily takes public transport rides everywhere.
Ultimately, Adriana appreciates the opportunity to connect with her Czech roots. Through her studies and daily life in Brno, she is not only learning more about medicine but also discovering new sides of her identity.