Why the University of Bern?

Switzerland is well known for its nature and the mountains. My best childhood friend is from Switzerland. Her entire family was living so much healthier than we did. I thought that was cool.

How is the teaching at the University of Bern different from your home institution?

In my home country you have one big exam at the end of the semester, which puts so much pressure on you. In Bern we got one grade for an essay and another one for participating in class. I felt that I could show myself not just on one particular day but throughout the entire course.

How is the student-staff relationship different from what you are used to?

The teachers were much more open and approachable. I was surprised that everyone called teachers by their names. In the Czech Republic teaching staff insist on using their titles. In Bern teachers really wanted us to collaborate with them and wanted us to show them our ideas. For instance, when we prepared an essay, the teachers encouraged us to tell them what we were planning to do and then they would help us. In the Czech Republic these things are more our own responsibility. We can reach out to the professors if we really want but the professors are primarily interested in the results.

How has UniBE International supported you?

The activities during the introduction week were really enjoyable. All the Erasmus students I spoke to really enjoyed that. Everybody was very friendly. Whenever I had a question, Martina Carolus from UniBE International was so nice and helpful and responded very fast. The language course was great too. I enjoyed the German class, but I wish there had been a Bärndütsch class. If there had been such a course, I would definitely have taken it. The two things I struggled with most were the residence permit and finding housing.

What cultural differences would you highlight?

In general, people live much healthier lives. They go swimming in the Aare or go for runs, which is something you don’t see that much in Prague. In Bern many people cycle and the cycling paths are so nicely done.

Any adventures you would like to tell us about?

We cycled to from Bern to Genova, which was about 500 Kilometres. It was very spontaneous. One day after Yoga class we decide to cycle to Italy. Mentally, the hardest bit was coping with the person I was with and listening to my body. Sometimes my friends and I spontaneously took our sleeping bags and slept next to the antenna on the Bantiger. The views are amazing and one can watch the shooting stars at night.

What has the exchange semester taught you?

The exchange semester taught me so much. Before coming to Bern, I used to prepare everything and now I plan things much more spontaneously. The exchange semester taught me to trust life. The day before I arrived my housing got cancelled. I arrived without accommodation. During my first few days in Bern I went swimming in the Aare and met some people who offered me housing and became my friends. It was the best time of my life.

Interview: Caspar Bienek
Image: Klára Fišerová