From Prague to Raleigh

This episode explores the story of Anet Bucilova, a student from the Czech Republic who decided to pursue a 4-year degree in the US. Anet shares with us the story behind her decision to pursue a degree in the US and her story of being a cheerleader. Throughout the episode, we learn more about the education system in the Czech republic, the difference between life in the US and Prague, in addition to some lessons learned.

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Creators & Guests

Host

Abdullah Najjar

What is Connecting the Pack?

"Connecting the Pack" is a podcast from WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 that allows international students to share their unique stories and how they have ended up studying at NC State.

Abdullah Najjar 0:00
All right, welcome to another episode of connecting the pack. Today I am joined by Annet Bucilova. That the right way. Yeah.

Annet Bucilova. Right. So Annet is a student from the Czech Republic. And she's currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in sociology. And today we'll we'll talk about her journey in the states, her life back into Czech Republic, and to understand more about why she chose to show up the states. So Annette, welcome to the studio. Thank you.

I'm glad to have you here. And I would love to first start off with the most, I guess it was a question that you probably get asked a lot. And that is why you chose to stay. So I just show up to pursue an undergraduate degree in the United States. So take us back to perhaps a moment or time when you realize that this is the path that I want to pursue.

Annet Bucilova 1:05
So it was always my dream to study in the US. I had a dream of being an exchange in an exchange student in high school. So my sophomore year of high school back home, I study, I started looking into programs that offer this. And the first like, very initial thought was because I wanted to do cheerleading here really bad, because you really Yes, because I always did cheerleading back home, it's not that popular over there. Obviously, we don't have cheerleaders, like at the games and stuff, we only compete. So it's like, the competitive part of it. And I love that sport. And I was always like, wow, like, I was on the national team in the Czech Republic. And I was like, wow, like, how can I move to a level to better level you know, and so I was like, I should I should try to get in America. And that was the first thought. Then when I got into the process of like, Oh, I'm going to be an exchange student, I'm going to have this amazing host family and everything. The dream of cheerleading, kinda like, put it out. Like it wasn't that big of a deal, because I learned how much there is to learn during an exchange year and how much there is to gain from that experience. So then I started really being excited about it. And I wasn't even pressuring like the fact of like, being a cheerleader, because you can for exchange year for the program that I did in high school. It is a program where you just sign up and you go through all these like English tests, and placement tests and everything. And you can't really pick where you're going to be like you can pick either like public or private high school, which I picked a public high school. And then they will just assign you a family that picks you. So you can pick a state. So you just say, Oh, I'm going to America to the United States. But out of the 50 states, like you don't know if you're going to end up in Nebraska or California, like you have no idea. So I ended up in Maine, which I absolutely loved. It was the best year of my life, I had an amazing host family. And I did get to do cheer there, but only on the high school level. So it wasn't really what I was looking for from the beginning. But as I said that I wouldn't change a thing like that doesn't matter at all. It was just the first initial thought it was like, oh, I should be a cheerleader in America. But then there's so much more to this experience is just much more than just about a sport. So yeah, so I was an exchange student, my senior year of high school, I wanted to do that during my junior year, but then COVID happened. So I left with my senior of high school, and my high school back home in Prague, which is where I grew up, told me that I will not be able to graduate since I'm leaving for the year, so I will not be able to graduate in their school if I don't complete another year. So I was kind of like, oh, like I if I kind of want to come back. I also never really liked the education system in the Czech Republic. It is very old. We learned the same stuff as my parents did in high school, which is a long time ago. And you know, like our history books are not updated so we like don't learn about a World War Two.

Abdullah Najjar 4:16
Really you on't learn about World War Two

Annet Bucilova 4:19
No we get past the like and overall one, I would say like that's where we stop. The education system is just really old. I don't really enjoy it. It's like it's it's based on like, more punishment than like being told that we're doing good, you know. So it is very demotivating I never really liked school back home. And then when I moved to Maine, I loved school I loved waking up I loved going to school having all the extra activities and you know, I did cheerleading there and field hockey and tennis and theater and Student Government like I did everything that I could do And it was the best year of my life because I was I had so many things to look forward to, not just the school itself, but it made school fun because I was surrounded by so many people who enjoy these things with me. And it was just an incredible experience. So

Abdullah Najjar 5:14
that was that would be when you're perhaps 16 or even 17.

Annet Bucilova 5:20
I was I was 18. I was 18. Oh, okay. We studied for 13 years in the Czech Republic. So my senior year I was 18. So

Abdullah Najjar 5:26
would that be considered a first ever experience leaving the Czech Republic and go, Wow, well, how well how are you feeling about it? Like in the first, like your first couple of days, when you the moment when you were, you know, traveling, leaving? Like how did that feel to be just leaving home and just going abroad? Maybe without any family members traveling with you? How did that feel?

Annet Bucilova 5:50
Well, exactly. As you said, it was my first time traveling alone. So because before that, like I've traveled plenty of times, my parents travel a lot. They always took me and my younger brother with us. So it's like, I've traveled before, many times, but I'm just my first time ever when I had to sit on a plane on my own and fly to the other side of the world. And it was, it was the scariest thing ever, because I'm really afraid of flying too. So when people are asking me like Annet, what are you most scared off for the whole year? I was always like, Oh, well, the first flight. And so scary. It was scary. It was like being at the airport, saying bye to my parents. Like I didn't want to make this step. I was standing there. We were all crying. We were hugging. And I it was so hard to like, go pause the security and just wave at them by I'll see you in 10 months. So it was it was definitely the hardest thing so far. I've done probably I could No,

Abdullah Najjar 6:49
I could totally understand that. I remember my first experience being somewhat similar back when I left Libya to start school in Lebanon, I was 17 at that time. So it was it was certainly hard you know when you're at that young age and you're about to embark on a journey on your own. But I am very glad to hear that the that the year was was filled with not just academic. I can like not with just being immersed in the academics world or the in the academic world rather, but also in the extracurricular activities world. And you said how you were in student government in tennis or

Annet Bucilova 7:33
tennis field hockey cheerleading theater. I did the musical I don't sing but I did the musical because it was so fun within Greece that a year so I was

Abdullah Najjar 7:43
so what were you What was your role in Greece?

Annet Bucilova 7:46
I was Patti. She's the mean cheerleader. So

Abdullah Najjar 7:51
Hilarous. So how did you manage to be so busy doing extracurricular activities, but maintaining like a healthy balance with like, your personal life or with your social life? Rather, was it difficult to kind of balance all those thing? Um,

Annet Bucilova 8:08
well, I think I'm pretty well like, trained, let's say from Czech Republic, because our school system is just so strict and so heavy, like, even in middle school, it is a big like workload at once. And then like high school was even harder because so the system just very easily said, but the system is that we have to apply to go to high school we it's not like our middle school would continue to high school have to apply and based on how you do on these standardized tests, which like are supposed to tell your intelligence but it's really just about how lucky you are that day based on that they will place you into a high school that you pick, you have two picks, you can pick your number one and number two choice. And then like if you do really well you will get into like I got into both of my high school so then I went to my number one choice but if you do poorly, most of the schools will be like oh no, like we don't want that student and then you will end up in like a lower level high school because we have like different levels of high schools you have the highest level which is called gymnasium doesn't have to do anything with sports.

Abdullah Najjar 9:17
Is that a Czech sort of word or

Annet Bucilova 9:19
I think it's all over Europe like I know in Italy, they call it like Lisa Leto. It sounds like it's a similar it's in Germany, they call it museum to I'm pretty sure Okay, so that's how it's called. It's like the highest level education can get in on a high school level. It's a very general education and you have like I had 20 classes a year like it's like you have physics chemistry bio every year. And then three social sciences like you have a lot and I also went to a private school which was thought health and English often check so it was another thing on top of that. So like I was really busy in high school, back home, which is Like, you know, going to school, like it was a majority of my day, I was in school from like eight to four every day. And then when I came to main, the school was only from like a to two, and then sports in the afternoon and everything. And I only had like five classes a day, and a break in the middle. So it wasn't as like time consuming. And since I was really used to, like, do something all the time all day long, like, wake up at six, and get back into the bed at like, 10. You know, like I was used to that. So for me, honestly, like the American system is like very much more relaxing. So like, I had plenty of energy to do other stuff.

Abdullah Najjar 10:37
Wow, wow, that's incredible. I never really, I never got to experience high school abroad or even spending a year abroad. So our so this is very, very different than the way you know, my high school was oriented. That's, that's just so crazy. Like to have that many opportunities. Yeah. And to be immersed in different activities. That's just did it get overwhelming at times? Did you feel like you had you were just stretching yourself, to thin?

Annet Bucilova 11:05
Yeah, it did, it got overwhelming. But I also did it with my best friends. So like, I was extremely lucky during that one year in Maine, because the whole friend group that I was a part of, which was a friend group of my host sister. We all got along extremely well. And I was just really, really lucky that they took me in, you know, and like I was a part of them. And it was they were the best people I've ever met. It was just the best year of my life. And exactly like, as you said, is just there was so many opportunities. I couldn't say no, I couldn't be like, No, I don't want to do theater, because I would be too busy. I would rather be too busy than, like, not to get the chance to be in Greece. You know, like, that's just so awesome.

Abdullah Najjar 11:50
Yeah, I had, I think I would say, I pursued a similar path. When I did an exchange semester here in the States. I remember, you know, the, the university that I was in had so many different clubs and student led organizations that I wanted to be part of. And I even like I even joined an Irish dance club. And I was performing in front of like an audience. And it just it felt surreal. But at the same time, like when the opportunity knocks on your door, you just gotta capitalize on it. You gotta, you know, you gotta Strike the iron while it's hot. And I'm glad you did that. That's just that's what makes the experience memorable.

Annet Bucilova 12:28
Yeah, definitely. And like, also during the year, I really had like, no worries, because like, as I said, like, I was only taking like five classes, which I'm not gonna say that they were easy, because I was taking some AP classes. And I know a lot of people outside of the US say that education in the US is easy. I personally think it can be but it doesn't have to be. Yeah, if you take AP classes, those are tough. It's not. It's not an easy class. If you take a regular class in American public high school, then yes, it is very easy. But I just hate when people like come to me and are like, oh, yeah, you study in America, because it's easier, doesn't have to be like it can be but that's what it is here. Like it's all about your choices and opportunities. In the Czech Republic, you don't get those opportunities, you are placed into a high school based on one score that you got on this one test that you took once some schools count in the grades from the past, but some like don't, and like I, for example, did an interview for my high school too, because since it was an English speaking, High School, for half Czech half English, they wanted to you know, he our English and everything. So like, I didn't interview too and everything, but most high schools don't do that. So they will just place you like based on that one test, and you don't get any other opportunity to grow. So I really like how the system is here that like, the education is not only education, like you have so many other things you can try in the academic environment. And yeah,

Abdullah Najjar 14:03
and would you say that being in a in a university like right now that it's very similar in terms of the amount of opportunities they that are, you know, available to you? Or is there some, I guess difference? Yeah.

Annet Bucilova 14:19
So I think there is a difference because you just have to work harder here. You know, in high school, if you sign up for musical you will probably get in. But in here our theater program is extremely selective. So it's just like it's just you know, this is a huge state university. So like obviously, it's going to be harder to get into these things than it was in high school. But I do think that the system is super similar. That's why I decided to stay for university because during my exchange year in Maine, I was applying to universities just for fun. I was just like, you know, I

Abdullah Najjar 14:54
want to try it just

Annet Bucilova 14:55
all my friends are seniors are all there. They're all Applying, they're all talking about this common app thing. So I was like, you know, I'll try it. And I was like, I don't have the finances for it. I can't leave my family for four years. Like, I was like, This is insane. I can't do that. But then, when I was in the process, and I saw the applications, and I saw all the schools emailing me, we want you, and like, they actually were excited to have the students. I was like, Wow, holy, I feel wanted, like, I feel good. And, you know, then I was applying to schools, and the acceptance letter started coming in and everything. And I was like, wow, like, those schools are offering me money. Because they want me like, That is insane. So then I just decided like that, you know, it doesn't have to be, I realized that it doesn't have to be painful to go to school, because this was always a thought in my head back home. Like, yeah, like, I will go to university, and I will hate it. But I realized that wow, like, actually, those people want me to go when they actually. Like, they care about the students and everything. So I was like, well, maybe there is another way how to, you know, enjoy those four years of my life. So then I decided to, yeah, I picked NC State is like, what was a very random decision, I would say, it's just I never dreamt of like, Oh, I'm going to be part of the Wolfpack ones. But it just happened to be the best option for so many reasons. You know, the diversity we have here. NC State has a great experience with international students. And study abroad in general. It's just a great environment. I really am glad I picked this whole. Yeah,

Abdullah Najjar 16:47
I'm sure you've made the right decision. And I'm sure you're learning a lot from your experience here I mean, it's your second year, right. My

Annet Bucilova 16:55
second year.

Abdullah Najjar 16:56
Wow. Time, I'm fine. So what what sort of, how would you say this experience is being in in university in the US? How would you say that that is different from the experience of your friends? Who are going to who are studying in universities in the Czech Republic? I think we spoken before about Charles University, for example, that's a prominent university in the Czech Republic. So how would you think your experience differs from someone say pursuing an undergraduate degree in Charles University?

Annet Bucilova 17:34
Well, this is really only for my friends, because like, as I said, I have never went to university in Czech Republic. So I can compared myself, but I would say most of my friends do like it. But the biggest difference is that they don't have any, like, work during the school year. So they have, they have classes that they can attend, they don't have to. Usually, if like you want to do while you will attend them, but I do know some of my friends who just don't go to class. And then they just have to study for this final exam, which is like basic, your whole grade. It's like a, it's called, like the finals term. And it's happening in January and February. So you go to school from like, September till, you know, like January and then Junior February, you have finals. And so you have to, like do these, like both written and oral finals, for your classes. And so it just sounds like two months of hell for me. You know, like, I'm really glad I have the opportunity to write essays and do homeworks in the middle, and then my whole grade doesn't depend on just one final at the end. But yeah, they also don't have any extracurricular activities, like our universities don't have sports. Like, that's not a thing that's just an American, and probably Canadian, maybe in the UK,

Abdullah Najjar 18:53
I don't know about the UK but I do know about America

Annet Bucilova 18:57
yeah, where they have sports in school. We don't have that at all. There may be some student government, but definitely, it's not comparable to all the opportunities that are here in the states where you can join a varsity sport, you can join a club sport, you can, you can anything that there's a club for anything you possibly can think about. And if there's not, you can create one.

Abdullah Najjar 19:17
Right, right. So I, you know, kind of add like to add to that, I remember when I did an exchange semester here in the States, there was a club called the Winchester club. And it was all about this series called supernatural. And the people in the club love the series so much that they created a club dedicated to the series where they would watch episodes every now and again together.

Annet Bucilova 19:43
Yeah, I know there are clubs like that, that just like share passion for something. But I think majority of the clubs that we have here are actually like, one of the most beneficial things you can have for your future. Like if you join you know, like I I joined rowing club last semester, so much fun, like I loved it, it's amazing sport, the team is amazing. You know, 100% recommend. But then there are some clubs that are are actually, like, learn teaching people what they don't learn in class, you know, like, Skills for Life and stuff. And it's just, it's, it's incredible that this is all happening in the, like academic environment around people who, you know, who just want to be better, you know, they just want to learn something new, they just want to leave with more than just what they have to. So yeah,

Abdullah Najjar 20:39
now, that's what I like about the college environment here. But I also like the fact that, again, I think you've mentioned that before the diversity and just the sheer volume of the international student body, it's just that you meet so many interesting people, you would have never thought you would you would meet, and you probably wouldn't encounter if you were if I were to say in my home country and pursue an education there. So that's what I what I appreciate about this environment. And I also appreciate that they have they have a lot to offer. And there's there's so much that they that they could do and offer to the to the to the school and to the field of study that they're pursuing. I would love to know, now explore with you maybe the the connections you've made today, with the international students, are there any from Czech Republic? Are there any from say, neighboring European countries that you've built a network with? So

Annet Bucilova 21:44
I know, I'm pretty sure I'm the only student from Czech Republic who's here for four years, if I'm wrong. I don't know about another person. But I do know that we always have an exchange student from Czech Republic. So my freshman year there was there was one guy from Czech Republic, I actually met with him. We got lunch, then, last semester was another guy from Czech Republic. And then this semester, just this girl, I got coffee with her. So they they are here for like, one semester. But I'm pretty sure, or I haven't met yet. Anybody who would be here, like a full time student pursuing a degree from NC State University.

Abdullah Najjar 22:25
Oh, so even in the Czech Republic, you guys have this program of this exchange program going to stay? Yeah. So it's not unconventional, for someone from Czech Republic to go to the states for like, a semester or four years? No, I

Annet Bucilova 22:39
think a lot of people do it for a semester. Exactly. Because it is financially really hard to go for full four years, you know, it's also a decision you have to make very early like, I was lucky that I started my application, like my senior year, because most students Americans are they usually start our college applications earlier. And they really, if they really want to get into, you know, their dream and good school, they just work on application longer, and they really prepare for that. So it's not like a it can be really a quick decision. So I think that's why people usually prefer like, exchange years, because it's hard to realize what you want when you're 18 like you like, I am more like a go with the flow. Yeah, person. So that's why this all like kind of worked out for me, because I'm just taking opportunities that come on the way. I know a lot of people who are from Europe, and they are like, you know, studying their entire life just to be students in like Yale, or Harvard, Harvard. So it's like, some people do have these dreams, and they really push so hard, and they make it work. And it's amazing. For me, it was more like, oh, this would be awesome. Oh, it worked out. Like it's just kind of life happens. And I just do whatever I feel like doing. But it is like if I wasn't an exchange student in high school, I probably wouldn't make the decision of coming here because I would be too scared because I wouldn't know how it works. And four years is a big commitment. So that's why I think a lot of students peg just an exchange here because they're like, Oh, I'm just like, going to stay in Prague for university, obviously. Why would I? Why would I go somewhere else like people? I don't think a lot of people think about moving out of their country that much.

Abdullah Najjar 24:27
Yeah. Yeah. It's not comfortable to be outside of your comfort zone. Yeah, yeah. So how do you how do you how, for example, how did you sort of adapt to the American culture did was it similar in a way were there stark differences? Or was it a gradual process? Walk me through your sort of journey of trying to adapt to the culture.

Annet Bucilova 24:55
So I was always as I said in the beginning studying in the you As was always my dream, I just had like this connection to this country. My parents loved this country, they did travel through the west coast in like the 90s, so like, it was a different time. But it's still it was always like, you know, like we only live once, like, why would I not do it if I can. So I always really wanted to move here, at least for the one year in high school, I also always really enjoyed studying in English. That's why I picked the high school that I picked, because then luckily got into because I just really enjoyed learning English, studying in English and everything. So then when I moved here for the exchange here, I didn't really like struggle with either language, or like the cultural differences, because since I was like, kind of obsessed with America, I kind of knew what I was going into. Okay, I did a lot of research on like, everything about it, you know, so there were definitely things that surprised me. But I'm just saying that I think I wasn't as culturally shocked as if I didn't know that much about it. But then, the thing that, like, helped me the most was my host family, because they were absolutely amazing. And they were, you know, proud Americans. They used to be in the Air Force. So they were were they, they were an amazing family. And they helped me with everything, like everything you can possibly think of. They helped me with that. They helped me with my common app application, they helped me with just anything that happened to me, they were there for me. So they really made the transition process much easier. Also, my host sister, she, she was we were the same in the same grade. So you know, I could ask her about anything, because she was like, doing the same things as like applying to college and everything. We were in some similar classes. So that just made it much easier not being just on my own, you know, having somebody who was kind of like, told to take care of me, because that's what those families are for. So that was, that was such a, like, smooth transition into living in America, like beings being on my own. But still, let's say like, raised by someone for a year, right?

Abdullah Najjar 27:23
Yeah. I'm just I'm just glad that the you know, it was It went as smooth as butter as they say. Yeah,

Annet Bucilova 27:32
I mean, there were struggles, but I don't even remember them by now. Like, I have only good memories of that year. And if there were struggles, they weren't never that big that it would like, push me away from you know, wanting to stay so right.

Abdullah Najjar 27:47
I like that. So now that we, you know, we're approaching the end of our conversation together, I would love to know, if there are certain lessons, some takeaway, maybe lessons from your experience so far. Maybe it's just something you've given some thought maybe you haven't, but maybe you can share with us a couple of things that kind of stand out about this college experience that you've had so far in the States.

Annet Bucilova 28:19
Um, I would say don't give up. Because my freshman year was definitely tough, definitely harder than even my exchange year, mostly because I was on my own fully. So it was a big transition from like, a very comfortable experience in Maine in a host family in a friend group that I fit in into a huge states school. You know, where it was harder to find friends, I was fully on my own. No parents, just like it's little things. But when you add them up, it created a really tough environment to be in. So my freshman year was a really, really hard time. Sophomore year is amazing. Good much better, because now I know where I am, what I'm doing. I know what major I'm pursuing and everything. So now it is definitely better. But so I would say don't give up even if it's really hard from the beginning. Just it's just gonna get better. I promise.

Abdullah Najjar 29:22
Yeah. No, I totally agree with that. And I think I've had some similar back when I was, you know, when I first started undergrad than as a as like an international student. So that's certainly something that resonates with me as well. Yeah. Don't give up. I love that. Yeah, thank you Annet that was a it was a pleasure having you here and learning more about your experience. I'm glad we got a chance to do this.

Annet Bucilova 29:47
I'm glad to thank you

Transcribed by https://otter.ai