At the first group dinner of Elsie Katajiasz’s three-week study abroad program in Czechia, the students divided themselves among different tables. They had met at the program meetings, but they did not know one another well.
By the final dinner, no one was split up. The students sat together at one table, talking and laughing as a group.
“That was probably the night I had the most fun, when we were all together, and we actually felt like a family,” Katafiasz said.
Katafiasz, a sophomore forensic science major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, joined a three-week study abroad program to Olomouc, Czechia to explore a longtime interest in law enforcement. She hoped studying another country’s justice system would help her decide whether to pursue policing or forensic science as a career. Students like Elise, interested in criminology, law and justice, studied alongside students from Nebraska Law; attending different classes in Olomouc, but learning from academic and cultural visits together.
Ultimately, the experience left her with more than career perspective. With her family in Omaha, less than an hour from campus, Katafiasz said spending three weeks abroad forced her to rely more on herself and left her with “the travel bug.”
Before Katafiasz could navigate a foreign country, she had to determine whether she could afford the program.
“I almost dropped out just because I was worried about funding,” Katafiasz said.
She eventually found a way to pay for the experience with help from the university. Katafiasz said students with concerns should look toward scholarships and speak with Husker Hub or the financial aid office before deciding that studying abroad is too far out of reach.
Katafiasz said she had always thought about being a police officer, even though she studies forensic science. She chose this program to help her decide between the two career paths.
She was especially interested in a crime scene technician’s role. Katafiasz’s impression was that Czech crime technicians are more closely related to policing than the forensic science roles in the United States.
She acknowledged that she entered the program with an American frame of reference but later realized how different other countries can be.
“I never really experienced anything other than the systems inside the U.S. So, I expected it to be a bit similar to ours. But I found out that it’s definitely a lot different,” Katafiasz said.
Katafiasz noticed differences in Czechia’s architecture, walkability and dining.
“I think I just remember it being so different from the United States, like, the architecture and the walkways, and all the roads were brick,” Katafiasz said.
She particularly enjoyed being able to walk almost everywhere, unlike in Lincoln or Omaha.
Although nervous about unfamiliar food, she enjoyed her first Czech meal enough to save the leftovers for the following day. Restaurants often offered four to six prepared lunch options, she said, making meals quicker and less expensive.
A moment that pushed Katafiasz the furthest outside of her comfort zone was her trip to Poland. When the program provided a free day, she and two other students planned the trip the night before and traveled without any faculty leaders.
“That was a little scary, just ’cause we were traveling on our own, but we managed to do it,” Katafiasz said.
Navigating another country and language without help became evidence that she could rely on herself far from home.
For Katafiasz, successfully navigating Poland was a sign that she had become more independent. With her family in Omaha, about 45 minutes from campus, she rarely needed to manage unfamiliar situations entirely on her own.
“I feel like I became a lot more independent in figuring things out on my own,” Katafiasz said.
Now, she hopes to return to Europe and explore more countries.
“I never realized how much I enjoy traveling,” Katafiasz said. “I think I definitely caught the travel bug when I was there.”
