News

Confidence, Curiosity, and California: Reflections on a Study Stay Abroad

22 December, 2025

In a new interview for the CERGE-EI Blog, CERGE-EI PhD student Tereza Burýšková shares her experiences from a study stay at the University of California, Berkeley.

The Q&A with Tereza opens a new series, Places You’ll Go, which highlights international study stays as opportunities to test ideas, broaden perspectives, and move beyond familiar academic environments. Motivated primarily by intellectual curiosity, Tereza chose Berkeley to experience the atmosphere of a top-tier institution and to challenge herself in a new setting.

While the administrative aspects of preparing for the stay proved manageable, the real challenge was psychological. Having never lived or studied abroad before, Tereza initially questioned how she would adapt.

“In retrospect, the hardest step was simply getting on the plane. After my first week in Berkeley, any doubts quickly disappeared.”

Even everyday experiences, from navigating the city to grocery shopping, revealed cultural differences that underscored how much she was learning beyond the classroom.

“Even grocery shopping surprised me. The smallest pack of bacon I could find was about 500 grams.”

Academically, Tereza found the teaching style at Berkeley surprisingly familiar, yet noticed a striking difference in student behavior.

“The most striking difference wasn’t the curriculum, but the students’ confidence and intellectual courage; often the most meaningful questions are the ones we hesitate to ask.”

This atmosphere of curiosity and openness left a lasting impression. During her stay, Tereza immersed herself fully in campus life, attending more than one hundred events, including research seminars across disciplines, workshops, and conferences. The experience strengthened her academic skills, from structuring papers to presenting research. Most importantly, it deepened her confidence in her own ideas. Her advice to younger CERGE-EI students is simple but powerful: do not be afraid to pursue opportunities that may initially seem out of reach.

“Dream big. With the support of the CERGE-EI faculty, what initially feels impossible can very quickly become reality.”

Read the full interview here.