Ethan Frank: Blog Post #1

Pre-Departure Blog

I’m Ethan Frank, a Finance major and Health & Fitness minor at Texas Christian University. Outside the classroom, you’ll usually find me lifting weights, making music, or having a deep philosophical discussion with a friend. These are the three passions that fuel who I am and how I view the world. Studying abroad in Prague, a city pulsing with history, art, and culture, feels like the perfect intersection of everything I care about.

I chose to study abroad because I wanted more than just academic credit, I wanted perspective. There’s something powerful about stepping out of your comfort zone and living in a place that challenges your routines, your worldview, and even your identity. Prague offers that in a way few cities can. With its blend of medieval architecture, post-communist energy, and modern European innovation, it feels like a portal to the past and the future at the same time. I’m hoping to soak up the cultural richness, learn from the people I meet, and allow the experience to shape me into a more aware, adaptable, and grounded version of myself.

One of my biggest goals for this trip is to maintain my commitment to fitness while adapting to a completely different environment. I plan to find local gyms, explore the entire city by foot, and make smart nutrition choices by cooking most of my food so that I can make room for Czech dishes. I also want to expand my musical side by checking out local venues, street performers, and playing guitars in the music stores. Music has always been my outlet, and I’m curious to see how if being in Prague will motivate me to write music.

Philosophy is another deep interest of mine, and I’m looking forward to reflecting in spaces that have witnessed centuries of human thought, conflict, and transformation. Whether I’m reading in a centuries-old café or standing under the Astronomical Clock, I want to take in more than just sights, I want to contemplate what they represent.

More than anything, I’m looking forward to the moments that can’t be planned. The spontaneous conversations, unexpected realizations, and quiet walks through cobblestone alleys that help you feel more alive, more human. The truth is that the current moment is the only thing that exists, and I want to spend my time in Prague with this in mind, no worries about the past or future. I hope this experience teaches me how to slow down, listen more closely, and connect more deeply with others and with myself.

This trip is more than a study abroad program; it’s a chance to become more fully myself. And I can’t wait to see who that turns out to be.