My alumni story: Greetings from Prague in the Czech Republic

Having always been interested in visual expression, NTU's Photography course seemed a great fit for me. Studying at university in England was also infinitely less financially draining than studying in my home country of the United States!

After graduating from NTU, my student visa ran out and I had to return home. However, I missed Europe so much that I secured a job and a work permit in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and moved there in 2003. Prague's location in the centre of Europe and its multi-lingual environment, not to mention its beauty, were huge draws for me.

I have lived in Prague for the past 20 years, something that I never planned to do. Ironically, my instructors on the photography course often pushed me to study abroad in Prague for a year of my degree, but I insisted that I wanted to stay in Nottingham. Little did I know that Prague would be waiting for me later down the road.

I have always loved writing and knew I wanted to write a book, but it wasn't until recently that the choice of topic became clear.

My biggest success so far has been having my book published. Entitled Czech Lessons: Reflections on a Post-Communist Society, it's a deep dive into the personality and culture of this lesser-known country and how it has found its footing since communism was driven out.

My photograph graces the book's cover, so in this small way, I have paid tribute to my degree course!

Jessica Kendall Hankiewicz (formerly Williamson)