Although study abroad is an established research context for second language acquisition, the emotional experiences of U.S. students learning less commonly taught languages, such as Czech, require further research, particularly in settings where these languages lie outside students' primary academic pursuits. This study explores U.S. students' emotional responses to learning Czech, focusing on specific activities that catalyze emotions. Through qualitative analysis of 36 written reflections and group interviews with 18 participants, this research identifies three primary emotional trajectories: excitement to disappointment, anxiety to comfort, and stable emotional equilibrium. The findings highlight the significant role of group/pair work, interactive activities, and immersion in fostering positive emotional experiences and suggest the need for pedagogical strategies that support emotional well-being in study abroad language learning. The study contributes to understanding emotional dynamics in acquiring less-commonly taught languages by native English speakers during study abroad.