Ahoj, I cannot believe we are halfway through the program already. This past week has been one of focusing on relaxation and enjoying the city that I am in, Prague! The PSA BDP team here in Prague were hosting a barbeque at a local park in which the entire office was invited and I decided to go. It was really interesting to see the differences between an American barbeque and a Czech one. One of my coworkers was so excited about the grilled cheese, and in my head, I imagined the sandwich of two slices of bread and cheese in the middle toasted and melty – and thought to myself, why would that be at a grill out? She then returned with a plate of Halloumi grilled cheese and I quickly learned that she did not mean the sandwich “Grilled Cheese” but rather blocks of Halloumi and other cheeses that have been grilled. Interesting how the same words can have vastly different meanings depending on where you come from.

The DuPont team, so the smaller team that I am directly a part of within the company, was also doing a team dinner the following night. A majority of the members of the team were able to come for dinner and we had a great deal of celebrations to celebrate – everything from recent birthdays, marriages, and work anniversaries. They even welcomed me into the team and tried to keep me engaged in conversations by speaking in English and teaching me some Czech. We went for dinner after work so around 5pm and I did not say goodbye until 10pm, which is a fact that shocked me as it is apparently a typical timespan for a coworkers get together. This seems to be a cultural difference as Central Europeans do not seem to be in a rush, but rather enjoy the present and stay in the moment. They do not jaywalk either, they simply wait patiently for the sign to allow pedestrians to cross, which further reinforces this cultural difference.

The parts of the Czech Republic that I have had the most difficult time assimilating to in the workplace and in general is not knowing exactly how to communicate. Prior to coming to Prague, I did research on the culture of the business workplace and of the people in general. My findings included that Czechia likes structure, direct and no-fluff communication, formality, and promptness. The humor here is dry, ironic, and often dark, which makes sense especially given their history. Also, as a general rule for being an American traveling abroad you do not want to bring attention to yourself, so I have learned to dress like locals, damper my resting smiling face, and to be quieter while in public. But when it comes to the workplace, I have been slowly learning what is acceptable with how formal and direct my communication should be, when it is acceptable to share my opinion, and how to navigate the general standards of business in a foreign country. My best recommendation to anyone who is considering how to go about these situations is to sit back and observe. If you are attempting to assimilate to the business culture (of wherever you go really), the best thing that I have learned is to go with the status quo. Be observant of who is in charge and making decisions, how people are addressing one another (which is really just an extension of their relationship), and what the stated and unstated expectations of individuals are. As going with the grain is not exactly how American culture is, it is important to remember that everyone is their own individual with their own beliefs, experiences, and identities, but as a foreigner it is paramount to ensure that we do not offend them and their culture. My main piece of advice for people going into any new and foreign environment is to remain open-minded as the new culture is not “wrong”, rather just different from what you are used to, and to be intentionally observant of all that happens around you so that you can learn and grow.

My experience in Praha thus far has been an opportunity like no other with the chance to experience a culture and location that I probably would never have visited otherwise. The company I am at seems to be a one-of-a-kind opportunity as well with their global network of the company and the culture relatively relaxed, so I have been able to make mistakes and learn without the rigid fear of messing up astronomically. Of course there has been growing pains, as would happen in any new situation, but I have focused on the opportunity, growth, and learning that happens and accepted all the difficulties that come with that.

I will speak with you all soon! With Love,

Eliana Goodman