My time in Prague is soon coming to a close. It is hard to believe that I only have three weeks left of my study abroad program. While I do miss my family, I wish that I could stay here forever. I have grown so accustomed to the environment around me and my lifestyle has definitely changed considering the differences in culture. Sometimes, I feel more mature than I do back at home, based on my routine, the way I dress, and relationships that I have formed. For the most part, I do not feel lost in this city anymore and definitely do not stick out like a sore thumb. I am fully immersed amongst the locals of the Czech Republic and it will be a struggle reverting back to my American habits upon my return. 

My time spent with my internship has been a great experience thus far. While it is not the most hands-on, through shadowing and sit-ins of meetings, I have seen vast growth with my knowledge in the industry. The knowledge that I have accumulated the past couple of weeks will help guide me throughout my career for years to come. As I reflect back on my experience, there have been a multitude of “soft” skills that I have developed throughout my time at work. One in particular that I have strengthened has been adaptability. Everyday in the office, I never know what I am going to do. In the past, every job I’ve ever had always had a set job description where I did just that. Familiarity was something I never realized I heavily relied upon. I enjoy knowing exactly what I will be doing or have a general understanding of what could come. However, this internship has been the complete opposite of my past work experiences. When I started, I never felt more lost than ever before. Each day brought more uncertainty than the last as I never knew what to expect. Some days had small tasks, others had meetings, and some with nothing at all. The lack of feedback was a struggle to deal with as I never knew if my time spent in the office was resourceful to my coworkers. Throughout the weeks, I have learned to adapt to my unique situation, taking each day slowly. With some days better than others in regards to workload, I still seek out opportunities to learn more about the company. This could be by reading articles posted on their database or communicating with coworkers on what they do day-to-day. I basically always find a solution and seek out ways to build upon my weaknesses. One “hard” skill I have strengthened is the ability to interpret data. With the assignments I have received, I am faced with pieces of information I have not been exposed to, whether it is the particular database or jargon. With repetition, I have learned to understand the data at hand, making me capable to complete assignments effectively and in a timely manner. This hard skill will be transferable in other work experiences as I will be able to interpret unknown documents in a similar manner. These global competencies have allowed me to navigate cross-cultural situations as there is no difference when it comes to work ethic. With my passion and drive, the skills I have acquired will always be effective no matter the cultural situation. I can maneuver my way through any experience with the knowledge I have accumulated over the years.

From a personal standpoint, this past weekend I traveled to Krakow, Poland to see a family friend that I had not seen since the 3rd grade. It was such a great experience to tour the city from a local perspective and mirror his lifestyle that he does on a daily basis. We went to all of his favorite restaurants and enjoyed the beauties of Krakow together. It was great catching up with an old friend that my parents have not seen in years. Although Krakow is small, it is an old city with a lot of rich history. I learned so much about how much the city has changed over the years, especially prior to and post World War II. I often think that there is a common stereotype that Poland is very depressing and ugly, but after my visit, I realized how wrong those stereotypes are. My favorite part was watching the Euro League soccer games at an outdoor venue alongside the river. The atmosphere was unreal and the summer vibes were going strong. I cannot wait to see how I spend these last few weeks and look forward to the memories I will make.