I am now back home after an amazing summer, and it feels so weird to be in New York. I feel like I am noticing cultural differences now that I am home that I originally didn’t notice when I was in Prague. For example, life in America is extremely focused on convenience. We drive everyone instead of walking, our supermarkets are a one-stop shop with everything you need, and anything can be delivered to your doorstep anytime. However, this is not the case in Europe, and life tends to move a bit slower there because of it. I already miss this slower living. After my experiences this summer, I could honestly see myself moving to Europe once I graduate.

I learned a lot from this summer. Working at Carvago was my first internship experience, so I was able to understand how an intern fits into a workplace. The main thing I learned was when to ask questions and when to figure things out on my own. My work was not the most pressing matter at my company, so I often felt awkward pulling my busy supervisors aside to ask questions. However, I learned through experience that asking a simple question early on can make things clearer and avoid frustrations in the future.

Additionally, I was able to practice computational thinking and my Python skills while working on my project this summer. My project this summer was essentially replicating Google Sheets but with a few modifications. I developed this application in a Snowflake database using a library called Streamlit. My application had the same functions as Google Sheets (editing, adding, deleting rows, and filtering data) as well as a few modifications. Carvago didn’t like that while using Google Sheets, users could make changes without other users knowing. This could cause employees to work off of incorrect data without realizing it. My application solved this problem by adding integrity checks. When data was submitted, these checks would check if the imputed data was valid. If it was not, it was saved to a development table and an error message would be displayed asking users to fix the data so it could pass the checks. If the data did pass the integrity checks, the data would be saved to a stage table. This stage table would be compared to the original/production table and all new edits would be easily displayed with a select box next to it. Admin could then select or unselect these displayed rows and press a button that would push the selected changes to the production table. Lastly, I also created a changelog that kept track of every edit made, by which user, saved to which table, and at what time. It was a very tedious project to work on, but I enjoyed developing it. I know I will take both these technical skills and my professional skills with me as I apply for internships next summer.

I also gained a lot of confidence in general. Living on my own in a foreign country was nerve-wracking at first, but as the days went on, I gained more and more confidence. I was even able to solo travel twice! I went to Copenhagen early on in the program and fell in love with the city. I could honestly see myself moving there. It was rainy and cold and dark the entire time I was there, but everyone was so happy. I care a lot about people-centric architecture as opposed to car-centric architecture, and Copenhagen was extremely people-centric. For example, the city has made so many bike lanes over the years in an effort to make that the easiest form of transportation. They have also turned many roads into pedestrian-only roads. In the short time I was there, I fell in love with the city. The same happened with the other country I solo travelled in- Switzerland. I spent a week there visiting Zurich, Lucerne, and Interlaken. Everywhere I visited was beyond beautiful. I spent the entire time in nature swimming, white water rafting, and hiking. Also, everyone I met was extremely friendly, locals and tourists alike. The country is very expensive, but it would be a dream to live there.

I learned a lot this summer. This was an invaluable experience. This time last year I was debating between studying abroad or interning abroad. I am grateful for my decision because I feel interning abroad has allowed me to simulate what real life in Prague would be like. I got to spend a summer working with my coworkers from the Czech Republic every day, whereas if I studied abroad, I would’ve likely only been around other American students the whole time. I’m very grateful for this whole experience and I miss it already!

Pictured above: White water rafting in Switzerland!