Already a week down. I genuinely can’t believe how much has happened in such a short amount of time. Between battling jet lag and figuring out the metro system, it’s safe to say the adjustment has been real. I came in with one goal for the first week: make the unfamiliar feel familiar. That meant not just getting comfortable in my neighborhood of Vinohrady, but actually making the whole city feel manageable. I leaned on the very efficient public transport and my metro pass. The first week was mainly small orientation activities throughout the week. A walking tour of the city, a day trip to Kutna Hora, and a breakfast with everyone participating in the IIP from other schools. On my own time I made sure to hit the historical sites, like the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and I even made it all the way out to Prague 7 for an MMA session at a local gym. Getting a training session early was important to me. It’s the fastest way I know how to feel settled somewhere.
Moving onto my Internship, my placement landed me at Carvago, a used-car tech startup that operates under EAG, the European Automotive Group — which is one of the biggest automotive conglomerates in Europe. I will be working under their data team, where I will be working mainly on their database and data pipeline. The core skills I’m going to be building here are SQL, Python, and data analysis. These aren’t just things I wanted to put on a resume — these are skills I’ve actively been trying to cultivate, so being in an environment where they’re required day-to-day is exactly what I was hoping for when I applied.
Beyond the technical side, doing this kind of work in the automotive space requires precision. Carvago’s whole model is built on customer trust. Many people living within European cities don’t really need a car, because their cities are built for walking and public transport. However those who want to get an affordable vehicle, need a trustworthy marketplace to acquire one: Carvago fills this need. The data is the lifeblood of the company, if the data is off, the business suffers. That’s a level of accountability that I think sharpens how you approach the work.
Now the part that I think is actually the most important skill for someone in my position, in this specific country: self-advocacy. In most cases I will just be given an end goal, or the final picture of what needs to be done. Not necessarily how to draw the picture. Therefore, it is vital for me to be able to ask my superiors clarifying questions about what exactly they are looking for when it comes to working on projects for the data team.
Czech work culture runs on a low-feedback norm. Tasks get assigned, you do them, and nobody is coming to check in on you or tell you how you’re doing. People here have an embedded sense and expectation of autonomy. I’ve noticed while walking around my neighborhood that its not uncommon for kids as young as elementary school to be walking around and navigating the city all on their own. Therefore, it makes total sense why that would be reflected in their work culture as well. But as someone actively learning new tools and systems, going in blind isn’t going to work for me. Personally, I would rather understand what I’m doing wrong and fix it than just keep producing work that might be subpar.
So I’ve already made a point of being direct about that. I’m asking questions when I’m unclear on something, flagging when I need feedback, I want to be useful to the team. In a culture where that’s not the default, you have to advocate for the conditions that help you grow. It can definitely be uncomfortable, but it’s certainly necessary for success.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to not only get more acclimated to this new environment but also to get real-professional experience in a field I’m Interested in!
