For my last week at EARCH, they sent me on a trip to a museum exhibition opening. It ended up being a long time on a train, but it was cool to visit the small town of Humpolec, Czechia. Having to cover an exhibition like that felt more natural than most of the things I’ve done at my internship, since I was able to go somewhere in person and write about my experience.
Other than my work trip, it was a quiet last week in Prague. I tried to soak up as much of the city as I could, taking time to visit my favorite coffee shop, park, restaurants and bar. It’s crazy how fast this all went!
Reflecting on my work at EARCH, I feel very grateful for my colleagues. Everyone was very kind and patient with me always, despite me being the odd man out every day. I am happy that I was able to get some of my work published on their website, and I believe that having this global writing experience will definitely boost my resume.
I believe that to be a successful employee in the Czech Republic is very similar to what being a successful employee in the United States is. Working hard, turning things in on time, and being respectful to your colleagues are all very important. When it comes to being a successful journalist, I think I big part of it is to always work hard, and to be on time. While reflecting on my time at EARCH, my supervisor mentioned that to be a journalist means to work a lot, and all the time. I think that my experience this summer along with my experience at The Pitt News has taught me that. While sometimes it’s long and strange hours, it’s rewarding work. Being able to connect and interview with people, along with some creative writing, is why I enjoy journalism. While maybe I want to change the longer hours, I think the feeling of seeing a piece of mine published makes it worth it.
The only difference I see between the U.S. and here in Prague was the speed at which people worked. While all journalism and news is pretty fast moving, I found EARCH to be a little bit more leisurely than it is in the States. I was able to reflect more on my writing and spend more time going over it again and again than I have with The Pitt News. I enjoyed this way of working, since I felt more confident in my writing that was being put out onto the Internet.
I’ll miss my experience at EARCH, however uncomfortable or difficult it became at times, because it gave me plenty of useful experience. Starting a job in a foreign country should make starting a new job back at home much less daunting. So while I’m sad to leave Prague, I know it has only made me stronger!
