Ahoj everyone! I am currently one month into my internship program in Prague, Czechia with one month left, and I truthfully cannot believe how time has flown. The company I am working at, PSA BDP, is a global logistics company focused on sustainable supply chains and I have been interning as a Logistic Service Coordinator. During the week I have made it my goal to do one activity each day outside of my regular routine – work, the gym, sleeping – and to be intentional with how I explore the city. Either I go to a park and go for a walk, explore a new part of the city that I have not been to before, or go out to eat with friends and try new types of food.

So far this experience has been extremely beneficial for my personal and professional growth. Living and working in the Czech Republic has exposed me to not only the Czech’s way of life, but also a great deal of the surrounding countries such as Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, Austria, and more. Their business culture in Central Europe is much more formal than what I have experienced in previous internships. The Czechs really appreciate hierarchy and social boundaries, promptness, and direct communication airing on the side of blunt. Aside from their business culture, they never seem to be in a rush (and yet they are always on time, to the dot!), appreciate a good work-life balance sometimes hanging with coworkers outside of work for 7+ hours, and are a little more closed off in public but love their friends and family fiercely.

At first glance, Pittsburgh and Prague seem vastly different. Pittsburgh was built on steel mills, immigrants, and strong neighborhood cultural communities. On the other hand, Prague was built on historic Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture with a slightly despondent past and a sovereign independence. Some may believe the only commonality to be the rivers and bridges that interconnect these individual cities. But I believe that there is more beneath the surface – there is a strong sense of self in both of these cities, being the backbone of industrialization at their respective times, and a commitment to being independent so that no one can come in and boss them around. I believe the background of Pittsburgh and Prague have both led to this mixture of industrial and historical significance in each city, along with the access to the rivers for trade and transportation. Both cities have undergone recent revitalization and have proven that their communities cannot be put down and ignored, but rather that their history has forged them into who they are today.

The language and way of life may be different, but the cities’ strong historical cultures, love of ice hockey, and backbone of the manufacturing and innovation industries lead me to believe that Prague and Pittsburgh have more in common than initially believed. If nothing else, I guess I really like cities that have rivers and bridges. As I continue on my journey I hope to further investigate the cultural and historical areas, my professional interests with my internship, and a deeper understanding of myself.

Čau for now (pronounced ciao, like how it’s pronounced in Italian! It is a casual way of saying goodbye).

Eliana Goodman