Adeline Meinert, Comparative Economics of Central Europe: Prague and Krakow Summer 2024
In both Prague, Czechia and Krakow, Poland my days followed a similar pattern: I woke up, ate breakfast with my roommate, went to class, had lunch with a few classmates, and returned to class in the afternoon. Since it was the Comparative Economics Maymester, rather than an entire semester, our classes followed a nontraditional format. Most days started with a morning lecture in the CET building then after lunch we would continue learning outside of the classroom, exploring the cities. This could include visiting museums such as the museum of Communism in Prague, or touring historic sites that we had discussed in class such as Kazimierz – the old Jewish quarter in Krakow. I really enjoyed this structure because the excursions in the afternoon gave me a greater understanding of the lectures we heard in class and illustrated the complex economic and political events we covered in discussions.
After class ended in the afternoons, we would have the evenings free to explore the city. I spent this time with my friends visiting the sites we had on our bucket lists and searching for the best authentic Czech and Polish food. We used Google Maps to navigate to all our locations. We would stop at stores along the way to window-shop and pick up souvenirs. My favorite aspect of each city was how walkable and pedestrian friendly it was. In just a few steps we could quickly reach a variety of restaurants, markets, and parks. Luckily for us, if a place was too far to walk to, the public transportation systems in Prague and Krakow were fantastic. In Prague we rode mostly on the tram which is an above ground street car with tracks all over the city and in Krakow we relied on the tram as well as buses, which were very efficient.
After dinner, we usually stopped for a sweet treat and reunited with the rest of the group. One of the best ways to end the day before heading back to the hotel was walking around the cities at night. Prague and Krakow offered an entirely different perspective at night, beautifully illuminated by street lamps and remarkably quieter without crowds of tourists.
As a student, budgeting and spending my money wisely was a top priority for me on this trip. Prior to departing, I saved money for meals and any miscellaneous expenses that could come up. I was not sure whether most places would accept cards, but I found that almost every place accepted debit cards. This made budgeting even easier because I was able to mainly use my debit card to avoid foreign exchange fees and regularly check my banking app on my phone to monitor my spending. When I needed cash, I learned from locals which ATMs or “Bankomats” charged the lowest foreign transaction fees and avoided those they deemed rippoffs. Another habit my friends and I adopted to limit our spending was checking the prices on restaurant menus online to identify affordable restaurants and on some nights, buying meals at the grocery store or food stands rather than sit down restaurants. As with any spending, spending on a trip is all about prioritizing your needs and interests. In my opinion, as long as you have the money to cover your needs or any emergencies, spending a little extra money on a castle tour or delicious pastry is always worth it.
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