Adeline Meinert, Comparative Economics of Central Europe: Prague and Krakow Summer 2024
As an economics major, spending time studying the comparative economics of Czechia and Poland has strengthened my interest in economics and economic policy. I found it fascinating to learn about the countries’ economic transformations from World War II to the communist Cold War era, and into the present day. Studying how the complex political histories of these countries drastically influenced their economies and people’s lives, gave me a greater understanding of the impact of political unrest and war on an economy and the importance of civic activism to achieve needed change.
Prior to the trip I was not familiar with the economies of Czechia and Poland, but I greatly enjoyed learning about them through our class, guest lecturers, and site visits, which taught me about their major industries of manufacturing and information technology, the impact of tourism, and how they rebuilt their economies following the COVID-19 pandemic. This knowledge inspired me to continue following news about these countries’ economies given our interconnected global markets.
In regard to the long term, taking a class abroad has fueled my desire to one day work internationally. I cherished the opportunity to learn about different cultures and meet people with different experiences and perspectives coming together to work towards a common goal. For example, while in Prague and Krakow, we had the opportunity to visit a few companies and factories based there and learn about how they partner with the US and other countries to overcome challenges and serve global customers. I think this type of collaboration fosters creativity and compassion – some of the most needed qualities for successful organizations and businesses to deliver to their customers. I would like to look into careers that involve ensuring international economic policy supports businesses to meet the needs of average people.
Traveling brings its challenges in cross-cultural communication and problem solving and I found that during my trip I enjoyed these challenges and felt excited rather than frightened by them. I enjoyed being in a constant state of learning and trying new things. This has inspired me to say “yes” to opportunities in my daily life that could offer me a new experience or the chance to meet new people, even if it is something outside of my comfort zone. Interestingly, spending time abroad also reminded me of the importance of putting my problems into perspective, another goal I work towards daily. When you travel you realize how much of a world there is outside of your own individual life and problems. There are people everywhere dealing with similar issues and you are never alone, nor are your problems as catastrophic as they sometimes seem. I hope to travel even more in the future!
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