Voices from Abroad: Stefania Belussi

Prague (Czech Republic), Italian Chambers of Commerce: Italian-Czech Chamber of Commerce

View of Prague and the Charles Bridge

If I could, I would leave Italy for the Czech Republic right now. Some of you could maybe think that I'm just joking but you are wrong. My experience in Prague was something amazing and unforgettable! The best experience of my life, so far. One year ago, I was looking for an internship to complete my Master degree at Università Bocconi. No matter what kind of internship I would have found, an internship in Italy or abroad, in a company or with an institution: I needed an internship as soon as possible... So I started to check out the online job offers on the Bocconi website and I applied for different positions in Italy and Europe. When my mobile phone rang at the beginning of March, I saw on the display the area code +420 but I had no idea which country it was. On the other side was Matteo, the executive secretary of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Prague! I would lie if I told you that I was prepared when I got a positive answer back from the institution. That phone call was amazing: within a month I would be in Prague and start my job in the business support area.

Prague is a very livable city, full of public services, cheap and exciting! You have a lot of things to discover such as great monuments and museums, for example the Wenceslas Square, the Charles Bridge or Mala Strana "The Little Quarter"! Maybe one of the most important things for me are the safety measures of the local authorities. As a matter of fact, in Prague you can feel secure and safeguarded both during the day and the night and also everywhere, for example on the subway, on the bus or by the roadside. Moreover, Prague is bursting at the seams with things to do. Highbrow pursuits rival opportunities for more frivolous entertainment. Whether you choose the city's rich musical heritage or simply enjoying a Pilsner in one of its legendary pubs, this is the city where there is really something for everyone!

Stefania with colleagues from CAMIC

I can find just one thing that I didn't appreciate during my internship last year: Czech people aren't very friendly with tourists or foreigners, they don't smile and they don't help out. But fortunately at the CAMIC (Italian-Czech Chamber of Commerce), it was like living in another world, like living in Italy! My colleagues, despite being Czech, have been so kind and nice with me. The job atmosphere was friendly and cheerful and you really wanted to go to work every day! Those months wouldn't have been so exciting and fun-filled if there weren't my colleagues with whom I share unforgettable memories and who became my lifetime friends.

I can't explain how Prague has changed me. It has made me independent, more confident and happier.

My dear readers: you shouldn't only read what I have written, you should try it by yourself! Believe me!