I was very happy to learn of GoEco’s Prague Hostel Internship, as I had heard so many great things about the city, and being half Czech, had always wanted to visit the Czech Republic! My internship consisted of 4 weeks, and I enjoyed every one of them.
I worked housekeeping my first two, and this work was harder than expected, because I am not used to physical work. However, it became much easier after a few shifts. I loved working at the bar, since that is how I met the most people. Some nights were quiet, and I would meet and talk with other solo travellers coming from places like Whales, Chile and Brazil. On the other hand, busy nights consisted of serving bachelor parties and travel groups (a lot of work, but a lot of fun!!). Overall, I had an amazing time exchanging and laughing with all these people! I also made friends with those working at the hostel, like Tina, a cool Finnish woman working at the reception, Jenna and Chris who work the night shifts, and Mark who works at housekeeping.
Unlike other interns, this internship was not related to my studies. However, I loved learning new skills that, without this opportunity, I never would have developed. For example, learning how a hostel functions, how to make drinks and pour pivo (beer in Czech), and how to deal with reservations and check-ins at the reception. I also loved discovering Prague without the typical tourist schedule.
This experience made me come out of my shell, since I was more social and open to new experiences. A habit I took on almost every night was walking around the city alone at 1am and buying a kebab (something that I never would have done back home). For me, this alone time allowed me to reflect on my day and relax. I also loved being in a city where I felt safe doing this! One night while walking, I met a group of German softball players, and joined them on their night out! Other nights, I would go out to Chapeau Rouge and Groove Bar, or would do a beer tour with friends from the hostel.
My free time after shifts and days off allowed me to discover other parts of Prague, as well as other cities. I went on day trips to the Karlstejn Castle and Chomutov, which were both beautiful! The following week, I took a night bus to Budapest, and came back a few days later. Following the internship, I backpacked for a month through Europe, which I recommend to others doing this program. During this time, I visited a friend that I met at the hostel, in her home in southern Italy. However, of all the countries I have been, Prague was my coup-de-coeur, my favorite city! I just loved everything about it!
