#JulesHwang

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WEEK 9: FINAL REFLECTIONS

Last blog for this summer wow! After studying abroad in my host city of Prague for 8 weeks, it’s time to do some reflection and leave you guys with my takeaways and advice. This journey has been so incredible and life changing, so I want to wrap up with a couple of the lessons I’ve learned. Before I jump into my final reflections, I’m going to give a quick update on my travels following my program’s end. 

After giving my mom and my sister a little tour of Prague, we headed to Paris! With the 2024 Olympics in full swing, this city was soooo busy as expected. London was our next stop. We managed to squeeze in most of the touristy spots and do tons of shopping for the few days we were there. My mom headed home after London, while my sister and I ended our Europe tour with a vacation in the picturesque coasts of Italy. The two of us spent the next days relaxing in the beach towns near Genoa and Portofino before I finally traveled back home to LA. 

Though this trip with my family was amazing, it also resulted in three stolen laptops (thank you AirFrance), two canceled flights, one night spent at London’s airport, and hundreds of dollars that need to be reimbursed by various airlines. Our travel nightmares explain why this blog, as well as my previous one, were delayed. But, this is a good segway into my tips for people who are looking into studying abroad or traveling in the future:

1. Be ready to adapt to change. 

Traveling internationally is not always going to go so smoothly, so always be prepared to face challenges. Whether it be figuring out how to deal with a transportation hiccup or navigating a new environment that’ll be a temporary home, it’s important to recognize that problem-solving is a skill that will further develop and get easier with time and an open mind. Taking on international study abroad is a whole challenge in itself, but it’s one that’ll help you step out of your comfort zone and gain new experiences.

2. Do your research!

The biggest step in preparing for new cities and countries is doing some research beforehand. I found that the most enjoyable trips that I had were because I went in with a plan and an adequate understanding of the places I visited. Questions I would ask yourself and the Internet include: What do you want to get out of this city? How do you make the most of your time there? What does your budget for this trip look like? Correspondingly, what are the prices like in this city? What are the most important sites or historical places to visit? What types of food is the city most known for? What are the basic phrases in the country’s language? How does public transportation work? Doing your research will make your travels go more smoothly and allow you to have cross-cultural interactions. 

3. Be wary of your expenses. 

I feel like this one is kind of a no-brainer, but if it needs to be said: traveling is expensive! Most people reading my blog are probably students like me. So like me, you're also trying to ball out on a budget. Before taking on your study abroad experience, I strongly suggest figuring out how much money you have to spend on what and how you can allocate your money as best as you can. For example, one thing that saved me a lot of money traveling to different countries is investing in a Eurail pass. Eurail is a high-speed train pass that gets you access to the complex train network in Europe and makes it simpler to travel to countries all over. Learning how to budget was another huge lesson that studying abroad taught me. 

4. Have fun and take advantage of every opportunity!!

Last but certainly not least, studying abroad is the best time to make so many new memories and meet new people. The places I’ve been to, people I’ve met, and experiences that I’ve had will stick with me forever. Traveling to 11 different cities in the span of 11 weeks is something that not a lot of people get the chance to say that they’ve done, so one of my biggest takeaways is to make the most out of your international experience!! The friendships that I have built, both with the people in my program and with the travelers that I’ve met from all over the world, are lifelong. 

I want to end with some of my favorite aspects of my program and my host city:

My program through IPE and CEA CAPA:

I absolutely love the program that I studied abroad through and encourage every student to look into the programs that IPE and CEA CAPA offer. CEA CAPA made acclimating to a whole new environment so much easier. The housing accommodation they provided for me, which was an apartment with four other girls in my program, allowed me to get a taste of what it’s like to live in Prague as a local. The learning experiences that the courses Linear Algebra and Art & Architecture in the Golden City brought me were invaluable. All the professors and faculty at CEA CAPA made a huge effort to build connections with the students and give us all the best time abroad. The dynamic learning approach that CEA CAPA takes on gives students the opportunity to further their education while growing a deeper appreciation for different cultures. I can confidently say that I feel better suited to approach problems from multiple perspectives, both in a professional setting and in my overall life. 

Furthermore, I really appreciate how my program prioritizes students’ study abroad experiences by giving the flexibility for us to travel to other countries. On top of my academic coursework, it wasn’t difficult for my friends and I to find time to go to different cities with different cultures and histories. I feel like being able to travel to so many diverse places truly completed my international study abroad experience. These travels improved my adaptability, communication, and leadership skills in a global context, and I’m eager to be able to carry what I’ve learned with me into my future career. 

My beautiful host city of Prague:

For any students looking into studying abroad, Prague is a great option for your temporary home! Prague had such an ideal blend of rich history and culture, welcoming people, convenient transportation, and affordable living. There was never a shortage of things to do in this city, whether it be visiting the historical Prague Castle or chilling at a beer garden with friends. Along with the place itself, the locals were just as hospitable. Living in a more local area of Prague allowed me to interact with locals on a daily basis, which were definitely highlights of my days. From walking to tramming to metroing to bussing, it was also very easy to get around the city. Not only are these public services convenient, but they were very well-maintained and clean as well. By the end of my program, I could probably get from my apartment to the CEA CAPA center with my eyes closed. 

As a student, I felt that Prague’s prices were very budget friendly, especially compared to some of the other countries I visited. Meals could cost me as low as $5 and up to around $15. Even beer was typically as cheap as water. And in terms of safety, I always felt very safe in my host city. Even if I was walking around alone late at night, feeling unsafe was never a concern. My program also ensured beforehand that all the students had emergency numbers handy.

All in all, studying abroad in Prague was everything that I hoped for and more. For my first time in Europe, I can without a doubt share that I have made countless memories this summer living in a whole new country while taking on new experiences and challenges. Every single up and down taught me a new life lesson. I urge every student to look into furthering their education through an international study abroad experience. If you have any questions regarding study abroad or anything else, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!! My email is always open (julhwang@umich.edu). Thank you for reading my last blog and keeping up with my journey throughout this summer!!! Na shledanou!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 8: LAST HURRAH

Hi everyone! If this is your first time coming across my blog, my name is Jules, and I’ve been studying abroad in Prague for 8 weeks now. I can’t believe I’m sitting here documenting my final week in this amazing city. This international experience has truly been one of the best decisions I have ever made and has gifted me with one unforgettable summer. Now let me jump into a quick recap of my week. (Side note: sorry this blog post is delayed; I will get into the treacherous reason why in my next blog.)

After coming home from Amsterdam, I immediately locked in to study for my Linear Algebra final. It ended up going super smoothly, and I am very satisfied with my overall grade and performance in this course. All the math classes in my program collectively took a field trip to Prague’s Technical Museum on Tuesday. It was interesting to see the impact of engineering on this country’s technology and industry through the development of automobiles, aircrafts, bicycles, and ships. I am so grateful to have taken this course in such a dynamic environment with equally amazing professors and classmates!

Before leaving our host country, my friends and I had to squeeze in our last family dinners. On Tuesday night, a huge group of us grabbed dinner at a traditional Czech restaurant that was actually recommended to us by Petra (our professor from Art & Architecture in the Golden City), which I thought was a very fitting last meal. One of the things that I loved most about this study abroad experience was the friendships I have built. Thinking about going back to school and seeing them around campus makes me so excited. The following night on Wednesday, my apartment had our last dinner together at a pizza restaurant right down the street. I’m going to miss living with them so much!! And after dinner, we of course had to end things off the Prague way by going out together one last time. Shoutout to my absolute favorite, Dog Bar, for giving me and my friends some of the most unforgettable nights here. 

Last dinners. && Final group pics.

On Thursday night after a full day of packing up, my mom and my sister arrived!! I spent the next few days showing them around my beautiful host country and giving them a taste of my life here for the past 8 weeks. Now, we’re headed to Paris, London, and Genoa to end off my unbelievably long summer traveling and living from suitcase to suitcase!!

Fam's arrival! && Last views of Prague.

To reminisce a little, here are some top things I’m going to miss about Prague (the little details):

The sun rising at 4:30 AM and setting at 9:30 PM.

The dogs running around politely leashless next to their owners.

The $3 high quality cups of coffees. 

The public transportation speakers announcing the stop “I.P. Pavlova”.

The Thai red curry and pad thai at the restaurant below our apartment (shoutout to Madame Lyn Restaurant).

The zig zagged walk from my apartment to the CEA CAPA center. 

The feeling of coming back “home” after a weekend away in a different country. 

I want to leave you guys with a couple recommendations I have for anyone who is looking into studying abroad in Prague or just traveling here. Feel free to reach out for a more extensive list!

Restaurants:

Venue (brunch)

Sweet and Pepper Days (brunch)

Pod Vysehradem (Czech)

U Tri Jelinku (Czech)

Bricks (Italian)

Trattoria Cicala (Italian)

Madame Lyn (Thai/Vietnamese)

Hanoi Square Restaurant (Vietnamese)

Masala Vodickova (Indian)

Big Smokers (barbecue)

Manifesto Market (food market)

Angelato Ujezd (gelato)

Cafe Du (great study spot)

Going out:

Karlovy Lazne, Epic, Duplex (three biggest clubs here)

Riegrovy Sady, Zahradni Letensky (beer gardens)

Dog Bar!!!!

Anonymous Shrinks Office (speakeasy vibe)

I’m feeling so bittersweet leaving my summer home, but every good thing must always come to an end. Prague and this entire experience will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you guys for following my study abroad journey and travel adventures!! I have loved being able to document my weeks in Europe. My last and final blog will be up next week covering a reflection of my study abroad experience and a recap of my time in Paris, London, and Genoa!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 7: AMSTERDAM

Hallo everyone!! The end is so near, and I’m starting to feel very sentimental about leaving my host city of Prague. As our final trip together, my roomies and I headed to Amsterdam. I spent most of this past week in this amazing, vibrant, and perfect city, so this blog is dedicated to my experience in Amsterdam!!

With four Eurail pass days left, I made the (horrible but money-conscious) decision to train from Prague to Amsterdam. So 14 hours and 3 train transfers later, I arrived on Wednesday morning. Right off the bat, I was stunned by the layout of the city with rivers cutting through, the endless amount of bikers, the stylish fashion on the streets, and the diverse selection of restaurants and shops. I knew that biking was big in Amsterdam, but I was shocked to learn how bikeable the city was, with bike lanes existing on every street and the right-of-way favoring cyclists. Biking also cut our travel times to anywhere very significantly. From one place to another, walking might’ve taken around 30 minutes; tramming would be around 20 minutes; and biking was a pleasant 5 to 10 minutes.

On Wednesday, we explored the city and got our first taste of Amsterdam’s vibes. We went to Foodhallen Market for lunch, shopped around for a bit, and then chilled out in Vondelpark. Vondelpark is a picturesque and massive park that really exemplifies how lovely Amsterdam is. There were families playing games, couples enjoying picnics, ducks swimming in ponds, friends laughing and bathing in the sun. For dinner, we biked over to Linguini Jordaan for a delicious Italian meal. 

We woke up early on Thursday morning to get bagels and iced matchas. There are so many cool museums in Amsterdam, and the first one we hit was the Rijksmuseum. The collections of Vermeer paintings, miniature dollhouses, realism works, and Asian art caught my eye. The highlighted Van Gogh exhibition was also a great prelude to our Van Gogh Museum visit the next day. After shopping until we dropped again and making a pit stop at the Albert Cuyp Market, our reservations to a French restaurant called our names. Fresh oysters, grilled asparagus, a lamb steak, and a few glasses of wine revived me before we biked over to the river for a boat cruise. Our canal ride gave us a tour of the city’s rich history and beautiful sunset views. 

On Friday, we had another jam-packed day of more food, museums, and shopping. A huge highlight of this day was the Van Gogh Museum; it was probably one of the best art museums I’ve ever visited. Not only were his paintings beyond amazing, but the sheer volume of how many he painted in his lifetime, the layout of the whole museum, and the special exhibitions on display were just as impressive. Compared to the other cities that I’ve traveled to, Amsterdam easily takes the top spot for the most expensive place. In hindsight, I should’ve budgeted a little better for this trip, but I think that all the souvenirs, clothes, foods, and tickets that I bought here were well worth it. Checking my bank account on Friday hurt my soul a little, but it quickly passed with some Korean fried chicken and a loaded fruit bingsu dessert (this dinner satisfied my desperate cravings for Korean food). 

We filled Saturday with a visit to the Anne Frank house, a 15+ mile bike ride through Amsterdam’s countryside, and an authentic Dutch dinner at ‘T Heemelrijck. The long bike ride allowed me to reconnect with nature and appreciate the beautiful scenery straight out of a storybook. It also gave me another reason to love Amsterdam: biking just 15 minutes outside of the city center takes you to a whole other world. On Sunday, I grabbed an Italian sandwich to prepare for my 20 hour trip back to Prague. One bus and two trains successfully brought me back at 5 AM Monday morning. 

After spending five days in Amsterdam, I have come to the conclusion that I love this city so, so much. If I were to do another study abroad semester in the future (which is very likely), Amsterdam is definitely up there. Besides the high prices, I felt like the city was very liveable with lots of things to see and do. I would love to find myself in this city again, but for now, I will soak up the last bits of Prague for this final upcoming week! 

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 6: BRATISLAVA & MORE PRAGUE

Hi, it’s Jules with another update on my study abroad experience! The travel adventures that I had last week with Frankie in Barcelona continue with me showing her around my host country of Prague and then us heading to Bratislava. 

Being able to share my life in Prague and the rich culture of the city with one of my closest friends was so exciting. I showed her all the big sites, including Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, and took her along my day in a life in Prague. It was nice being able to think back on the history I learned in the Art & Architecture class a few weeks ago. We also got to do things that I haven’t had the chance to do, like walking across Charles Bridge, pedal boating on the river, and going to Anonymous Shrinks Bar (a speakeasy with a unique concept). Together, we explored more of Prague’s food scene by trying diverse food vendors at Manifesto Market and finding so many delicious vegetarian and vegan restaurants. The night before we headed to Bratislava, Slovakia, I took her to Dog Bar where it’s so easy to meet other travelers in this really cool atmosphere. 

On Thursday, we successfully made it to Bratislava and immediately covered all the big historical buildings. The popular Blue Church was conveniently located right behind our hotel, and then we trekked on over to Old Town, Michael’s Gate, St. Martin’s Cathedral, and Bratislava Castle. In comparison to Prague, I felt that the architecture and vibes of this city were very similar. However, Bratislava presented less Gothic and Renaissance architecture and not as much tourism or bustle. One thing that really surprised me about this city was the delectable food. At such good prices, Frankie and I had banger meal after banger meal. 

The next day, we visited a five-story art museum and explored the local areas of Bratislava. We also returned to an underground tea room we had visited on Thursday, called Cajovna v podzemi, that we thoroughly immersed ourselves in. This was the first tea house I’ve ever been to, and I was blown away at the quality and wide selection of teas from all over the world. (I want to become a tea connoisseur now.) 

One of the rooms in the tea house. && Two of many teas we tried.

After traveling to such busy and touristy cities, Bratislava was like a breath of fresh air for me. It was a perfect relaxing weekend with such great company. Since it was a quieter city, I was able to appreciate more details, like the unexpected plethora of honey stores and the stark borderline between the urban area and untouched forest. I’m so glad I was able to visit Bratislava as I probably won’t have such an easy opportunity to in the future. 

A brief traveling nightmare and a not-so-short train delay of 200 minutes led us to get back to Prague over five hours after our original planned time on Saturday. Nevertheless, the two of us powered through, fueled ourselves with a top-notch Vietnamese restaurant in Prague 1, and then headed to the famous Karlovy Lazne club. I couldn’t let Frankie leave Prague without experiencing its epic clubbing scene. The biggest advice I will pass on after traveling with a close friend is: if you’re studying abroad and the opportunity for a friend to come visit you arises, snatch that chance (especially if you’re both huge travel junkies and foodies)!! Bye for now, and check out my blog next week for a debrief on my lonnngggg trip to Amsterdam!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 5: BARCELONA & FUN

Hi guys! It's Jules with another blog in Prague and this weekend in Barcelona! This week in Prague was very relaxing and chill, especially without my second class. I’m on a cooking and recipe exploring journey, so I added pictures of some of the meals that I made this week below. 

Apartment dinner by me!! && Tuna bowl.

I am wholly and completely in love with Barcelona. This city had the best of everything; on top of its beautiful culture, architecture, art, food, ambiance, weather, and nightlife were top tier. One of my best friends (Frankie), who’s coming to visit me in Prague, met us in Barcelona first, and together we hit all the must-go-to stops in Barcelona. Let me go through our itinerary.

On Thursday afternoon, I landed in Barcelona and headed to our ten person Airbnb with my roomies. After meeting up with Frankie, we went to this super cute bakery with gingerbread men shaped donuts. We walked around the city for a while, hurt my bank account with a shopping spree, and then saw Casa Batllo and Casa Mila. Both of these buildings by architect Gaudi were absolutely stunning. They were both some of the most unique and intricate buildings I had ever seen. After changing for the nighttime, we headed to our dinner reservation at Robata, an upscale sushi restaurant. The okonomiyaki (a Japanese octopus pancake) and scallop aburi were to die for. We went back to the Airbnb to meet up with everyone else and got to experience Razzmatazz club together. This club was very comparable to Prague’s iconic clubs with its many dance floors, patios, and rooms. Like Madrid, Barcelona’s dinnertime occurs starting around 9 PM and their clubs are open from midnight until 6 AM. 

Frankie and I woke up at the crack of dawn on Friday (aka 10 AM after a longggg night out) and healed ourselves with these fat acai bowls from Acai and Me. This acai bowl was definitely in my top three acai bowls I’ve ever had in my life. We hit the big historic sites on this day, including Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia. These Gaudi works were also mind blowing; the sheer amount of detail in each wall, ceiling, tower, and tile was just insane. They made me think about how they were even engineered to be so massive. In between our commute from Park Guell to Sagrada Familia, we accidentally hopped on the wrong tram, but it worked out for the best. We found this heavenly organic grocery store with fresh produce (I bought the best plum I’ve ever tasted) and a wide selection of foods. And on the topic of food, our dinner at Bo De B will forever live in my mind. For an enormous amount of high-quality food, we each paid just seven bucks!!! Immediately following dinner, we met back up with everyone for a boat ride off the coast. Spending time with my friends, watching a beautiful sunset, and having a quick photoshoot left me with the most content smile on my face. Huge shoutout to our captain Christian!! 

On Saturday, we went shopping at a huge flea market called Mercat dels Encants, where I found the perfect souvenir for my grandma (a small glass peacock to add to her glass animals collection). Continuing on our market trend, we headed to Mercado de la Boqueria with my street food lunch lineup: a refreshing papaya juice, a chicken empanada, a freshly cracked oyster, a plate of calamari, a cup of fried vegetables, and a fruit cup. We walked around the city a little longer before our tired legs gave in and took us back to the Airbnb to recuperate. At night, we stopped by a really cool speakeasy called Monk Bar, and then all ten of us had a beachside Spanish dinner at Julieta’s. Frankie and I decided to go to Shoko club, which was the perfect ending to our Barcelona getaway. Now, we’re back home (Prague!!). 

All in all, Barcelona is a city that should be on everyone’s European tour in my opinion. I consider myself easy to please, but this city is just objectively beyond beautiful and perfect. I would recommend all of the places that I’ve mentioned in this blog; they were all ten out of tens. There are so many more sites and restaurants that I wish I could’ve had time for, so I will definitely be back here at some point in my life. I’ll be back next week with another blog of more fun and Frankie, but adios for now!!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 4: BERLIN & HALFWAY POINT

Happy halfway point from Jules in Prague! Wow, it’s hard to think that I only have four more weeks studying abroad here. This week marked the last week of my four-week course, Art & Architecture in the Golden City. Huge shoutout to Petra, our instructor, for guiding our class through the rich history and culture of Prague. I feel like this class was such a great way to explore the city while simultaneously learning about the art and architecture that shapes the city today. Below are pictures from our last field days to the Museum of Communism and the Trade Fair Palace (Veletržní palác). I also included a picture of our amazing barbeque dinner at Big Smokers in Prague 7. The beef, pork, and chicken melted in our mouths, and all the sides paired so well with the meat. I also definitely gained a good ten pounds from this meal (it was so worth it).

Last Golden City class field days. && Big Smokers dinner.

My roomies and I headed to Berlin this weekend, which might be my favorite European city (minus Prague) thus far. If I were to describe this city in one word, it would be cool. I was so pleasantly surprised at the diversity of the city and all the different neighborhoods. The streets and walls were saturated with graffiti and art, which I feel like fit the vibe of the city perfectly. From when the sun rose to well after the sun set, people with the most stylish fashion sat outside restaurants and cafes, people-watching and talking and laughing and living out their best lives in such a beautiful city.

I’ve heard people say that Germans can be a bit colder to tourists, especially Americans, but we were instantly met with hospitality and generosity. The first dinner that we had in Berlin at an authentic Italian restaurant called Trattoria Portofino perfectly showcased this. Our servers gave us two delicious tiramisus on the house and free rounds of limoncello shots.

Dinner at Trattoria Portofino with our free tiramisu.

We booked an Airbnb that was a little further from the city center, but it was such a steal. It was nestled in a little Turkish neighborhood, and it felt so homey the second we stepped in. Using the transportation passes that we bought, we explored so many places and sites. Here are a couple of my favorites: East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall), Charlottenburg Palace, Brandenburg Gate, Maclaren’s Pub (for the How I Met Your Mother fans), and Mauerpark Flea Market. Since the Euros are going on in Berlin right now, a lot of the touristy areas were bustling with soccer fans and events. On Saturday night, a couple of us got to experience the iconic techno club scene. It was so different from any other nightlife scene I’ve encountered so far. Since phone cameras are taped at the door, I unfortunately don’t have any pictures inside Tresor Club. But if you’re ever in Berlin, I urge you to get a taste of this city’s techno clubs. 

Before I end this blog, I also just HAVE to mention the mouthwatering meals that we had. From Persian saffron chicken to hand-pulled Chinese noodles to creamy Sicilian gelato, Berlin kept our stomachs full and hearts happy. In the future, I could definitely see myself living in Berlin for a short period of time. Anyways, I’ll leave you with these phone eats. Stay tuned for next week’s blog where I’ll be traveling to one of my most anticipated cities: Barcelona!!!

Meet Me Halfway Cafe. && Duo Sicilian Ice Cream. && Wen Cheng.

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 3: MADRID & VENTURES

Ahoj everyone! This is Jules with week 3 in Prague. My week was full of embracing more of this beautiful city and ending it with a weekend in Madrid. I can’t believe I’ve already been here for three weeks; time flies by in Europe. 

The Euros, which is the European football (“soccer” of course) championship, is going on right now, so my friends and I headed to an Irish pub to watch the Czechia versus Portugal game on Monday night. Unfortunately, we did end up losing to Portugal, but it was still really fun to watch. On Thursday, a couple of us joined in on CEA CAPA’s picnic in Stromovka park. I can’t believe I hadn’t gone to this park yet because it was so big and beautiful. After grubbing on the food that CEA CAPA so graciously provided us, we headed to a cute beer garden by the river with live music and drinks! It’s so hard to be bored in Prague when there’s always so much to do. For my classes, my Golden City class had a midterm this week, which was very doable, and my Linear Algebra class is also going great. I’m sad to say that next week is the final week for the Golden City class, but I think its four-week schedule and structure is perfect. Studying and getting work done at Cafe Du in the mornings have become a regular part of my routine. I’ll be posted up there again tomorrow morning to study for my Linear Algebra midterm. 

Irish pub. && Beautiful greenery at Stromovka park.

This weekend, I visited one of my friends who’s studying abroad in Madrid, and I had the best time ever. On Wednesday night, I did unfortunately stay up until 3 AM packing under the impression that my flight was on Thursday morning when in fact, it was on Friday morning. But the silver lining was that I got to go to the picnic at the park. After avoiding my travel fiasco, I made it to Madrid on Friday!! The first thing that my friend and I did together was grab acai bowls, which was much needed since I had been deprived for weeks. She took me shopping afterwards, showed me around the lively city, and then we grabbed tacos at Takos al Pastor. This place is infamous for their $1-2 tacos that come out almost immediately after you place your order. At night, we headed to this really cool speakeasy called Jack’s Library; it was hidden and intimate with a unique drinks menu. And then I got to experience Madrid’s clubbing at Kapital, one of their biggest clubs.

My Saturday was filled with amazing eats and a relaxing three hours at the hotel’s rooftop pool that my friend was staying at. Even though the food in Prague is really good (especially for the prices), I will admit that the food in Madrid was unmatched. The money that I saved by staying with my friend went towards my unforgettable meals. We went to Bel Mondo for dinner, and the decor inside this authentic Italian restaurant is one of my favorites of any restaurant I’ve been to. The biggest culture shock in Spain for me was the times that locals eat at. Dinner time typically begins around 9 PM and continues past midnight. On Sunday, we went to El Rastro market that had hundreds of vendors selling clothing, antiques, posters, art, literally everything you could imagine. I had to catch my flight around 1 PM, and now, I’m back home in Prague 2 eating dinner at a reasonable time. 

My Saturday spent in Madrid!!!!! Good eats, good views, good company.

All in all, I am in love with how different European cities are from one another. My first taste of the liveliness of Spanish culture has made me even more excited for my future trip to Barcelona (little teaser)!! I’m also excited to see how my weekend in Berlin next week will compare to this weekend. Thanks for reading my blog, and get ready for some more updates next week!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 2: VIENNA & FRIENDS

Hi, it’s Jules with another blog in Prague! Last weekend, my roomies and I took our first weekend trip together to the beautiful city of Vienna in Austria. After classes this week, my friends from Michigan flew in from all over to visit me in Prague, giving me my first taste of home since my study abroad started. Let’s jump in with a few pictures from Vienna first. 

We got so lucky with the weekend that we visited Vienna because it fell during the annual Summer Orchestra Concert at Schonbrunn Palace and the Vienna Pride Parade. We bought a Eurail train pass, so we took a 4 hour high speed train early Friday morning. On Friday, we visited the Belvedere Palace and museum where we observed the infamous painting “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt. Following our art expedition, we checked into our hostel. It was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was definitely an experience! I loved being able to meet travelers from all over the world and being given so many great recommendations by the hostel. The Summer Orchestra Concert occurred on Friday night, and it was nothing short of magnificent. From the orchestra conductor’s passion to the color-changing light show, we were all mesmerized by the production and beauty of the concert in the garden of the palace. 

On Saturday, my friends and I explored the city of Vienna and joined in walking in the Pride Parade for a little bit. The vibes and food were amazing. After a full day of shopping and touring, we headed to a bar called Travel Shack, one of our hostel’s recommendations, and met so many people traveling around Europe. We even met a group of guys visiting Vienna that weekend who were also studying in Prague and live just one block away from our apartment. On Sunday, we had a peaceful day of brunch and views before training back home to Prague. I think one of the only downsides of Vienna was the price. Compared to Prague, Vienna is definitely more expensive. 

My week of classes felt familiar and flew by. I explored a few good study spots this week, including the National Library of the Czech Republic and Cafe Du. My favorite Golden City class expedition this week was the trip to Baroque churches, especially the Church of Our Lady Victorious. Thanks to the help of my roomies and TikTok recipes, I’ve improved my cooking skills in the kitchen. My roomies and I typically make breakfast in the mornings separately but cook together for dinner.

I had special guests in Prague this week: a couple friends from the University of Michigan! Two of them flew in from the Bay Area on Wednesday before heading to London for study abroad. Another one flew in from Madrid, where she’s studying abroad through LSA. I got to re-explore more of Prague with them, check off restaurants that have been on my “want-to-go” list, and give them a taste of Prague’s nightlife. I will forever keep the memories of my dining out experiences with them. Here’s a short highlight from our sushi dinner: I asked our server if the restaurant served hand rolls; both the server and chef had never heard of them before; using pictures found online and a list of ingredients they had gotten from me, the chef made me a spicy tuna hand roll for the first time for free!; and I (of course) had to give them a glowing 5 star review. 

My special visitors!!! && Custom spicy tuna hand roll.

Anyways, my week here has been such a blast. I can’t even begin to think about moving back to America again. I feel so lucky to have had such a fun weekend in Vienna and to have such incredible friends from school who came to visit my life here. And next weekend, it’s my turn to walk in the shoes of my friend who’s studying abroad in Madrid! I’ll catch you guys next week with another blog!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 1: SETTLING IN PRAGUE

Hi again! It’s Jules in Prague with my first blog in this amazing city. After my first week here, I don’t think I can ever leave. Minus a few flight delays, my arrival here went pretty smoothly. Settling here has been a breeze thanks to my program’s accommodations, the welcoming culture, and the people I’ve met. I think the biggest challenges in the beginning for me were being jet lagged, getting used to the lack of air conditioning, and buying groceries more frequently. 

My program through CEA CAPA provided airport pickup and transportation to my housing, which was super convenient. My apartment has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a shared living space. I personally love my location in Prague 2 because it’s not as touristy as Prague 1 but it’s still a good walking distance from everything. On the second day of our arrival, we had online and in person orientation where the CEA CAPA team gave us a run down of acclimating to Czech culture and a short tour of the area around our school center. The building where classes are held is in the heart of Prague 1’s Old Town, which is about a 25 minute walk from our apartment. I walked from our apartment to the CEA CAPA center on Wednesday without Google Maps (I was so proud of myself). 

My new home thanks to CEA CAPA!! Love love love.

My two classes here, Linear Algebra and Art & Architecture in the Golden City, have been really enjoyable. The Golden City class is especially cool since the class is structured as field days every class where we explore historical sites and museums around Prague. These classes have also been such a great opportunity to meet people in my program!! I only have classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so my 4-day weekends are dedicated to Prague’s nightlife and traveling around Europe! (I’m currently writing this blog as we wait for our train to Vienna, so stay tuned for that in my next post yay!)

Old Town near the program's center. && Visiting the Prague Castle with my Golden City class.

There are endless pluses about Czech culture, but I’ll talk about some that stick out the most to me. Compared to my hometown in LA, everything here is so much cheaper. I can get a high quality cup of coffee here for around 60 korunas (about 3 bucks) or a fat loaf of fresh bakery bread for about 2 bucks. Almost every local I’ve met also speaks English, which makes it super easy to get around. I feel like Czech is such a different language than English, so I was surprised to realize that even the older generation here is bilingual. On top of the walkability of this city, the public transportation here is unmatched to that of America. I got a monthly public transportation pass in Prague, allowing me to ride trams, subways, and buses. And the food here: amazing. I have yet to try traditional Czech food, but I was surprised by the amount of ethnically diverse foods. So far, my favorite eating out meals have been Thai food and Italian food. 

The nightlife scene in Prague doesn’t even compare to home. From clubs to beer gardens to Irish pubs, my friends and I have leaned into the younger drinking age (responsibly of course). There’s always something going on at night, so it’s hard to be bored here. I have absolutely loved all the people I’ve met both locals and students through the program. There’s a stigma that Europeans hate Americans, but I feel like Czech people are so welcoming and friendly. 

Thai dinner. && Going out (love my roomies).

This was a long second blog oops (just so much to talk about!). If you made it this far, thanks for reading!! Nashledanou for now!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 0: PREPPING FOR PRAGUE

Dobrý den! My name is Jules Hwang, and I’m a rising sophomore majoring in industrial and operations engineering. I’m so excited to share my adventures through my blog as I study abroad in Prague for 8 weeks! This will be my first time in Europe, so I can’t wait to immerse myself in Czech culture, try European foods, travel to other countries, and meet so many new people. 

I tackled my packing process two days before my flight with my best friends: packing cubes and a packing list. I am a chronic overpacker and love to shop, so I wanted to make sure I leave enough room for shopping a ton in Europe. Originally, my goal was to bring a big checked-in bag and a backpack, but my scale failed me and I had to delegate my 24 extra pounds of clothes to another carry-on suitcase. Since Europeans dress up a little more, I’ve been shopping in LA (my hometown) for the past month. Some other random items that I purchased for my travels include luggage tags, a digital camera (so excited to use this), a compact vanity mirror, and travel-sized toiletries. 

Packing cubes for my clothes and first photo on my digi cam.

Once I land in Prague, I head straight to my housing in Prague 2! My program provides housing, so I got assigned an apartment with four other girls who go to Michigan. We coordinated rooming together and met up at school before the semester ended. My goal for the day after I arrive is to go shopping with my roomies and get stuff for our apartment, like groceries and regular-sized toiletries.

Other things I did to prepare for my study abroad experience are learn basic Czech phrases and save places that I want to go to. I downloaded Duolingo to help me learn a little Czech, and wow it’s a hard language (like really hard). I’ve heard that most locals speak English, so I don’t think it’ll be too difficult to get by without knowing Czech. A must for me was saving restaurant and cafe spots in Prague since I'm a huge foodie. Before every meal, I will always whip out my phone without fail to photograph the food (phone eats first!!). On Google Maps, I just created a folder and saved a bunch of popular eateries that I found on Youtube, TikTok, and from my friends’ recs who have been to Prague. A huge goal of mine this summer is to travel to as many European countries as possible! Taking a weekend trip to Copenhagen or staying at a hostel in Barcelona will definitely be on my future itinerary.

I just finished writing this blog post as they called my boarding group here at LAX. I have a layover in Munich, Germany, and then I’ll be in Prague in no time. Thanks for reading my first post, and stay tuned for some amazing Prague content!

Loading up the car with some help (aka one of my cutie dogs). && My comfy go-to airport fit.

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague