Erasmus during the Covid period: we went abroad at the worst time, but we made it

Read short interviews with three of our students who went to study or work abroad before the borders closed. One of them was in Sweden, another in Turkey, and the third in Poland. You might be surprised to learn that they all evaluate their stays positively in the end.

Adam Chyška (Marketing and Brand Management): I got sick in Sweden, but it made me realize what is truly important.

Adam, why did you choose Sweden for your Erasmus?

Sweden attracted me with its lifestyle and liberalism, and I was curious to see if it really matches its media image.

For my studies, I chose the course Strategic Marketing with Independent Project. It was a programme made up entirely of marketing subjects, which I considered a great advantage. In addition to studying at NEWTON, I also work as the marketing manager at Synpo, a chemical company in Pardubice, and I was able to arrange a six-month remote collaboration.

How was your study experience?

I expected the Swedish system to be different from the Czech one. However, I was a bit disappointed because it wasn’t as practice-oriented as, for example, the courses with Martin Přibyl at NEWTON.

Classes consisted of only two or three hours per week, which were used for assigning and consulting work. For the rest, we worked independently. In one subject, which accounted for half of the entire programme, we prepared a project similar to a bachelor thesis. My topic was Corporate Social Responsibility, resulting in over 60 pages of text with more than 10 bibliographic sources. In another subject, we presented marketing strategies, which we then analyzed in multinational companies in a follow-up course, resulting in a 20-page assignment.

In the end, I’m glad I tried a mock bachelor thesis, but I’m more satisfied with studying at NEWTON. It was noticeable that Swedish teachers are academics, while at NEWTON, most instructors come from professional practice. Another significant difference was that the semester in Sweden was almost twice as long compared to NEWTON, starting in mid-January and ending in late June.

How did you enjoy Sweden outside of school?

I led an active social life, going to the gym, cafés, and restaurants. In Sweden, it’s common for students to collaborate on projects in cafés, and I was no exception, working there daily on school and work tasks. I also enjoyed that the university was located in a beach town. Although the weather wasn’t suitable for swimming, I spent time on the beach walking, grilling, or having picnics. Many students associate Erasmus with nightlife, but although Sweden had almost no restrictions compared to the Czech Republic, parties were banned due to Covid. That didn’t bother me – I went on Erasmus primarily for personal development.

My friend and I also took an amazing trip to Lapland in the Abisko National Park. The train journey took over 24 hours, but it was worth it. We explored the park on snowmobiles and saw the rare pink aurora from the polar station – an experience for a lifetime.

How did Covid affect your studies?

Regarding restrictions, the pandemic affected me minimally. Cinemas, cafés, restaurants, and gentlemen’s clubs were open, and masks or respirators weren’t required. Unfortunately, I eventually got Covid near the end of my stay.

The illness was quite severe – I lost eight kilograms, couldn’t speak at all, and had sleep problems for another three months. It made me reflect on life values. I spent the illness mostly alone, missing my family and close friends. Overall, my stay abroad didn’t give me much academically, but it clarified my life priorities.

Jan Orhan Heptek (Psychology for Managers): due to Covid it took me three days to get home

Jan, why did you choose Turkey for your Erasmus?

I am finishing my master’s at NEWTON, and during my studies, I went on Erasmus twice. The first time was during my bachelor’s in Turkey, and the second time I chose Turkey again, but in a different city. I have a special connection to Turkey because my father is from there, and I lived there until I was nine.

How did the first and second Erasmus experiences in Turkey differ?

During my first Erasmus, we had a partner school in Izmir, but I wanted to study in Istanbul. I consulted the coordinator at NEWTON, Mr. Jan Orava, who helped me arrange Erasmus at the school I chose – Yeditepe University, in the Business Administration programme.

Although I speak Turkish well, I tried to speak English because I was on the English programme. Some instructors were not very proficient in English, so we received assignments to complete at home.

For my second Erasmus at the master’s level, my classmate and I arranged to go to the original school in Izmir. The level of English there was much higher. However, two months in, the pandemic hit, and we had to return home urgently.

That must have been hectic. How did the return go?

We basically packed our bags overnight. Nobody knew what would happen. The school decided to close within about three days, initially supposedly only for two weeks. We waited for a while, but after following the news, we decided to leave.

Normally, there are direct flights from Prague to Istanbul, but we had to fly via Sofia and Berlin. The outbound trip cost us €60, and the return about €600. The day after we returned, Turkish airspace was closed. One friend stayed behind.

How do you evaluate studying in Turkey, and would you recommend it?

Turkish people are very friendly, and living costs are low. The school in Istanbul was amazing; all faculties were in one campus. It’s a private university with everything on site, including tennis courts and a pool. They also took care of us, organized trips, and we explored a large part of Turkey. The highlight was a festival with about 1,000 students, camping on the beach.

During my studies, I made a friend from Hungary, and we still meet. I recently visited him in Budapest. Erasmus is excellent for making new contacts and friendships.

Michael Margan (Global Business and Management): I stayed in Poland during Covid and don’t regret it

Michael, why did you choose Poland for your internship?

I originally applied to Cyprus but wasn’t accepted. I also considered Riga, but in the end, I chose Warsaw, Poland. I’m grateful because during Covid, I stayed nearby.

How did it go at the beginning of the pandemic?

We received two emails at the start – one from the Czech Republic asking us to return, and one from Poland asking us to stay. I decided to stay since I was already there.

I got to know Warsaw, even though activities were limited during the pandemic. Studying in Poland helped me with my thesis, which focused on my entrepreneurial project of indoor vegetable farming.

Is teaching in Poland different from the Czech Republic?

Yes, and that surprised me. Although I only experienced a month of classes, I noticed that subjects are taught in blocks. For a month and a half, you study two subjects, then finish them. The next month and a half, you study other subjects. I liked this system because I didn’t have to take a bunch of exams at once – the subjects were completed gradually, making it more intensive and less drawn out.

You were not only on Erasmus for studying but also did an internship in Germany.

I learned about the opportunity to go abroad for work from the study coordinator, Mr. Orava. I’m very grateful for his active support – he helps with paperwork, contracts, and finding internship offers. At NEWTON, you can access internships abroad, which is great. I found this one myself since I had already worked at the company.

I did my internship in Karlsruhe over the summer as a graduate. I worked full-time as an assistant in a fund focused on energy. I enjoyed applying and expanding my school knowledge, performing basic analyses, researching information, and staying composed under pressure. I had worked in Germany before, so it wasn’t unfamiliar.

Even though Germany and Poland are our neighbors, you had to communicate in English. Was that a problem?

I admit my English isn’t perfect, but I’m not afraid to use it. I learned a lot in school when presenting or taking exams in a foreign language. I also recommend others not to be afraid – try contacting companies you’re interested in; they might respond positively even without a posted advertisement.