Joel Lovell ’26

The following post was adapted from a conversation between Joel Lovell ’26 and “Jessica” Yijia Qin ‘28, an intern with the Global Engagement Office (GEO).

At Swarthmore, Joel is a major in Economics with a minor in Philosophy who spent a fall semester abroad in the Czech Republic with Academic Experience in Prague where he made the most of his time in this city known to many as “the Heart of Europe.”

What made you choose Prague for study abroad?

I get this question from friends and family a lot!  Part of why I chose Prague is that it is a less common study abroad destination compared with other places in Europe. I also knew that being in Central Europe made it easy and affordable to travel to many other countries. 

At the time, I was also considering options in the UK and Sweden, but the classes offered by the AEP program looked much more interesting to me. 

Did you take mostly economics classes abroad?

It’s interesting. Because going into this experience, I originally planned to take more economics courses. My program is based out of the top institute for Econ research in Central Europe (CERGE-EI). And the certificate that AEP offers in international economics and finance was something that originally attracted me to the program.

I did take one economics-related class on digital cryptocurrencies and digital assets. But as an Econ major, I had already taken most of my requirements at Swarthmore, and I didn’t want my semester in Prague to be spent making supply and demand graphs. I wanted something different. 

My plans changed because I was drawn in by the really interesting cultural offerings. I took mostly humanities and social science classes, including one on Kafka and Prague, one on European politics, and an art class that involved visiting different sites and studying art and architecture from various periods. 

What was your life like in Prague?

A typical day would start with going to class. After that, I would come back, relax for a bit, and then either spend time on my own, visit a museum or another site, or hang out with friends. 

My classes were all in Schebek Palace, a historic neo-Rennesance building in central Prague, just a block from Wenceslas Square.

One of the best things about Prague was simply walking around and taking in the architecture. I went to the opera, visited the town square, and enjoyed the major landmarks like the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and the huge church overlooking the square. There was a coffee shop near my apartment called ‘No Stress’ that I really liked. 

Most of my interactions were with other American students in the program rather than with Czech students. Our classes took place in a Charles University building; I had a student ID, and could join student sports clubs/societies. But I didn’t interact much with the Czech students. 

How easy was it to travel while studying abroad in Prague?

Traveling was one clear advantage of being in Prague. Because there were no classes on Fridays, we had three-day weekends every week. It was very easy to leave on Thursday night and come back Sunday night or even Monday morning. Travel was affordable and convenient. Because Prague is so central, there were many options for weekend trips. 

Berlin was only about a four-hour bus ride away, and overall, was probably the place where I had the best time. The nightlife, museums, and historical sites all stood out to me. I also loved Amsterdam, Vienna, and Milan for different reasons. Amsterdam had its own unique draw, Vienna had incredible architecture and historic sites, and Milan grew on me more and more over time. But I really loved the Berlin vibe and found the city’s energy exhilarating. 

I discovered late in the semester that solo travel can be really enjoyable. I had expected it to feel lonely, but it ended up being one of my favorite experiences. At the same time, I would advise students not to take Prague itself for granted. I wish I had explored the city more deeply while I was there. I would also recommend keeping an eye out for local events, whether that means nightlife, comedy, theater, or other cultural activities. 

What was the housing in Prague like?

Housing varied a bit with the specific apartment assignment, but my housing situation was fantastic! I only had one roommate and we had a huge apartment with a massive living room, large bedrooms, and a great location. 

We were about five minutes from the town square and around fifteen minutes from school. Some apartments were more modern than others.  Some students had smaller spaces if they had more roommates. But overall, most people seemed to have pretty good housing situations. 

If you knew someone going into the program, you could choose to room with them. Otherwise, the program matched you with a roommate based on a questionnaire about your habits and preferences, such as when you go to bed and how clean you are. My roommate ended up being great; we still keep in touch. 

Any final thoughts on the program? 

Academically, I found the faculty to be available and responsive.  The coursework was serious enough to feel worthwhile, but manageable enough to leave room for exploration, travel, and meeting people, which I think is exactly what you want from study abroad. 

Socially, I really enjoyed the AEP program. There were enough students that you could get to know a lot of people, while still feeling like there were always new people and groups to meet. There were different social circles, but overall, it was easy to make friends, especially during the week-long orientation. Socially, it was honestly one of the best times I have had in college.