In 2024, Luisa Vaas spent one semester at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague as part of the Double Degree programme.
What made you decide, what motivated you to go abroad?
Ever since high school, I dreamed of spending a semester abroad. During my bachelor's, this was not possible due to the pandemic. Instead of an exchange semester, I moved from Germany to Switzerland for an internship. But the dream of studying abroad in a country where I didn't know the language stayed with me. So, I decided to take the chance in my last semester and go to Czechia. Additionally, I'm considering doing a PhD and wanted to keep that option open by pursuing a double degree with another M.Sc. title from a university.
Why did you choose your host institution/country?
Czechia and UCT Prague were pretty much my only option because I had already studied Biotechnology in my bachelor's and wanted to deepen my knowledge in this field. Besides, I've always wanted to live in an old city with beautiful buildings, and Prague is known for that. It definitely met, and even exceeded, my expectations.
What is your everyday life like?
I usually woke up around 8 am, had breakfast with my flatmates, and got ready for the day. At the beginning of the semester, I often toured throufht the city in the morning to explore new places since I had lectures only in the afternoon. Later in the semester, I spent mornings in the lab working on my project. At the university, I'd grab a coffee and attend lectures with other Erasmus students. After lectures, we'd often go out for dinner, watch ice hockey games, or meet up for parties. It was great to be surrounded by so many people doing the same thing, and the local ESN network organized lots of events during the week and weekends!
Tell us about your research findings during your residency.
My lab project focused on polyphenols derived from wine byproducts and their influence on gut microbiota. We tested how polyphenols affected the interaction of microbiota with the mucus layer in our gut. It was fascinating to see that probiotics weren't really affected, and some even grew better with polyphenol extract. On the other hand, the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited and couldn't adhere to the mucus layer anymore. This could be promising for treating gut microbiota imbalances and shows that our gut microbiome is directly influenced by what we eat. My supervisor was amazing - she was super nice and helpful, and her plan and experiment led to great results in a short time.
What surprised you the most about your stay abroad?
I was most surprised by how difficult it is to be vegan or vegetarian in Czechia. The culture includes a lot of meat dishes, and there weren't many vegetarian options in the cafeteria or restaurants.
What tips would you give to future exchange students?
I would definitely live close to the city center again, but maybe not directly at Wenceslas Square because it can be very noisy at night. I'd also choose a shared flat over university housing. And definitely attend the ESN starting events and the ESN Get-to-Know-Weekend! It was a super fun weekend, and knowing many faces afterwards made my whole stay much more interactive and enjoyable.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
A very special moment was a weekend stay with some other ESN students in a small house in the middle of nowhere in Czechia. It had a small sauna, so we studied, hiked, and relaxed together. It was a very special moment, being connected with nature and close to people from other parts of the world.
Take your chance to study abroad!
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