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Need to hear from a school pupil who interned overseas in Portugal? We not too long ago spoke with AIFS Overseas participant Julia from California State College, Chico, who spent her summer season doing an internship in Lisbon.
Uncover how Julia’s internship in Lisbon with AIFS Overseas helped her develop her profession abilities and make significant connections.
Selecting an Intern Overseas Program Vacation spot & Time period
Deciding the place and when to intern overseas will be difficult for a lot of school college students and younger professionals—usually coming right down to a number of components, together with private or cultural preferences {and professional} alternatives. The selection to intern overseas in Lisbon grew to become clear to Julia after doing a little analysis and chatting with her household and pals:
“I selected Lisbon, Portugal, as a result of I had by no means visited earlier than and heard nice issues from household and pals. I used to be intrigued by town as a result of its wealthy historical past, hills that jogged my memory of San Francisco, and the wide range of actions to do!”
Whereas some college students intern overseas as early as freshman yr, others, like Julia, select to attend till they’re upperclassmen. For her, interning overseas in the summertime earlier than senior yr was the proper time to achieve skilled expertise whereas having fun with all Lisbon has to supply. Hear why Julia believes summer season is a perfect time to discover Portugal:
“I selected to go throughout the summer season as a result of I used to be seeking to full a summer season internship earlier than coming into my senior yr of faculty. Transferring to Lisbon in the summertime modified my expertise as a result of I met numerous vacationers from everywhere in the world who had been vacationing in Lisbon, reasonably than solely assembly locals. Fortunately, as a result of I did a full-time internship, I nonetheless had the chance to satisfy and turn out to be near locals. I spent numerous time with my bosses and the locals who ran the restaurant [where] we might have lunch every single day.”
Managing Funds Overseas
Value is a significant factor for a lot of school college students and current graduates who wish to research or intern overseas. Happily, AIFS Overseas accepts monetary help, and we provide scholarships and grants, which may help cut back prices. Along with making use of for scholarships and monetary help, it’s good to do some monetary planning and create a funds so that you simply don’t overspend whilst you’re overseas. Hear Julia clarify how she managed her cash throughout her summer season intern overseas program in Lisbon:
“I managed my funds whereas overseas by setting a restrict of how a lot cash I may spend per week. I might make sure that all of my dwelling necessities had been taken care of earlier than I let myself splurge on new garments or meals. The recommendation I might give to different [interns] is to spend cash at your individual tempo, typically group dinners will be costly or awkward to navigate if you’re missing cash. Don’t fear in regards to the worry of lacking out and be sure to are financially safe earlier than attempting to maintain up with group plans!”
Internship Expertise
With a full-time internship program with AIFS Overseas, your placement will likely be with a vetted group that aligns together with your skilled objectives and expertise degree. Our on-site employees go to the internship services and meet together with your future internship supervisor earlier than placement to make sure every thing meets our excessive requirements—guaranteeing a optimistic expertise for each the intern and the host group. Hear Julia describe her expertise as a Advertising and marketing Intern in Lisbon:
“The corporate I labored for… is a renewable power start-up that focuses on creating a brand new mannequin of wind generators [for] people [and] huge companies to create much less of a carbon footprint. My position was Advertising and marketing & Gross sales Intern, and I represented the corporate at festivals, conferences, and conferences. I used to be additionally accountable for managing their LinkedIn and reviewing their web site.”
Under, Julia explains how her internship overseas helped her develop new abilities and led her to hitch a gross sales program at her residence college after she returned to the U.S.:
“One notable process of mine was pitching [my host company’s] generators to shoppers at conferences. I initially assumed my position as an intern can be extra centered on leveraging my abilities with social media; nevertheless, [the company’s] merchandise weren’t available on the market but, and there was hesitance to launch social media platforms. Due to this fact, I used to be anticipated to verbally promote these merchandise to shoppers face-to-face. This was communicated to me instantly, and it allowed me to mentally put together. I ended up having fun with networking with individuals in tech fields or with homeowners of different start-ups. This process gave me numerous confidence in my public talking talents in an expert setting and led me to be closely concerned with Chico State’s Seufferlein Gross sales Program once I returned.”
Work Tradition Overseas
Whereas work tradition can differ relying in your host firm, area, and program vacation spot, Julia explains how her host firm’s work tradition in Lisbon in comparison with that of the U.S.:
“[My host company’s] work tradition was extraordinarily close-knit and welcoming. My first day was extremely memorable as a result of I keep in mind laughing so much, feeling like my objectives had been revered and heard, and having fun with an genuine Portuguese lunch. I labored with 4 male supervisors and a couple of male interns. I used to be the one woman within the workplace, and the primary feminine [team member the company] had ever had. I felt extraordinarily protected and was all the time reassured that my voice was necessary to everybody.
The tradition differed from the USA as a result of we might all share lunch collectively each single day, whereas within the U.S., most workers have lunch at completely different occasions and don’t prioritize sitting down collectively and having a dialog. The work surroundings in Lisbon felt extra relaxed and properly thought out, whereas in the USA, we’re obsessive about having excessive productiveness and continually working.”
Intern Overseas Supervisor
AIFS Overseas internships place school college students and younger professionals in a small or mid-sized firm of their host metropolis. This ensures college students can collaborate immediately with colleagues, construct nearer relationships, and tackle a extra necessary position inside the firm or group. Each intern overseas may even have at the least one supervisor, who (as we talked about earlier) is vetted by the AIFS Overseas on-site employees. Hear Julia clarify her expertise together with her internship supervisor in Lisbon:
“I had an exquisite time working with my supervisor, [the company’s CEO]. He was superb about finishing check-ins with me to see how I used to be doing out and in of labor and ensuring I used to be on high of all my initiatives. His management model was democratic, and he all the time wished my enter.”
Internship Perks
Some worldwide internships include distinctive perks. Whereas we will’t assure you’ll get an internship with VIP entry to a neighborhood music pageant like Julia did, we will’t rule it out both! Take heed to Julia go into extra element about this superior perk together with another advantages of interning at her host firm in Lisbon:
“My internship supplied many perks past the great crew. I used to be in a position to attend two weekends of the pageant ‘Rock in Rio’ with VIP entry to 1 stage. The pageant hosted many common musicians and bands corresponding to Macklemore, The Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, and Ed Sheeran. I used to be additionally in a position to attend many conferences with different tech firms, startups, and pupil leaders. I grew my skilled community so much and acquired to see in actual time how start-up firms are run and managed.”
Skilled Growth
Along with constructing your community, interning overseas gives loads of alternatives for skilled improvement. Hear Julia clarify how her internship in Lisbon helped her develop necessary profession abilities:
“The highest three abilities I gained from my internship had been independence, initiative, and confidence. The internship helped me achieve data about the way to promote and market merchandise that haven’t hit the market and discover methods to face out from rivals whereas being on a funds. It additionally taught me so much in regards to the significance of buyers. Though I discovered so much, the hands-on day-to-day expertise of interacting with enterprise professionals helped me achieve probably the most abilities.”
Language Studying
You’re not required to be fluent in one other language to intern overseas. As Julia explains, she acquired by simply tremendous in Lisbon with English, and even picked up on some primary Portuguese:
“I didn’t must know Portuguese to be eligible for my summer season internship in Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon has numerous English audio system; nevertheless, realizing some primary Portuguese phrases was useful whereas speaking with locals. My language abilities improved once I spoke to the locals on the cafe close to my work.”
Housing
One of the vital beloved advantages of AIFS Overseas applications is that housing is all the time included. Plus, we all the time make sure that it’s secure and centrally situated, so that you don’t must commute too far to your internship or town heart. Under, Julia describes her expertise in a shared house with different AIFS Overseas members:
“AIFS positioned me in an house with 5 different ladies and 1 man. The house had 8 bedrooms, permitting all of us to have separate bedrooms. There have been 3 bogs, a lounge, a spacious kitchen, and a eating desk. The house advanced had cleaners and nice administration. [It] was situated in Saldana, an prosperous a part of town with plenty of buying and metro stations throughout.”
Sharing housing with different AIFS Overseas members is an effective way to make pals from day one. As Julia explains, one among her favourite reminiscences from her time overseas is together with her roommates:
“A core reminiscence I’ll always remember is kayaking with my roommates in Lagos and uncontrollably laughing with the tour guides who thought we had all recognized one another for years.”
Making Buddies Overseas
Housing isn’t the one means you may meet individuals in your program. AIFS Overseas internship applications embody a welcome orientation, social actions, in addition to journeys and excursions—offering loads of alternatives to make pals overseas:
“I used to be in a position to instantly construct private connections whereas overseas with my fellow roommates who went by AIFS as properly. I additionally had the prospect to satisfy everybody going to Lisbon by AIFS for the summer season at our welcome orientation. I made pals with a few locals who labored at bars or eating places I might incessantly go to.”
Why AIFS Overseas?
Whereas individuals could select an AIFS Overseas program for various causes, nearly everybody comes to understand our trusted on-site employees who’re there to assist them—wherever they go:
“The AIFS sources that caught out to me had been the unbelievable employees members. The primary being Max Panconessi, who joined me and my fellow interns on our first and final day of labor. He was extremely supportive when it got here to transferring into my new house, offering suggestions of issues to do within the metropolis, and supporting me professionally. It was clear that each one the on-site employees from AIFS had all of our greatest pursuits in thoughts all through the entire program.”
Are you able to take the leap and intern overseas like Julia did in Lisbon with AIFS Overseas? We’d love that will help you begin your journey!
Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to school college students and up to date graduates intern overseas. Our applications include many beneficial inclusions which might be designed to complement your expertise overseas and ease the transition in your host metropolis. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like built-in profession readiness, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency assist, on-site employees, and cultural and social actions and excursions, you’ll take consolation in realizing you’ll have assist all through your complete expertise overseas.
