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Wish 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 might be difficult for a lot of faculty 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 turned clear to Julia after performing some analysis and talking to her household and associates:
“I selected Lisbon, Portugal, as a result of I had by no means visited earlier than and heard nice issues from household and associates. I used to be intrigued by the town attributable to its wealthy historical past, hills that jogged my memory of San Francisco, and the big variety of actions to do!”
Whereas some college students intern overseas as early as freshman 12 months, others, like Julia, select to attend till they’re upperclassmen. For her, interning overseas in the summertime earlier than senior 12 months 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 getting into my senior 12 months of school. Transferring to Lisbon in the summertime modified my expertise as a result of I met plenty of vacationers from everywhere in the world who had been vacationing in Lisbon, somewhat than solely assembly locals. Fortunately, as a result of I did a full-time internship, I nonetheless had the chance to satisfy and change into near locals. I spent plenty of time with my bosses and the locals who ran the restaurant [where] we might have lunch day-after-day.”
Managing Funds Overseas
Price is a significant factor for a lot of faculty college students and up to date graduates who wish to research or intern overseas. Fortuitously, AIFS Overseas accepts monetary support, and we provide scholarships and grants, which can assist cut back prices. Along with making use of for scholarships and monetary support, it’s good to do some monetary planning and create a finances 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 might spend per week. I might be certain 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, generally group dinners might be costly or awkward to navigate in case you are missing cash. Don’t fear concerning the concern 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 stage. Our on-site employees go to the internship amenities and meet together with your future internship supervisor earlier than placement to make sure every part meets our excessive requirements—making certain 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 vitality start-up that focuses on creating a brand new mannequin of wind generators [for] people [and] large 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.”
Beneath, Julia explains how her internship overseas helped her develop new abilities and led her to affix a gross sales program at her dwelling 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 targeted 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 house owners of different start-ups. This process gave me plenty of confidence in my public talking skills in knowledgeable setting and led me to be closely concerned with Chico State’s Seufferlein Gross sales Program after I returned.”
Work Tradition Overseas
Whereas work tradition can range relying in your host firm, subject, 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 loads, 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 pair of male interns. I used to be the one lady within the workplace, and the primary feminine [team member the company] had ever had. I felt extraordinarily protected and was at all times reassured that my voice was necessary to everybody.
The tradition differed from the US as a result of we might all share lunch collectively each single day, whereas within the U.S., most staff have lunch at completely different instances and don’t prioritize sitting down collectively and having a dialog. The work surroundings in Lisbon felt extra relaxed and effectively thought out, whereas in the US, we’re obsessive about having excessive productiveness and continually working.”
Intern Overseas Supervisor
AIFS Overseas internships place faculty college students and younger professionals in a small or mid-sized firm of their host metropolis. This ensures college students can collaborate straight with colleagues, construct nearer relationships, and tackle a extra necessary position inside the firm or group. Each intern overseas will 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 along with her internship supervisor in Lisbon:
“I had a beautiful 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 prime of all my tasks. His management type was democratic, and he at all times needed my enter.”
Internship Perks
Some worldwide internships include distinctive perks. Whereas we will’t assure you’ll get an internship with VIP entry to an area 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 provided many perks past the fantastic staff. I used to be capable of attend two weekends of the pageant ‘Rock in Rio’ with VIP entry to 1 stage. The pageant hosted many standard musicians and bands similar to Macklemore, The Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, and Ed Sheeran. I used to be additionally capable of attend many conferences with different tech firms, startups, and pupil leaders. I grew my skilled community loads and bought 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 growth. 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 how you can promote and market merchandise that haven’t hit the market and discover methods to face out from opponents whereas being on a finances. It additionally taught me loads concerning the significance of traders. Though I discovered loads, the hands-on day-to-day expertise of interacting with enterprise professionals helped me achieve probably the most abilities.”
Language Studying
You aren’t required to be fluent in one other language to intern overseas. As Julia explains, she bought by simply tremendous in Lisbon with English, and even picked up on some primary Portuguese:
“I didn’t have to know Portuguese to be eligible for my summer season internship in Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon has plenty of English audio system; nevertheless, realizing some primary Portuguese phrases was useful whereas speaking with locals. My language abilities improved after I spoke to the locals on the cafe close to my work.”
Housing
Some of the beloved advantages of AIFS Overseas applications is that housing is at all times included. Plus, we at all times be certain that it’s protected and centrally positioned, so that you don’t need to commute too far to your internship or the town middle. Beneath, Julia describes her expertise in a shared condominium with different AIFS Overseas individuals:
“AIFS positioned me in an condominium with 5 different women and 1 man. The condominium 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 condominium advanced had cleaners and nice administration. [It] was positioned in Saldana, an prosperous a part of the town with a number of purchasing and metro stations throughout.”
Sharing housing with different AIFS Overseas individuals is an effective way to make associates from day one. As Julia explains, one among her favourite recollections from her time overseas is along 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 identified one another for years.”
Making Associates Overseas
Housing isn’t the one manner 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 associates overseas:
“I used to be capable of instantly construct private connections whereas overseas with my fellow roommates who went by AIFS as effectively. I additionally had the possibility to satisfy everybody going to Lisbon by AIFS for the summer season at our welcome orientation. I made associates with a few locals who labored at bars or eating places I might ceaselessly 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 assets 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 shifting into my new condominium, 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 faculty college students and up to date graduates intern overseas. Our applications include many helpful inclusions which might be designed to counterpoint 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 total expertise overseas.
