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Prepared to listen to what it’s wish to intern overseas in Italy? We not too long ago spoke with Suzanne, a journalism main from Ohio College, who spent her summer season interning overseas within the historic metropolis of Rome.
Uncover how Suzanne’s internship with AIFS Overseas helped her construct sensible profession expertise and journey all through Italy and Spain!
Selecting a Program
Some faculty college students and up to date graduates discover it troublesome to decide on a research or intern overseas program. With AIFS Overseas providing so many stellar choices, it may be arduous to slim down your search! Should you don’t know the place to begin and want some assist deciding, we encourage you to attain out to our group or converse along with your research overseas advisor at your faculty, like Suzanne did:
“The outline of the internship was my dream [position]. I heard good issues about AIFS once I was researching research overseas applications, and my adviser advisable it to me. I heard it was a fantastic program to journey, experientially study, and make pals.”
Deciding when to review or intern overseas is one other essential consideration. Whether or not you wish to do a short-term program or go for a full semester, AIFS Overseas has you coated with choices all 12 months spherical. Suzanne didn’t let courses and a busy faculty 12 months cease her from interning overseas; as an alternative, she took benefit of certainly one of our summer season intern overseas applications:
“I selected summer season due to my hectic schedules and campus jobs in the course of the faculty 12 months.”
Making ready Household
Whereas many dad and mom encourage their youngsters to review or intern overseas, others have blended emotions—it may be arduous for them to think about their youngster the world over in an unfamiliar place. Luckily, selecting a trusted supplier like AIFS Overseas—and having clear particulars about this system—may help dad and mom really feel assured about your determination to go overseas.
To study extra about our applications and assist ease your loved ones’s issues, we encourage dad and mom to attend AIFS Overseas webinars and browse our web site. As soon as they hear about our trusted on-site workers, 24/7 emergency help, and the once-in-a-lifetime experiences our applications present, dad and mom (like Suzanne’s mother) usually come round:
“It took quite a bit for my mother to ship me off by myself. However I undoubtedly inspired her to go to all of the AIFS pre-departure conferences, which finally acquired her extra open to the concept. It’s a kind of issues the place I wanted to develop independently, so I wanted to take a giant step, like going to Rome for the summer season, which she understood.”
Financing Your Program
Funds are one other issue that may make some folks assume twice about learning or interning overseas. Luckily, AIFS Overseas affords scholarships and grants, and we settle for monetary help, which may help decrease the prices of our applications. Though Suzanne needed to make some sacrifices, she was assured her worldwide internship would repay in the long term:
“I utilized to as many scholarships as I might. I picked up additional shifts, and I even bought my automotive so I might go… The expertise is well worth the funding; the recollections and progress you achieve overseas price extra to overlook out on than to pursue.”
Internship Expertise
As a journalism main, a media internship in Rome was excellent for Suzanne. Her host firm was an English-speaking tradition and tourism journal, and her duties included a variety of career-specific duties, each within the workplace and out within the metropolis:
“My typical internship week concerned weekly duties like taking movies across the metropolis and masking occasions. I additionally went to the workplace on Tuesdays for a couple of hours to satisfy with the group, talk about initiatives, and get suggestions on my work. This routine helped me keep organized and engaged all through the internship.”
As she explains, Suzanne’s position as a media intern allowed her to construct foundational expertise aligned along with her profession targets:
“Some notable duties included masking artwork exhibitions and studying the right way to create TikTok movies geared toward English-speaking vacationers. These initiatives helped me develop sensible media expertise, together with video manufacturing, content material advertising and marketing, and viewers engagement, which will likely be beneficial for my future profession in journalism and digital media… The expertise additionally strengthened my resume and confidence, serving to me take the following steps towards a profession in journalism and digital media.”
AIFS Overseas Actions & Excursions
AIFS Overseas internship applications aren’t nearly gaining worldwide skilled expertise. You’ll even have the chance to go on included journeys and excursions that take you round your host metropolis or nation. Not solely is that this a fantastic probability to study extra about your program vacation spot, nevertheless it’s additionally the proper time to make pals with different contributors, as Suzanne did:
“I attended a number of AIFS-sponsored occasions and excursions, together with metropolis excursions and cultural outings. What made them memorable was attending to discover Rome with different college students, studying about native historical past, and experiencing the tradition firsthand in a enjoyable and social setting. These journeys additionally gave me nice alternatives to bond with my friends.”
Weekend Journeys
Outdoors of your internship and AIFS Overseas journeys and excursions, you’ll be able to set out by yourself to journey to your coronary heart’s content material! Suzanne took a number of weekend journeys throughout her internship program in Rome the place she traveled all through the area:
“I took a number of memorable weekend journeys to Barcelona, Florence, Ponza, and the Amalfi Coast. Every vacation spot was distinctive—Barcelona for its vibrant tradition and structure, Florence for its artwork and historical past, Ponza for its stress-free island vibes, and the Amalfi Coast for breathtaking surroundings. These journeys gave me a deeper appreciation for European tradition and added unforgettable experiences to my time overseas.”
Navigating Language Limitations
AIFS Overseas applications don’t require you to be fluent in one other language, and since her internship was in English, Suzanne had no drawback speaking at her host firm. Nonetheless, she made an effort to study some fundamental Italian phrases to additional immerse herself within the native tradition:
“I interned in Rome, the place Italian is the first language, however I didn’t must realize it upfront since my internship was in English. Being surrounded by the language each day helped me choose up fundamental Italian phrases and improved my confidence in talking. My recommendation for language studying is to observe small conversations every time you’ll be able to, hear actively, and don’t be afraid to make errors—it’s the easiest way to study and immerse your self.”
Housing
All AIFS Overseas applications embrace housing. Suzanne famous that her shared residence in Rome was a wonderful place to unwind and join along with her fellow contributors on the finish of the day:
“I stayed in an residence with different AIFS college students, which made it simple to attach and share the expertise. I favored having an area the place I might loosen up and research after [my internship] and courses.”
AIFS Overseas Help
Wherever you go along with AIFS Overseas, you’ll be able to relaxation assured that you simply’ll have the trusted help of our on-site workers who’re able to reply your questions, aid you navigate your new metropolis, and help you all through your program. Hear Suzanne describe her expertise with AIFS Overseas workers earlier than departing from the U.S. and after she landed in Rome:
“The AIFS workers had been actually useful from begin to end, particularly with pre-departure planning and answering questions whereas I used to be overseas. I appreciated having advisors I might attain out to for steering on housing, internships, and navigating town. Their help made the transition smoother and helped me concentrate on taking advantage of my expertise.”
Are you a school pupil or latest grad who desires to intern overseas like Suzanne did in Rome? We’d love that can assist 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 beneficial inclusions (which actually take the stress out of planning!), equivalent to housing, cultural and social actions, journeys and excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site workers, profession readiness programming, and extra! With AIFS Overseas, you’ll take consolation in realizing you’ll have help all through your total expertise overseas—regardless of the place you go.
