AIFS Abroad: Intern Abroad in England

My time abroad with global experiences was amazing! My placement really fit with what I was studying and gave me insight into my career path. I was placed with a great group of people. One of the funnier times at my placement was the editing of my surveys with "proper English". The slight spelling difference, like color vs colour, I found entertaining and my coworkers were known to make sure I knew the difference in fun loving way. Being abroad was more than just work for me. I was able to travel and really experience a new adventure. I'm forever grateful of my experience and what Global Exepriences offered me.

After graduating from University, my biggest concern was finding a job in my field. I had many questions; How do I get places to network? Where can I show my skills? Will I continue to learn through watching shows? All of these (and more) were questions I needed to find answers to on my own.
Once I worked my way into Ovation Theatre Ltd. in London, I found myself meeting new people and working on projects for directors in the field; Racky Plews, American Idiot Director! I met her by helping design her wedding at Upstairs At The Gatehouse! She saw my drive and dedication and wanted to expose me to some West End culture!
Sitting in on a few rehearsals solidified my love for this craft. Hence leading my to offering any aid I could towards her show. Within days, I found myself backstage of a West End production, assisting the stage manager, props coorodinator, costumer and working as a quick changer for the male actors.
Although I worked with them for a little over two weeks, it absolutely changed my life. I wanted to be involved, and I was thrown into every opportunity possible because of my networking.
Yes, this is a long story, but the truth is is that this one moment has made me even more passionate about theatre and why I am invested in this crazy craft!
I've made life long connections with the people here and I know they feel the same about me. I've received letters of recommendation and I've been plugged in to other people back in the states!
Traveling abroad has cemented my idea that open mindedness is a key component in living fulfilled lives. I'd say, this adventure has made me more open minded and more fulfilled than I've ever felt, the feeling can only expand from this point on.

I spent two months working with people from all over the world, even though it was a small to medium company. It was my first real job experience, at least related to my studies. This was un the summer of 2012, with the Olympic games going on in London. It was fun and it was an opportunity to see how a the company, as long as the City, addapted to the big event. As non-native english speaker I had the chance to fully develop professional speaking skills. I was their first intern ever, so we both had to be very communicative with each other so we could take the and give the most of it.

Thank you to the team of Global Experience Interships, for finding the perfect fit for my professinal needs.

London is an absolutely fabulous city and I had a blast! GE provided the support and assisted me getting to London. However, the housing was a joke. We lived in a bad area about 30 minutes away from central London. The career development could have been better as well. You will go over your strengths and briefly edit your cover letters. Overall, career development was very basic.

Overall, GE helped me get to london, provided me with a great employer and I had a blast. If I were you I'd look into the area you live before signing up.

Everything about this experience was amazing. Pre-departure and on-site staff were helpful and personable. Meal plan=BIG money saver. Flight package was helpful. AMAZING internship placement fit to me, and well prepared for the interview as well. Loved, loved, loved.

Last fall I started toying with the idea of an internship for the summer of 2014. I met with some advisors at my university and was exposed to some internships that were in my area. They seemed so boring. I needed something that would make for an unreal experience. I spoke with my advisor about doing an internship abroad and she pointed me to google. I did a lot of research but knew that I belonged with Global Experiences.

GE personalizes your internship. You aren't just thrown into a company that might fit what you want for an internship. The GE staff works with you to perfect your cover letter and resume before distributing them to companies throughout London. It was quite a process and I had never done an interview over Skype before but I had an instant connection with one of the interviewers.

The placement Global Experiences provided for me was beyond perfect. I had a dream experience that I can not thank them enough for. My office was right down the Thames River with views of the Eye and Big Ben from the windows. My coworkers were welcoming and friendly and I am still in contact with all of them.

I would highly recommend Global Experiences for anyone that is interested in an internship that is in an area of interest. You make friends and connections that will last a lifetime.

I was an intern for Global Experiences for 2 months in London this past summer and it was the most incredible experience I have ever had! I was always so fearful of getting out there and being on my own, but they made it really easy for me! London has always been number one on my list of places to go ever since I was little. I researched an opportunity like this for years and the older I got the more determined I got. I came across the Global Experiences website when I was researching for an internship abroad and I automatically made my decision to go. I was a little skeptical about which organization to go with because I knew my sister did not go with a good organization when she went to Africa, but rest assured this company was well organized and more willing to help than I expected. When I put in that I was interested in going, I was contacted by one of the members of staff who got me even more excited, if that was even possible, and just like that I was on my way to going to England. Just hearing a voice on the other end made things even more real for me.

After FINALLY getting to London after the loads of paperwork I had to complete with my school and with the Visa company and Global Experiences, my journey of a lifetime began. It was more hard work getting here than I thought it would be, but it was definitely worth it in the end. I was in the city of my dreams working and living with the most amazing roommates I could ask for (see Shardae's review below... :) ). I could not have asked for a better company to work for. I worked at Fitzrovia Youth in Action in London, which is a small, up and coming charity in central London. They have multiple different parts in the company and I was able to work in each one. And since it is a small company I became close with everyone that worked there and I was able to get amazing recommendations that set me up for success in the future. Sarah did a fabulous job finding this company for me, I know I was a difficult one since I did not know for sure what I wanted to do, but she made it happen! I was able to work with their mentoring program and helped students like me get an internship with jobs in London, I worked on their database and got it up and running smoothly, I helped organize and clear out old clutter that they had building up in the office, I was able to go to drop in sessions for young children, and I helped organize a football (soccer) tournament.

Living in London was definitely not what I expected, but it turned out to be the best living accommodation that you could ask for! It was a really nice area and I feel my roommates were my everything in London. We did everything together from traveling to different countries to going out and exploring London after work. They helped me in more ways than I thought possible and we are still communicating now over Facebook and plan to meet up in the near future! I wish I could tell you what a typical day was like in London, but there was no typical day, or weekend. That's what made it interesting! I encourage you to take hold of the experience and make it into YOUR journey of a lifetime because after the day is done YOU are the one to make your dreams come true. This trip is what you make it and for me it was the most exhilarating experience I have every had and I miss it more and more every day.

This past summer was easily one the best of my life.

I started my relationship with Global Experiences last September (almost a year ago now!) when they called me up mere days after I sent in an online inquiry. The staff was very easy to communicate with and was always open to any questions I had. After getting accepted into the program, there was A LOT of paperwork, and my university wasn't the most helpful, but GE really stepped up and made sure everything was going smoothly every step of the way. It was a long process - I didn't get placed in my internship until the following spring - but well worth it. They are well-organized and very professional.

My work experience was just that - an experience. I really value the skills I learned and would not trade working in London for the world, although I do wish that my placement was a bit more tailored to my major. I'm a Creative Writing major and got placed in a small company in need of a PR/Marketing intern. There were a few instances where my skills were needed, but most of the time I was doing busywork and lengthy pencil-pusher tasks. My boss was very busy most of the time and really valued my presence there, so knowing I was making a difference really helped. We also got along marvelously, so that was a bonus! But there were many times I wished I was utilizing my already-developed strengths. I know of a few others who felt this way, and even one who was kept in the dark about three employers who wanted to interview her during her placement process while she accepted the first opportunity to come her way. Looking back, I know that the experience really did teach me a lot and I did gain many new skills to add to my list. I just wish I also had time in the day to use my other skills as well.

Being in London was an absolute dream come true. London is central to so many things so I was given the opportunity to travel to places I never thought I would see. I also ended up meeting a fantastic group of people who will remain my lifelong friends. Overall, the experience strengthened both my personal and professional outlook on life and the world around me. I would not trade this experience for the world, and though I may have had a few hiccups, that should NOT deter anyone from checking GE out. At the end of our time there, they asked us about things that could be improved within the program and I have no doubt our opinions will be taken into account as the company grows.

Thank you, GE, for the best summer of my life! I'll never forget it.