iXperience Lisbon – Career Bootcamp + Internship Summer Abroad

Spending six weeks in Lisbon with iXperience was undoubtedly one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. I had never been one to jump at an opportunity which would push me way outside of my comfort zone, so I at first was quite hesitant to go abroad this summer. After giving it more thought, though, I saw this program as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and decided to give it a shot.

And what a great decision that was...

The next six weeks would be arguably the most exciting and important ones of my life. Never in my life had I met so many amazing people from incredibly diverse backgrounds in such a short period of time. The relationships with the thirty other students that I formed on this trip were like nothing I could have imagined and have left me so excited to see what everyone does with their lives.

The class and internship that I had both exceeded my expectations and gave me great experience in an industry that I'm looking to pursue. My teacher, TAs, and internship manager were all so supportive throughout the six weeks and taught me more in that timeframe than I would learn in a semester of a normal class. I am without a doubt more prepared for the corporate world than I would be without this program.

The most unexpectedly rewarding part of this trip for me was getting to know the two Lisbon program directors, Jakes and Amy. Prior to arriving, I figured these two would just be making sure things were running ok and not interacting much with the group. Fortunately, that second part was not the case, and I became closer with both Jakes and Amy than I have become with almost any teacher or coach that I've had over the years. They were both so dedicated to their jobs and would go out of their way to make sure the students had the best experience as possible, even if it meant sacrificing their experience in some way. Jakes was always checking in to make sure we were satisfied with the accommodation and excursions, and Amy was eager to offer any career advice or help with our internships whenever we needed it. The two of them took what was already a phenomenal experience to an even higher level.

If you have any hesitation to do this program, let this review be your sign to go for it. I am the definition of a homebody... I have lived in basically the same city my entire life, went to the same school from 1st to 12th grade, and had never been away from home longer than a week until college (which happens to only be a couple hours away from home). I truly doubt that I was part of the target audience for this trip. But, after having such an incredible experience and reflecting extensively on my time abroad, I don't believe there is a target audience for such a program. Everyone, regardless of the type of person they are, can take something away from iXperience that will change their life for the better. Whether that be the professional experience you gain, the new city you explore, or the lifelong friendships you develop, I am confident that this program offers something to all. I cannot recommend iXperience enough and hope everyone has the chance to enjoy this program the way I did.

I attended the Lisbon summer internship program with Amy Buczynski and Jakes van Aarde, two great managers. For many of us, this was our first abroad program, and for some, our first work experience. Amy and Jakes built a home away from home for 30 students of diverse backgrounds and adopted the role of older siblings and mentors for six weeks. Not only did they support us throughout our internship experiences, but Amy and Jakes always made sure we were having fun abroad. Between boat trips, restaurant outings, and field trips around the city, nobody in the program had time to be homesick! I'm so grateful that their guidance and care enabled us to become such a close-knit group; I know I'll always keep in touch with my favorite mentors.

Through the opportunities provided by iXperience and the support of Amy and Jakes, I learned a lot of skills and knowledge from my course and internship and had a great time exploring the city of Lisbon. Amy and Jakes were always available if anyone had questions regarding their internship or career paths. Through weekend excursions planned by Amy and Jakes, such as trips to Sintra and wine tasting, students got a deeper understanding of the local culture. They ensured that everyone felt included, had fun, and was safe.

Pros:
- Great support team for internship
- Provide nice working space for classes and internship
- Classes generally helped prepare for internship work; software engineering instructors and teaching fellows were pretty good
- Provides useful resume feedback
- Chose a nice location for stay and convenient for work travel too
- Very responsive to feedback and any problems that you may encounter during the program

Cons:
- You will be photographed and videotaped by program managers a lot, sometimes even when you are not aware
- Boundaries of professionality were not always maintained between program managers and students

Hey YOU! I know you're looking for something to do over the summer, so I'm here to convince you join iXperience because doing so was one of the best decisions I've ever made. In 6 weeks, you can benefit from cutting-edge courses and internships, all while traveling to places that you couldn't even begin to dream of! So, if you're adventurous and want to gain pre-professional experience (with no qualifications necessary), iXperience is the program that you've been looking for! It's 100% worth it!

This program is the best way to build your resume through an internship and explore a city. The staff at iX is beyond helpful and provided plentiful support both in the internship and in our careers. I took the Software Engineering course in Lisbon and learned a lot about full-stack coding. My internship taught me key skills in teamwork and technical frameworks. What made my experience truly exceptional was my program directors Amy Buczynski and Jakes van Aardee. They ensured that we had a plethora of events to do around the city that let us get immersed in Lisbon culture and travel the city. Furthermore, they provided a support system in which I truly felt safe, included, and heard. I had an unforgettable summer that I will cherish forever.

I was a bit nervous at first because I had found this program through Facebook. However, the course was definitely challenging and being in Lisbon was an amazing experience. I'm grateful for the rigor provided as the program didn't just encourage pure memorization of CS concepts but rather the applications and self-learning (ex. asking instructors, Google, and peers). More importantly, this course empowered me to keep learning and creating as personal projects are great ways to dive into a topic. I also made great friends from other universities and explored and ate through what Portugal had to offer, from the seafood delicacies to amazing chicken at Frangasqueira Nacional. Lisbon is such a walking-friendly town and the cost of living is quite reasonable. Honestly, this summer was the perfect balance of work and fun.

I think it was a great learning experience, not just academically speaking, but personally as well. I took the data science course and I learned quite a lot but I suggest you learn a bit of python (or the language you will use) before coming because you will not be able to keep up if you don't. Learning so much content in such a short amount of time is not ideal. There are definitely a lot of things they should improve but I am glad I was exposed to important aspects of machine learning and that I got to apply some of the concepts through the internship. It's a great opportunity if it's what you need.

It was also a great experience to learn more about another country, others and especially yourself!! You will definitely grow as a person!!