IES Abroad Barcelona – Summer Internship

Take me back to early Sunday mornings strolling through barrio Les Corts for hours on end. Take me back to typical 9 PM dinners with my host mom as my roommates and I fought over that pasta of hers we fell in love with. Take me back to Parc de la Ciutadella, where I never failed to find the perfect bench facing away from the Barcelona sun and crack a book open until the sun began to set. Take me back. Of course I fell in love with Barcelona. Everyone warned me that I would. “If you leave, you’ll never want to come back,” they said. And they were right!

I was certain that Barcelona would leave an unforgettable impression on me. I had been dreaming of this trip since I was fifteen. So when April came along and I thought of my time abroad coming to an end, I could not bare to say goodbye just yet. I hadn’t seen all I needed to see or met quite enough strangers that soon turned into life-long friends. More importantly, I did not feel like I had left even the slightest mark on the city that had left a permanent mark on me. It was my turn to give back a little of the magic that I had been lucky enough to receive. That’s where Make-A-Wish Spain came in.

When given the opportunity to extend my stay in Barcelona, from the Spring 2016 IES Study Abroad Program to the Summer 2016 IES Internship Program, it was one of the easiest decisions I have ever had to make. Each and every member of the IES Barcelona staff made me feel confident in my ability to pursue yet another three-month journey in this city — with them as my academic gurus and unwavering moral support system, of course. Ana and Maria, coordinators of the IES Barcelona Internship Program, reviewed my résumé, cover letter, and career goals and thought I was great fit for Make-A-Wish Spain, a nonprofit organization aimed at granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. I learned so much from my time at Make-A-Wish Spain. I had the pleasure of working alongside some of the most kindhearted people I have ever met as they taught me the beauty and the power that lay within each child’s wish. I worked in multiple departments such as Social Work, Communications, and Fundraising and even had the chance to work with a few wish-kids and families. In all honesty, that was my favorite part of this experience — seeing how one child’s wish can turn into a whole family’s source of hope, strength, and joy.

After seven months of immersing myself in the Spanish culture and three months of working towards this beautiful cause, I said a heartfelt “see you later” to those spontaneous strolls through my neighborhood, dinners with my host mom, afternoons at the park, and 9-2 shifts at Make-A-Wish Spain. It was difficult accepting the fact that my time here was up. Though brief, it taught me more about myself than any other experience I have been fortunate enough to have. After studying abroad, we admit to finding new versions of ourselves — independent and adventurous versions that may have been hiding within us all along. That’s one half of my seven-month "self-discovery” process. Finding the other half, the one now guiding my life choices and career path, was all thanks to the IES Study Abroad/Internship Program and Make-A-Wish Spain. Without them, I would not have found my passion for nonprofit work. I’ll never be able to thank them enough for changing my life the way they did. I only hope that more students get the opportunity to study and intern abroad through IES Barcelona, and that in doing so, they learn not only about this beautiful city but about themselves as well.

Barcelona, the summer of a lifetime. I was able to explore the wonder that Spain is what it says it is besides the Zara, which I like already. There is much more than clothing in Spain. Food, travel, people, shows, scenery, and much more.
My story begins in the heart of Barcelona. Sitting in front of the square walking through the pigeon crossing. It was a city that glowed. The sports that unraveled and was built upon. I loved the beaches and many programs that took place my time there. I was able to work for a healthcare innovation company, where I realized that the relaxed environment can get work done as well. It opened up my mind that there is much more to the world than USA.

Food was a spectacle. There were so many different varieties of cuisine that made it seem like home. The "mom and pop" kind of diners that made you think about the growth and happiness that occurs in different parts of the world. Barcelona, the city just made me spin as so many kinds of people would come there and the beaches would keep me out tonight.

IES did a great job and literally made my transition like nothing. The staff is so friendly and tells you exactly like it is. No problems and I promise you will love them.

I had always wanted to travel to Barcelona, Spain since I was young and IES Abroad offered the perfect opportunity for me get the most out my abroad experience in Barcelona. I wasn't sure about being abroad for an entire semester, so the 2 month option through IES Internships was a perfect amount of time to truly experience the Barcelona culture.

I took the 1 credit internship as well as a Spanish class. I would work for most of the day and then go to Spanish (Spanish was only for half of the two months). I am a marketing major at Clemson University, and through IES Internships, I was matched up with a company to do their social media. Doing an internship abroad was a once in a lifetime experience. It taught me skills such as communication across cultures, independence, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work with people from all over the world.

Barcelona is a beautiful, lively city never with a shortage of something to do. It really has everything you could ever want while traveling abroad. There was some of the best food I have ever had and there was so much history and beautiful architecture to take in. I can't forget to mention the exciting social scene. Barcelona was some of the most fun times I have had going out. I highly recommend doing an internship in Barcelona through IES Abroad because you get to experience a new, exciting culture as well as gain real world work experience that will differentiate you from others.

Unlike a typical "study abroad" experience, I had an internship in Barcelona, Spain during the summer through IES Abroad. At first I was unsure what I would be able to do for studying abroad because my home university is so strict for transferring credit for my major in the communications field from study aboard, especially for internships. In the end I decided the experience of an internship abroad heavily outweighed getting the credits for my degree.

I fell in love with Barcelona from the first night I was there. As someone who had traveled abroad for family vacations multiple times prior ro my study abroad experience, I was excited to stay somewhere for an extended period of time (2 months) and be able to essentially live among the locals. I lived in an apartment, on Gran Via de les Corts, one of the main streets that runs through the city, with three other Americans on the IES Abroad program and we all had one RA who also lived with us. Being able to be independent in regards to living really helped me get to know the city because I had to figure out the public transportation system to get everywhere I needed to go, whether it be my internship, class grocery shopping or touring the city.

Working in Barcelona definitely posed some challenges for me as an American college student, but none that I wasn't able to navigate around by myself. I absolutely loved my internship experience because I felt like a part of the company I worked for, not an intern. I focused all summer on tasks relevant to my field (marketing) and was able to learn a lot about the company during my time there. I never felt like I was forced to be doing things I didn't want to and generally enjoyed working there from day to day. I was luckily enough to work with another IES Abroad student at my internship and that helped relive some of the anxiety of being around people I didn't know who spoke a language I wasn't fluent in.

Being immersed in the Spanish and Catalonian culture for two months was the best part of my time abroad. I don't remember ever being disappointed with the food I ate at restaurants, despite the fact that being a vegetarian in Barcelona is difficult. There are a lot of events going on all around the city on any given day, so if you just explore the city you're bound to find something interesting. There are a lot of quaint parks scattered among the bustling of the city that are great places to go take a picnic, read a book or do some homework. Whether you're into shopping, the beach, the nightlife or the tourist attractions, there is so much to do in Barcelona, you won't know what to do first!

I really enjoyed my experience abroad. Working with my internship advisor really taught me a lot and I have been able to apply the knowledge to my academic life. Sightseeing around Barcelona and experiencing the culture was remarkable as well. I loved the program and my time abroad.