Spain Internships With Academic Credit From 2-24 Weeks

I felt well-prepared for my trip, which reduced the anxiety I had heading into it. I loved the easiness of signing up but receiving so much support after. Once I arrived to Valencia I still had a great support system and was able to get into the groove fairly quickly! The cultural immersion was enriching, and I formed lasting connections with amazing people. I had the best time ever while learning experiences and gaining skills that will last a lifetime. It was an amazing opportunity to grow and succeed, supported by a fantastic and dedicated team.

I recently had the opportunity to complete my internship in Valencia, Spain, through the Intern Abroad HQ platform, and my experience with them was outstanding. From start to finish, the platform was incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate. There were numerous internship options available, each clearly outlined with all the necessary details, making it simple to find the perfect match for my interests and goals.

The payment process was smooth, with instant confirmation and a prompt follow-up email from the Intern Abroad HQ team. Their responsiveness was impressive- swift and efficient at every step. What truly stood out, though, was the level of care and coordination throughout the internship. The team consistently followed up with me weekly to ensure that everything was going well and that I was having a positive experience.

Overall, the support and organization from Intern Abroad HQ were exceptional, and I felt well taken care of from the moment I signed up until the end of my internship. I highly recommend them to anyone seeking an enriching and well-coordinated internship abroad experience.

The placement began two days before I left for the airport. I was given the contact information of my host mother by Intern Abroad HQ (IAHQ). It would be good to introduce myself and say hello, letting her know when I would arrive and that I was looking forward to meeting her. I felt this would be a good icebreaker, and I wouldn't feel like a stranger upon arrival. once I arrived in Valencia. A driver assigned by IAHQ picked me up at the airport. Dropped me at my host family’s address, where I would stay for the programme. She spoke no English, so I learned to use Google Translate to communicate from that moment on, which went fine throughout my stay. I took Spanish lessons throughout my stay to help me adapt and have simple conversations with locals and my host family. I also made sure to attend a tour of the main areas of Valencia and see some monuments to help me understand the culture. I ate local meals like paella and a lot of exceptional seafood, and I even went to the beach, a popular place for locals to relax after long weekdays.
My placement was with the global bee project(GBP) team. They are a start-up that provides monitoring solutions to apiculture farmers. This involves a product that can monitor hive activity and alert farmers of essential metrics such as honey production output, hive health, and intrusive activities such as predators, as well as warn them against theft. I was able to assimilate into the role very quickly by asking questions and making sure I was added to work groups such as teams and had admin access to several of the organisation portals, which included WordPress for the website and Figma for the data control where all the data from active beehives were being analysed.
Due to my previous experiences, I was comfortable in a team setting, so I built on that with GBP. I now better understand what it would take to excel in a team for an established organisation and how each member's contribution is vital to progress. I also had autonomy over my schedule, it was a hybrid role, only requiring me to be in the workspace for in-person meetings. I was given two main tasks:
redesign the monitoring product using 3D modelling via SolidWorks
This was a much-needed challenge, requiring me to dig deep into the mechanical drawing skillset I gained in my bachelor's degree and apply them to an industry standard. Redesigning a satisfactory product was initially challenging, but I persevered and produced ideas for change. Ultimately, the practicality of these ideas could have been more acceptable, but I was happy they underwent consideration and appraisal. I relearned Solidworks and its tools, and the application of a tangible product was invaluable. I see this as valuable as it shows dedication and optimism in the trial/error stage of product design.
Develop a plugin using HTML coding to collect data about their farm from prospects and provide estimated returns to them.
Although not foreign, HTML coding was still new when I applied it. WordPress was a new low-code approach that was quite popular with businesses. Hence, I learned to use it to edit and customise the company website. I also developed the skill of programming and deploying plugins into the website. Hence, I was able to program an interactive list that could take user inputs and convert them into useful information for a farmer.
In light of this experience, I have improved myself in more ways than one. Organization-wise, I am better prepared to divide my time between work and pleasure. I learnt to maximise my 24 hours in a day in ways I couldn’t before. My team orientation improved after having had the opportunity to meet and work with new people. Though working in a non-English speaking company with a handful of English speakers (not fluent), it was commendable that I could push myself and exercise patience in understanding what was required of me and carrying my tasks out, needing Google to translate less as the weeks progressed. I met other interns assigned to other industries at orientation, people from all over the world, and we became each other's support system and explored the city together. Thus, improving my communication skills and applying them successfully to build rapport with people I deem former strangers.
The language barrier was the biggest challenge, but having had the desire to learn and assimilate, I was not as restricted as much as I thought I would be. I had fantastic support from my local internship team and tools like google translate to support conversations. This would be fantastic for my job prospects showcasing my versatility and enthusiasm in facing challenges. I showcased desire and a positive attitude to new fields in the industry. I made very good connections to my surroundings as a testament to my resilience and willingness to grow. A very valuable experience indeed. I saw my potential in full flow.

First off, I had an amazing experience of a lifetime, and this experience has broadened my horizon, changed my perspective about life, culture and the universe generally.
At first there was Language Barriers. Communication was occasionally challenging due to language differences, even though most team members spoke English, but outside the workplace, it was a struggle. This sometimes led to misunderstandings or slowed down collaboration.
Cultural Assumptions, quite invisible, Preconceived notions about work styles and behaviors created initial friction. For instance, assumptions about punctuality and meeting protocols varied, leading to misaligned expectations.
Lack of Cultural Awareness Training, also visible. There was orientation program but not intensive enough to help new interns understand and appreciate the diverse cultural backgrounds of the team. This delayed the process of cultural adaptation and understanding.

But as week progressed and I began my Language classes, everything changed all of a sudden. The environment became very welcoming. Multiculturalism is actively supported within my internship placement where I worked. I later realized I had wrong notion about the people. The Local team was diverse, comprising members from few other countries, which fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment. At my work place, It was easy to interact and feel welcomed.
The organization also encourages the use of English languages in meetings and documentation, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable and included even though they have an Official language other than English. This multicultural approach not only enhanced creativity and innovation but also promoted a deeper appreciation for the varied cultural contexts in which we operate.

During my internship, I had an enriching and transformative experience. My role as a Data Analyst allowed me to delve into the intricacies of bee behavior and environmental factors affecting beehive health. Working with the innovative Beekit device, I monitored various parameters such as temperature, humidity, and hive weight, collecting data four times an hour. This granular data provided invaluable insights into the daily and seasonal patterns of the bees, helping us understand their needs and challenges better.

My expectations have changed dramatically since I arrived as I've become more accustomed to and contextualized in my position as a Data Analyst. I had first expected a challenging learning curve and difficulties acclimating to a new work environment and culture. I was struggling to understand the company's working conditions as it is a start-up company with just a team of four persons managing it. I wanted something big, more like working in a well-established company, dressing to go to work every morning, but I realized that I could develop myself faster being I am part of a start-up or a growing company, tasking myself to do more and not where everything has been put in place. I found a really helpful team and It was more satisfying and enlightening than I could have ever expected, thanks to the collaborative attitude and the chance to work on meaningful initiatives.
I embraced Flexibility and I was open to adapting my work style and expectations. Flexibility is actually key to thriving in a new cultural and professional environment.
Also I was always seeking for Support where I needed one, I didn’t hesitate to ask for clarification.

The experience is unique because it is a first hand experience when you get to meet a lot of new people from different cultures. Whilst staying at your accomodation your host teaches you and shows you just how different their culture is and it is really fun getting to know more about the and interacting. The city whitin itself is very beautifull and the fact that you can explore it fully on cycles is amazing especially since it is very sunny out there. During the time we are offered a lot of different trips/opportunities to make new friends which is very efficient.

I spent two weeks in Valencia as part of a psychology internship placement which was facilitated by InternAbroad HQ. The support and help I had before starting my placement was unparalleled, and I felt comfortable with everything before I arrived in Valencia. The local team was welcoming and supportive, and they offered guidance and feedback that helped me improve my skills and that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone wishing to gain work experience while also immersing themselves in a new culture and who want to meet both new friends and industry professionals.

I was able to learn lots of stuff from this experience such as chatbot development and stuff like that.

Intern Abroad HQ was an engaging and affordable program. Throughout the process of the internship, they ensured participants were supported by staff members. The internship placements themselves were flexible and facilitated the cultural growth and awareness of participants. Not to mention, the accommodations were excellent. Overall, I was able to enjoy livening in the city, gain knowledge of the culture, and establish connections with the locals who I worked with. I would recommend this internship to anyone!!