Business in Milano

Before my arrival to Milan, I was terrified. As I sat near Gate 10 waiting to board my eight-hour flight, I thought about all the things that could go wrong. What if I am not prepared at all for my internship? What if I get lost? It was hard to imagine myself working in an entirely different country for two months.
As I got closer to Milan, things began to get more real. I had to trust my instincts and trust that my previous travel experiences had taught me enough. I arrived safe and sound to Milan, was greeted warmly by IES staff and was put in a cab to my new home, Via Pontaccio 15. As I anxiously peered out of the window of my taxi and inhaled the Milanese air, I realized that while I thought about all the things that could go wrong in Milan, I did not consider everything that could go right. It was then that I started to imagine my new life in Milan (if only for two months). What if I found a permanent job here? What if I became completely fluent in Italian? What if I never leave?
These new exciting thoughts flooded my brain as I pulled up to my chic Milanese apartment in the Brera area of Milan. I was taken aback by how comfortable and right at home I felt right away.
The following week, I started my job as an intern with Promos, a business event planning company within the Milan Chamber of Commerce. All of the staff were so warm and understanding of my language barrier and worked with me every step of the way. I had the opportunity to have my own desk, equipped with my own computer and phone—I felt like a real employee.
On my second day with the company, I was already helping the company with necessary duties at a private event to have it run smoothly! I was surprised at how quickly I was helping the company in a very hands-on way. Throughout my work experience with Promos, I had the opportunity to visit the World Expo Fair, which was an incredible adventure.
With Promos, I was respected, and was able to become very close to my co-workers, while also learning so much about Italian business culture. I wouldn’t trade my unique experience for the world. I am thankful to have been placed with such an amazing company in an amazing city.