A great professional experience abroad!

I definitely enjoyed my time with my Global Experiences internship, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique 'study abroad' experience!

I was an intern in Milan, Italy for a PR and marketing agency. At first, I was nervous about this, as I had preffed a retail marketing and/or merchandising experience so I thought I would want to work in a showroom there. However, I decided to just go with it because the company seemed great to work for, and it was just a more general example of what my marketing major could teach me. This brings me to my first piece of GE advice: Be open to whatever opportunities may come to you. Maybe it’s not exactly what you had in mind, but being open to more experiences can introduce you to new passions or even further reassure you that the career path you’re on is the right one for you.

After my decision, I can honestly say that I was not disappointed at all once I began my internship. I could not have asked for a better placement after working at this agency. My co-workers were all so caring and immediately made me feel welcome, which eased another worry of mine. I showed enthusiasm everyday for the work given and they responded to that by giving me meaningful work to showcase what I could really do for them. My second piece of GE advice: I would encourage anyone thinking about going through the program to do the same and show enthusiasm as it really does pay off. You won't enjoy your work 100% of the time, but I think that definitely helps you grow and realize that this fact follows you everywhere. It's best to make the most of it! Because of this, I was able to later handle blogger collaboration negotiations, potential client presentations, website development for the agency, help with photoshoots, attend a fashion week event as a guest, and even celebrate my boss’ birthday with my co-workers on a weekend vacation to Tuscany. All of these things helped me realize that I really, and surprisingly, enjoy this line of work.

As far as the accommodations from GE go, I was very pleased with the location of my housing, my roommates, and the socials that the program had planned for us. They definitely made it easier to connect with others, and there is absolutely no need to be worried about not finding a great group of people to spend your free time with. My third piece of GE advice: I would highly recommend getting everyday advice from your co-workers and your program coordinators. They are more than likely willing to help if you just ask, and since they live in your internship location, they can definitely tell you how the locals live which can make your time adjusting much easier! Even if they don’t know the answer right away, your program coordinators will do their best to help you- that’s what they’re there for.

Overall, I had an unforgettable summer of learning and growth with Global Experiences. I made great connections, saw some beautiful sights, and discovered new professional strengths and passions. You might be nervous to be away from home for so long or about the internship in general, but I really don’t think that should stop you from joining this program. It is different and it will take some adjusting, but I promise you that it is so so worth it. Go GE!