Preparing for Interning Abroad, Internship Advice to Help You Succeed

AliiceBradleey
Sep 7, 2018 · 4 min read

Ah summer, sweet, sweet summer. The growing season of sunlight, beach weekends, as well as your fantasy internship. Keep the resume current. Always. You might have already got your perfect summer season gig, nevertheless, you never know very well what opportunities may arise come early july. Perhaps you meet someone from a different division, or a coach at a network event. No real matter what, be sure you have a present resume convenient, and better still, an internet one. Squarespace has, ideal for casing your resume. There are specific people who simply shouldn’t be interns or travel overseas. It’s sad, just a little blunt, yet definitely true because living overseas in an international country (where, generally, you have zero idea what folks are saying) is not for everybody.

Foreign Internship — If you are the kind of individual who has to go back home every weekend to see friends and family, family or spouse, or need your mommy to make your supper, you can stop yourself right now as you only will hate every minute of your trip. Here are top 10 tips I have in surviving an internship abroad:

Come with a clean slate

When going into an internship or traveling abroad it is good to have a little background information on what you are about to experience. But researching and living are two completely different things. Come in wide-eyed and willing to accept anything that comes at you. Take everything in and become prepared to accept the culture. ’Cause if you don’t, the culture will reject you.

Avoid sensitive topics of discussion

Within your travels, you should come into connection with other interns and folks from all around the globe. Meaning, each of them has their own models of ideals and values. So subject areas such as religious beliefs, same-sex relationships and abortion aren’t good subject areas of discussion over drinks when you yourself have Muslims, Christians and Atheists all seated together.

Step out of your comfort zone

Be considered a yes man. Don’t be seeing your face that rests in their room night time after night time simply watching Television or Skyping friends and family back. Take benefit of everything that is just about you and experience it for many its well worth! It won’t be around long so when you move back with your parents, repent comes and slaps you right in the facial skin.

YOU ARE HERE TO WORK!

You have a responsibility as a worker to uphold your end of the contract. Showing up to work and not being ready to work or doing your job poorly does not reflect well on you, on your organization or your country. Step your game up, get your work done and you will reap the benefits.

Learn to budget your money

Things may be cheaper abroad but that doesn’t mean you can go out for dinner every night and buy a new hat that you barely wear- you will be surprised how fast $1000 can be spent when you are abroad.

Always have an exit strategy

Summer Internship, Knowing how to get home at all times is the best thing for you. Having a friend, taxi number or directions to the bus station are all valuable points of information. You don’t want to find yourself running 8 km down the metro tracks at 5:30am on a Thursday morning because you have no idea where you are and these tracks are your only means of reference.

Avoid phrases that start with, “Well, back home. . .”

No one cares what things you miss about home and exactly how this country doesn’t have what you would like. Complaining about any of it won’t change the actual fact that isn’t home. That is a fresh experience and rather than fighting the procedure, you should figure out how to adapt. And if you’ll still don’t enjoy it, then leave.

Do not be afraid to ask for help

Some people are extremely stubborn and prefer to “experience” the United States or city for themselves. But being lost, being unsure of what you’re eating and admitting that you’ll require help is not really a bad thing!

Be ready to be lonely

Yes, you can make friends and meet amazing people when you are overseas. But homesickness is something that is inescapable plus much more unpleasant than you can envision. Family and lifelong friends are hard to displace and you should know that you will see times where you want to go back home. You do the right thing by viewing the world and being unhappy and sad is part of the deal.

Embrace now, forget tomorrow

Live, love and see the world like there is no tomorrow. Don’t worry about things you have no control over. What you can control is how you spend this time. If it’s someone special you met, go for it. Nothing is worse than going home with a shopping list of what ifs.

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