Interested in hearing from a college student who was an intern abroad in Spain? We recently caught up with Raquel, a business analytics major and management minor, who spent her spring semester interning in Barcelona through AIFS Abroad while taking online classes through her home university, Fairfield University.
Discover how Raquel’s internship in Barcelona with AIFS Abroad helped her make local connections and expand her cultural perspective!
Choosing an Intern Abroad Destination
Many college students struggle to choose a study or intern abroad destination. After all, there are so many amazing destinations and programs to choose from with AIFS Abroad! For someone like Raquel interested in unique architecture and culture as well as learning Spanish and the Catalan language, Barcelona is an ideal choice:
“I chose to intern abroad in Barcelona as it [offers] architecture, culture, and [opportunities to] improve speaking Spanish and learn how Catalan differs from Spanish. Moreover, I would absolutely recommend Barcelona to others as it was a great city to immerse myself in and a city with lots of attractions.”
Why Intern Abroad?
Not only do intern abroad programs offer immersive cultural experiences and opportunities for personal growth, but they’re a great way to build professional skills and stand out on job applications. As many recent grads discover after college, landing a position in your field isn’t always easy—and competition can be fierce. International internship experience can help set you apart during the hiring process, by demonstrating initiative, adaptability, and cross-cultural workplace skills.
Raquel’s decision to intern abroad was a practical one. As a business analytics major, she wanted to learn more about the international business world:
“I wanted to intern abroad as I am interested in how business is conducted internationally. College students and recent grads should pursue this type of experience to gain skills on how others execute ideas abroad.”
Internship Experience
AIFS Abroad international internships place you with a vetted local company in one of your two approved career fields. As a business analytics major, a marketing analytics internship was perfectly aligned with Raquel’s professional goals. While completing online coursework through her home university, Raquel was able to gain international work experience without putting her academics on hold. Below, she describes some of her responsibilities at her host company in Barcelona:
“In my marketing analytics internship placement, I increased brand awareness and community engagement by creating content using Canva while ensuring visual consistency. To optimize content performance, I analyzed engagement metrics and audience insights.”
The personal and professional benefits of an internship abroad go beyond honing your career skills and crafting the perfect resume. It’s also an excellent opportunity to grow your network and make new friends. Whether it’s through your host company or AIFS Abroad’s included activities and excursions, you’ll have plenty of chances to connect with others. Raquel took the initiative and organized meetings with her colleagues outside of the office:
“Additionally, I hosted 2 after-work events to strengthen company culture, encourage networking, and create opportunities for collaboration outside the traditional work environment.”
Work Culture
One of the first things many international interns come to learn is how different the work culture is in Europe versus the U.S. Oftentimes, these differences are a welcome change; for example, Raquel found that her coworkers in Barcelona were very open to talking and collaborating, something she wasn’t used to in the U.S.:
“Work culture in the United States is very much independent with little oversight and communication. However, in Barcelona, there are conversations filling the room about after-work events, current projects, and others getting to know you!”
To help her cope with culture shock and better understand cultural differences in and out of the workplace, Raquel participated in an AIFS Abroad culture shock professional development activity:
“I participated in a culture shock professional development opportunity. That was very interesting as I was able to understand why Spaniards seem to be more relaxed due to their working hours.”
Cultural Appreciation
As Raquel discovered, cultural differences are often something to celebrate—not shy away from. One of her favorite things about Barcelona was the local cuisine and the city’s passion for soccer (or “fútbol”). Raquel emphasized how she “enjoyed getting tapas with friends after a Barcelona fútbol game!”
And when she had free time on the weekends or after her internship was done for the day, she liked to do something unexpected. In a city brimming with multifarious experiences—and with such easy access to neighboring countries and nearby cities—unplanned trips and activities were a fun way to make the most of her time abroad:
“I loved the art of being spontaneous in Barcelona. I have taken that back to do one sidequest a week, as I was very fortunate to travel to other countries every weekend.”
Are you ready to take the leap and intern abroad like Raquel did in Barcelona with AIFS Abroad? We’d love to help you start your journey!
At AIFS Abroad, we’re experts in helping college students and recent grads find the ideal study or intern abroad programs (or a combination of both!) based on their unique needs. Like Spain’s famous tapas, our award-winning programs come with a wide array of delectable inclusions—but rather than potato, egg, ham, or shrimp, we offer housing, integrated career readiness programming, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, enriching cultural activities and excursions, and more.
With AIFS Abroad’s trusted experience and support, you can set out for destinations around the world with confidence—and make the most of your time abroad knowing our team always has your back. Ready to discover new cultures while you gain professional experience abroad?
