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Amanda Barone – London Internship – Management Track

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Amanda in Kensington GardensInterned in finance on the London Internship Program in summer 2015.

Internship: I was an Analysis Intern for a company called CMD, which tracks the performance of thousands of fixed income securities and uses this information to provide money market analysis to industry insiders.

Because the company is quite small, I was given a lot of responsibility right away; by the end of my first week, I already had four articles published to an audience of about 20,000 market professionals! I primarily wrote articles about Movers & Shakers in the financial industry and weekly bond market reports for SSA, FIG, and corporate bond markets.

As someone who is studying both Business and English, this internship enabled me to learn how to analyze the bond market and gain professional writing experience. Through this internship, I was also able to gain a truly international work experience; there were only eight people in my office, but each person was from a different country!

I Learned: Between take-out, my Mom’s homemade meals, and BU’s dining halls, I don’t have much cooking experience. It was a bit of a reality check to have to prepare all of my own food, but I feel that being thrown right into it really helped me to learn how to plan dishes, grocery shop, and make delicious meals on my own.

When my English class read the works on the topic of World War One, we supplemented the reading with a field trip to the Imperial War Museum. It was so insightful to see history through the eyes of another culture, and I realized that I actually had a passion for learning about the World Wars.

What Surprised Me: What surprised me most about going abroad was how quickly you make friends with the people on your trip! Going into the experience, I did not know anyone who would be in London at the same time as me. Luckily, I met an amazing group of people. We became very close very quickly because we were all learning how to adapt to a different culture at the same time. I am very grateful to be going back to Boston with a new circle of friends that I may have never otherwise crossed paths with!

Hardest Part: I knew going into the experience that London was one of the most expensive cities in the world, but I was still surprised to see just how expensive everything was! The exchange rate was quite shocking. Although it seemed normal to buy a coffee for 3.50, I had to remind myself that I was using the British pound rather than the American dollar, which meant that my coffee was actually costing me closer to $6.00. I realized almost right away that I would need to stick to a budget if I did not want to burn right through all of my savings. Although it was really difficult to resist the temptation of all the amazing London shopping and eating, I know I spent my money on things I really cared about which made me and my wallet much happier!

My Tips: BU’s London campus is so close of the South Kensington museums (the view out my window was of the Natural History Museum), which are some of the best museums in the world. But by the end of the trip, some of my friends still hadn’t been to many of them even though they were literally across the street! Most British museums are free, so my best tip is to pop in whenever you have a free hour. Going to the Victoria & Albert museum for 45 minutes a few mornings before class really broke the museum down and made the entire experience more enjoyable!

Hidden Gems: Anyone who knows me knows that I have a serious coffee addiction. Because the Brits are so obsessed with their tea, I had to do some serious exploring for a great cup of coffee. I researched the best coffee places in each area and worked my way around the city. Some hidden gems included Monmouth Coffee, Brooklyn Coffee, Notes, and Workshop Coffee Co. It was so nice not only to have an excuse to see most of the city, but also to escape from the hectic city and relax with a cup of coffee.

Best Part: The last night of my trip coincided with one of my roommate’s birthday, so my entire friend group decided to have a huge celebration meal at Ottolenghi. The food was some of the best I’ve had in my life, but even more incredible was sitting around with a bunch of people who had been strangers just weeks ago and talking about all of the amazing adventures we had in London.

Andrea Han – London Internship Management Track

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At the Golden Jubilee Bridge

At the Golden Jubilee Bridge

Interned in London in Human Resources at the Elizabeth Arden Head Office, Summer 2015. 

Internship: I was an HR intern at the Elizabeth Arden Head Office in London. During my internship, I had various projects and assignments. My main project was to look over all the CVs from applicants for new positions at the head office, conduct phone interviews with all the applicants, and then schedule in interviews with the candidates that I felt were suitable. In addition to that, I created/revised different employee contracts, helped new employees get settled into the company, covered reception, analyzed all the consultant grievances and disciplinary letters for patterns and general themes, and created posters and cards for recruitment. If there were formal events or conferences occurring during the day, then I would help set up and have all the food ordered and prepared. Of course, there was always some filing or copying that needed to be done, so I did that as well.
I Learned: I learned that I’m actually quite good at adapting to new places and am pretty resourceful.
What Surprised Me: Just how beautiful everything really is!! Even though I knew London was pretty amazing beforehand, everything was magnified a thousand times when I got there!! Seeing things about the city is extremely different online than in real life, and there wasn’t one place where I wasn’t amazed. During my time abroad, I always loved taking little walks to random places and discovering new beautiful scenery and sites!! Even getting lost was a fun experience on its own, and that’s saying a lot.
Hardest Part: Their wasn’t anything really hard in particular, but one thing I did have issues with at times was talking to the locals and understanding some of the phrases and terms. There were some things that I said that they didn’t understand, and some things that they said that I didn’t understand. Although this wasn’t something that happened to me, in particular, a couple of my friends had warned me about the word “pants” because in the UK people say “trousers” instead of “pants.” The term “pants” in the UK actually means underwear, so things could get a little awkward when a mistake of this nature was made. In general, language was something that took me awhile to get used to, but it was definitely worthwhile getting to know the language and culture a bit better.
Best Part: My entire time there!! I enjoyed every single bit of it. It was really nice to go out and explore London during classes because I had created a list of spots to visit during my time abroad. During my internship, I loved working and interacting with all my coworkers. They were all so nice!!! In addition, I learned so much about HR and am looking forward to gaining more experience in this field. If I were to pick a specific time, it would probably be my weekend in Scotland. This was the best weekend I have ever had, and it was an experience that I will never forget. Edinburgh had one of the most breathtaking sceneries with the mix of the new city and old city. The Highlands were absolutely gorgeous, and it was really a great time just to take a break from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life.
My Tips: Plan your expenses wisely!!! Everyone knows that London is a very expensive city, but actually experiencing it is something really different. In addition, it does not help that you are going to be living in a really posh (but beautiful) neighborhood. Definitely keep track of how much you are spending, and plan budgets for each week. Furthermore, definitely take advantage of all the free things to do in London. For a city that is known to be expensive, it’s amazing that almost all their major museums and parks offer free admission (and a lot offer free admission to students). Plus, all their exhibits, in my opinion, are the best I have ever seen! There were a lot of famous pieces of art in many exhibitions, and it was really wonderful to see them. In addition, they have a lot of parks all over the city! Whenever I wanted to take a nice walk outside, I would always go to Hyde Park to relax and get a delicious whippy. 🙂
Hidden Gems: All the markets – Camden, Borough, Greenwich, Portobello, etc!! I absolutely loved going to the markets because they were all so much fun. Plus, there were some really great antique shops in the markets to shop around and browse. Although it can get a bit hectic and crazy with so many people (especially on the weekends), it is something just to experience. I ended up visiting each several times just because it was that good. I especially loved all the great food that was offered in the markets because it was tasty food and super cheap!! It can’t get any better than that!!

Tanya Moronge – Paris Management Internship

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Tanya & Escargot

Tanya & Escargot

Interned at Reputation Squad in public relations, Spring 2015.

I studied abroad in Paris Spring 2015 and was lucky enough to live in the 16th arrondissement. I interned for a company known as Reputation Squad and they work to repair people’s e-reputation. My main tasks were writing articles for clients and proofreading/translating.

I Learned: First, that I am capable of being independent and that living in a new city is not that scary. Also, in order to really enjoy your time abroad you have to go in with zero expectations other than living outside of your comfort zone.

What Surprised Me: What surprised me the most is that I did not anticipate how hard the first few weeks were going to be. Adjusting to a new city, new culture, and new language definitely takes some time, and you need a good support system. Soon after that, the new city becomes your home.

Hardest Part: Adjusting to Paris during those first few weeks was definitely the hardest part of my experience.

Best Part: The best part was being able to call Paris my home when all my friends would visit, and I got the chance to take them to my favorite spots in the city. Also, the extensive knowledge on wine and cheese that you get definitely comes in handy.

My Tips: Go out of your comfort zone. Try to talk to non-BU people, and try to meet locals. Try escargot and steak-tartare if you’re REALLY daring! If doable, make sure you travel and befriend your professors. Talk to the people in your arrondissement in the patisseries or supermarkets, they offer great practice and can tell you the best places to check out (and the best pastries and recipes). Impromptu trips are the best ones. Don’t forget to explore Paris and France in general; don’t just visit the bordering countries. Try having a non-American Express credit card, very few places take them.

Hidden (or not so hidden but still great) Gems: Go to Rue Mouffetard, which is great for restaurants and cool hang out spots (piano vache). Get lunch outside at Centre Pompidou and just explore the Marais for the best falafels and outdoor seating areas. Picnics with friends at parks or by the seine (Pont des Arts, Jardin du Luxemborg, Jardin des Tuileries, Champ de Mars) are great. Grands Boulevard has great restaurants and bars, one of them being Bouillon Chartier, which offers very cheap, decent French food and a great atmosphere.   Go to the markets for the best seafood and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Honestly, there are so many things I loved about Paris that I wish I could list and even many more that I wish I had done while I was there. The best advice I can give is to make sure that you do something every day because even though it might not seem like it, your days there are limited. You want to “profitez bien de Paris.” Make sure to explore with people and don’t be afraid to explore/travel alone. Try to do most tourist things at the beginning of your semester because warm weather brings in many tourists and long lines.