Hello

Iris Naimark, London Internship—Management Track

/in /by

Iris London EyeInterned as an Environment Intern at the Policy Studies Institute under the University of Westminster, Spring 2014

Internship: I interned for the Policy Studies Institute under the University of Westminster as an Environment Intern. I mostly did literature reviews and searched for articles and relevant data about energy that were related to the project upon which my supervisor was working. I also did some more minor Excel work and searches. There seemed to be a mismatch between my internship aassignment and what I’m studying in school (Business+Economics), so it may not have been the right fit for me. I did end up asking the company if they could teach me some more relevant skills, so they taught me how to use a statistics software called SPSS, which was great!

I Learned: The experience was really amazing. I have been living in Boston for the past 15 years and have been attending school in the same 2 mile radius since 2nd grade, so this was the first time I really got the opportunity to go elsewhere and live there for a little while. Prior to the experience, I thought I would want to stay in Boston forever, but this opened my eyes to wanting and being willing to relocate in the future. In addition to this, I most certainly learned about the difference between culture here in the States, in the UK and in Europe. All three are quite different, and the UK seems to be a unique mix of American and European culture. I loved the people there and am planning to visit back in the near future!

What Surprised Me: Oftentimes when I visit new cities I have a criterion I use to evaluate them, specifically: “Would I be able to live here?” Most of the time the answer is, “no,” and I think that this is the case because I never spend more than four days in each city when I am travelling. I thought it would be the same case for London—that I would visit, enjoy myself, and look forward to getting back home to Boston. My attitude was completely different by the end of the experience; I wanted to stay and didn’t even want to go on my planned post-study abroad Euro-trip! I do think that London is the best city in the world, so I may be biased, but studying abroad in a new place really does change someone’s attitude about the world.

Hardest Part: The hardest part was definitely the mismatch between what I wanted from my internship and what actually happened; I had a lot of trouble communicating with EUSA and attempting to align my goals. Of course, I learned a lot from this and from the internship itself, but I wish the internship matching experience went smoother.

Best Part: Everything! Meeting Brits, living on my own but with best friends, meeting my roommate who is now a very good friend of mine, the sights, traveling around Europe, the food, living in a wonderful location, taking different classes that had a British/European twist, British accents!!

My Tips:Since it’s an internship program and I struggled with the component, I’d get that sorted out as thoroughly as possible. Talk to EUSA before you arrive as much as you can, so you know the 6 weeks you will be interning will be beneficial to your career! Go explore areas beyond South Kensington like Hackney and other parts of East/North London; no Brits our age really live in central London so make sure you take advantage of the Tube and go venture! Plan lots of trips to Europe since London is a great place to fly out of, though beware of the 5ish airports and the time it takes to get to them. Get Giffgaff for your phone plan no questions asked.

Miriam Kim, Shanghai Internship

/in /by

Great Wall portraitInterned in Finance at Gaotime, an international financial information service company, Spring 2014

Internship: Stunned by all the bright lights and skyscrapers in downtown Pu-dong, not only was I looking forward to bargaining and shopping at the “fake market” or tasting my first authentic Shanghai-nese soup dumpling, but I was also hoping to pursue an internship related to my field of interest during my time in Shanghai. I was expecting to intern at a small, start-up firm, but much to my surprise, I was given a valuable opportunity to intern at Gaotime, an international financial information service company located in the Shanghai World Financial Center, the tallest skyscraper in Shanghai’s financial district. My main projects ranged from writing industry reports for the company’s database with my team and creating PowerPoint slides for my boss (to be used abroad), to researching successful business models for potential future investment in one of China’s main industrial sectors.

I Learned: Working at Gaotime was the highlight of my Shanghai experience. I was truly able to immerse myself in the workplace culture of China, strengthen my interpersonal skills and come to understand multiple aspects of Chinese culture, including its language, business environment, economy, primary financial sectors, and potential for future growth. I became highly adaptable to any new situation as I gradually learned how to be more patient, open-minded, and emotionally balanced. But most valuably, I now understand China and its people much better than ever before. The cultural insight and knowledge I have gained from my work and travel experiences here definitely widened my horizons and made me realize that this world increasingly needs more people who understand Chinese culture and can thrive in a fast-developing, highly diverse country like China. Not to mention, choosing to study abroad in a challenging but rewarding environment like China and coming out of the experience successfully is a huge boon in the eyes of prospective employers!

What Surprised Me: As a Korean-American who grew up and lived in the States for most of her life, I admit that I was daunted by the fact that I would be living in a developing country for the first time. I expected that my new lifestyle in China could be different from what I was used to in the States and that I would have to develop an appreciation for a new set of living standards. Throughout my travels, what surprised me most was how modern and developed Shanghai actually is compared to some of its immediate neighbors. Although the average standard of living in Shanghai is not as high as that of the U.S., this experience still helped me gain an appreciation for them as well as for the exceptional circumstances that I grew up in. I saw and learned that parts of the developing world are really suffering from remnants of poverty and government corruption and need assistance from the developed world with which I am familiar.

Hardest Part: What I found most tough was dealing with the lack of order in traffic and on the streets as well as the high population density, especially in downtown areas. This was just one of the many unique aspects of China, the country with the largest population in the world, where vehicles take precedence over pedestrians at all times, and no laws prohibit bikes and motorcycles from mixing in with bigger vehicles on the streets, creating a rather chaotic environment for one not used to hectic city life. I found it a bit challenging to commute to work at times, but as long as I was careful and looked both ways twice before crossing, I managed. Also, since I like listening to music while walking, I always checked to make sure my volume was at a low enough level for me to hear whether or not anything was approaching me from behind.

Best Part: On the bright side, I was in for a treat from the moment I arrived in Shanghai. The BU Shanghai staff is very supportive, experienced, and fantastic with organizing program excursions. I rarely missed out on opportunities to learn about China’s long history by admiring well-preserved museum works, tasting different types of Chinese cuisine, and recognizing the special characteristics that define each province. Fudan University’s SSDPP (School of Social Development and Public Policy) was extremely hospitable towards us, providing us with various opportunities to go on weekend trips to nearby water-towns and villages. In terms of academics, I was fascinated and challenged by the courses I took at Fudan, which were taught by some of the best and most famous professors in China. I also loved how small and intimate my Chinese class was compared to the bigger average class sizes back at BU. The smaller classes definitely allowed me to interact more with the instructor (who was awesome!) and encouraged all of us to participate more. In terms of social life, Shanghai’s nightlife and local dishes are very affordable and easily accessible for the most part. But most importantly, I’m glad I had the chance to experience tremendous potential for growth from facing the challenges of a developing country firsthand.

My Tips: Keep an open mind and attitude, be bold with your Chinese inside and outside class (try to stretch your limits in using the language), and travel during weekends even if you’re busy! China has extraordinarily beautiful landscapes and so much to see and experience, so take advantage of the close proximity to major UNESCO World Heritage sites while you can! China boasts the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, rural villages, gardens, lakes, mountains, canal towns, and countless other natural sites. China also offers excellent transportation systems like high-speed rail, subway, and trains that travel to nearby towns such as Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing. If you are considering traveling to Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Macau, make sure you apply for the right visa—the earlier the better. Install BU VPN before leaving to ensure smooth communication with friends and family back at home, but don’t indulge in it too much while you’re abroad. Keeping in touch is important, but this is your time to explore new grounds and grow as an individual, so don’t invest too much time in activities that you can normally do in the States. Instead, take photos or start a blog; save the usual Skype or Facebook for when you’re feeling really homesick.

Gabrielle Arons, Sydney Internship

/in /by

Gabrielle Australia KangarooInterned in Marketing at fashion retailer The Iconic, Spring 2014

Internship: I interned at The Iconic, an online retail company similar to Asos. The Iconic opened about three years ago and was the first company to bring online shopping to Australia. I primarily worked with the search engine marketing team to support their advertising efforts through campaign management and performance metrics to increase brand exposure. More specifically, I used Google AdWords and Google Analytics to optimize search results and advertising placement.

I Learned: I learned that I could survive without the physical support of my close friends and family in a place completely different than anything I knew. I had never even moved myself into my BU dorm room by myself, and now I was moving myself to another continent. I also learned to be more adventurous! I went scuba diving, bungee jumping, and surfing, among many other adrenaline-filled activities, none of which I would have done had I not gone to Australia.

What Surprised Me: While Australians do speak English, it is a very different English than I expected. A simple task like ordering coffee became a whole new skillset. Considering I chose to study abroad in an English-speaking country, I was surprised to learn that communicating with Australians would be harder than I expected. I was also surprised to see how expensive everything is in Australia. The cost of living is significantly more expensive, and minimum wage is much higher than in the states. So while many Australians make more money than Americans, they also must spend more to live.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of my abroad experience was my internship. I was not completely thrilled with my placement; my boss didn’t have much work for me to do, and some days we didn’t communicate. I had to learn how to adapt to a different work environment and reach out to other employees to make the most of my abroad internship. In the end, I learned a lot about what I wanted in a workplace and about the Australian work culture, all of which is highly valuable work skills to move forward in my career path.

Best Part: The best part of my abroad experience was the fact that I got to live in a country so far away, something that I will never do again. Australia is not an easy place to get to from the states, and the truth is that, for a long time, I will not have the chance to go back. Many Americans never make it to that side of the world. I considered doing a study abroad program in Europe, but decided that I’ve seen many European countries on vacations because it is easy to travel to. An Australian vacation takes much more planning and time because it is hard to travel to. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience.

My Tips: 

  1. Be prepared to spend a lot of money. It’s expensive to live there!
  2. Either bring your own sheets/pillows, or buy them there.
  3. Bring toiletries, and then throw them all out when you come back to the states. It will open a lot of room in your suitcase for souvenirs!
  4. Unlock your iPhone and bring it! You will appreciate having data.
  5. This might seem obvious, but only bring the amount of luggage you can carry by yourself. You’ll have to navigate huge international airports on your own, so make it as easy as possible for yourself to carry luggage.