New Perspective

Artitaya Sittiwang, Thailand
Living in Miami Beach, Florida interning for Fontainebleau Hotel

Hi! My name is Artitaya Sittiwang or people call me as “ARTY” I’m a second year student in International Hospitality and Tourism Industry management school in Bangkok, Thailand.

I started my internship on November of last year at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida as a Spa Concierge position where I work in the front and the back office.

It’s been five months already that I’ve worked here. I love it so much! I have gained a lot of experience which I never thought I would gain. The spa gave me so many opportunities in different kind of work and of course my English is way better than before because I have to talked to the guests on the phone for appointments and at the front desk where I have to check in and out guests, greet, and escort them inside. With all those duties has help me built my confidence in communication higher and higher each day. Not only has my listening and speaking skill has improved, but also my reading and writing skills. I have to read and reply to guest e-mails who can ask any question.

I feel that I’m lucky to work in one of the most famous hotels in the country and have great experiences where I have learned so much about the hotel industry. The professional work environment has given me a new perspective on my career. Solving problems with guests or any unexpected mistake, which could happen any day, also teach me how to take things under control, not to be nervous.

I also work in banquet sometimes when they need help so that I can learn more in a different area and meet new people.

I would love to learn more and more in the hotel industry and wish that one day my experience from this internship could help me built my career to work in the top position of a hotel!

All Aboard the USS InternShip!

Cameron Shaw, Canada
Living in Norton, MA interning for TPC of Boston

My name is Cameron Shaw, and I am turfgrass management student from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. I have been passionate about golf course maintenance for a long time, and have several years of experience, prior to enrolling in school, working at different courses across Canada. I chose to do my internship in the U.S. because I thought it would be a great way to travel, while earning some money and gaining valuable work experience. I had been hired at TPC of Boston, a well- known golf club owned and operated by the Tournament Players Club Network and PGA tour. My start date was scheduled less than six days after my final exam. Travelling to a new country on my own was something I had never done before, and as my start date drew closer, my feelings of excitement, anxiety and anticipation only began to grow.

When the day arrived, I packed up my things and headed south towards the border. I will never forget the feeling I had when the border patrol guard stapled my visa to my passport… “I’m in!!.... This is it!!... You’re doing it!!”. I began to feel that I was establishing myself as a young, independent, and ambitious go-getter. This moment was a personal milestone in developing my confidence, courage to achieve, and willingness to explore. But it didn’t stop there. My employer, Tom Brodeur, turned out to be an incredible mentor. On my first day of work, he sat me down and we outlined the skills and goals that I needed to accomplish over my work term. We chatted about my school program, work history, prior experiences, and he began asking me questions about my career goals which I had never thought of before.

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
• What is it that you want to accomplish in your career?
• What is your definition of success?
• What type of golf club do you want to work at?

I have always had ambition, but Tom has taught me the importance of setting career goals as well. Setting goals allows one to focus on accomplishing specific objectives along the pathway to personal success. They create a sense of order and purpose as you develop your work experience and personal resume.

Although this internship has just begun, I feel that it has already influenced my future. Tom’s patience, experience, leadership, and knowledge have had a profound impact on my professional development. The exceptional diversity of age, culture, and interests in my co-workers has taught me plenty about the importance of workplace relationships and language barriers. The new experience I have had both in and outside of the workplace have taught me new skills, and added a new perspective on my view of the world. Most importantly, I have added an international element to my existing career network which will open up a whole new world of opportunity for me in a country outside of my own. I feel very fortunate to have found such a great placement, and I am excited about what I will learn over the remainder of my stay in the USA. I am afraid I won’t want to leave when it is all over!

The Day I Took the Plane to Work

Christina Ng, Singapore, Malaysia
Living in Sunnyvale, California for VSee Lab, Inc

I work for VSee, a video collaboration start-up. On a particular Tuesday in February, I took a plane to work.

It was a day trip to LA for an event we were supporting – “Haiti Today, Haiti Tomorrow” – a Facebook Town Hall, Featuring Linkin’ Park and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

It was a four way VSee conference with the Secretary General, four members of the Linkin’ Park band, and UN Foundation’s CEO, Kathy Calvin, down in Hammer Museum in LA, along with Will Davis, Director of the UN Information Centre over in D.C., and two members of Linkin Park with Randy Zuckerberg (yes, that’s Mark Zuckerberg’s sister) moderating the session in SV.

The three-way conversation was mainly about the ongoing relief efforts in Haiti, and how viewers can support the UN and its partners in helping Haiti rebuild and transform. While I was down in LA, my senior, Penny, was supporting the event from the Facebook campus in Palo Alto, where the broadcast was taking place.

For me, it was both a nerve-wracking, yet amazing experience getting to meet all these people face-to-face, and to support a worthy cause. Nonetheless, being on-site support also meant that I had to keep my fingers crossed all the time, just in case something cropped up.

Thankfully, the broadcast went great, and we had 15,000 viewers, and generated lots of feedback and comments through the social media.

I love how my work in a start-up has such a big impact in the real world. It made me realize that you need both grassroots initiative, as well as top-down initiatives to maximize the positive impact you can bring to the community.

The video recording is available for viewing here.

A day in Michigan

Jean-Pascal Peretti, France
Living in Hartland, Michigan interning for Dynamic Technology Inc

The American Flag	7:45 It’s 7:45 and tools, screws and keyboards are already singing and whistling away at Dynamic Technology Inc., a 25 years old company, not only one of the nation’s premier providers of calibration services - serving thousands of customers all across the U.S.- but also a pride to Livingston County. I cannot help but smile and be proud every morning when I enter DTI. Also, I hurry because Michigan winters can be rough and I look forward to meeting more residents who are so warm and friendly- that is why I never feel a stranger within this company or in the “Wolverine” state. While the “Stars and Stripes” look after DTI, I am confident I am going to live a new rich, interesting, and intense working day!
What a great team!	8:15 Let’s get the work started in the accounting department! Credit cards, bills, invoices, figures, sales…this is a little sample of the things my colleagues and I have been dealing with…Lot of attention to cash and the expenses but never greedy about laughing and having fun!
Conference call with the French headquarters	10:00 Since DTI was taken over early January by a French Company named Trescal, both countries cannot be separated from each other so there is at least one conference call a week. These conferences are great opportunities to compare work habits and methods and I really feel I am the tie during these moments. Each day, American and French employees learn professionally and personally from each other. Different cultures, different languages, different habits but one common objective: to excel. This is how it goes between the American and French.
Lunch time	12:20 U.S. typical: Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Chinese…let’s travel for lunch! Hartland is full of different places where we can enjoy some wonderful meals. We laugh sometimes while having lunch outside; sometimes we stay at the office in order to get things done. But, I always have a little walk outside to have a fresh breath and see some raccoons or squirrels wandering around and laughing at us! Or sometimes, I go with one of my fellow pick up some coffee from “Biggby Coffee” for the whole team! This is how it goes in Michigan!
Software presentation	3:30 We are living in a world where everything is changing faster and faster and the information within management has become more strategic. Aware of that fact, and because every single organization has its own information system to manage its business, it is necessary to spend some time studying how the informational flows are structured and organized. Within this company I continually meet people willing to explain all of these complex systems. The more accurate our reports are, the more relevant are the decisions we make. This is how it goes…
Great Lakes State	5:30 Did you know Michigan has more than 12,000 lakes? One of the largest fresh water resources in the world! In these beautiful lakes there are as many opportunities for fishing, swimming, sailing, observing wildlife or just hanging out with friends…this is how it goes in Michigan!
What about playing golf?	6:00 Since the beginning, the USA has been the best place to start from a crash and experience new sports. Trail ski areas during winter, these beautiful hills become spacious golf courses during summers. Some driving ranges are cheap and instructors are always here to provide me with good pieces of advices to hit the ball correctly!! What a great activity to relax after a long working day! This is how it goes here!
Ann Arbor...	8:00 How can I describe this amazing city? This city, in the heart of a forest is full of surprises, one of the best places to live in the U.S. (according to numerous polls!) I am always discovering typical American entertainment such as football games, baseball games, window-shopping… I will never get bored in this fabulous town which organizes an annual art fair and movie festival!! Want to hang out in Ann Arbor speaking in French and English? Please feel free contact me! This is how it goes in Michigan!

Astrodynamics

Jon Herman, Netherlands
Interning in Boulder, Colorado for the University of Colorado

Today is a great day to tell you a little bit about my internship at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, because I have just finished the brutal Colorado Half Marathon in under two hours (a personal record) and I feel on top of the world! In a state where the lowest point is some 1600 meters above sea level, in many ways you are.

My first picture shows one of the many beautiful sights in Colorado, taken on top of one of the peaks at the breathtaking Beaver Creek ski resort. During the weekends, I have had the chance to visit many of the amazing ski areas such as this one as well as Keystone, A-Basin, Breckenridge and the legendary Vail to name but a few (picture 2). All these areas are just a short drive away from where I live! I have never had to go alone, and often went with friends (picture 3) that I’ve met through the excellent international student program of the University of Colorado. This consists of (among many other things) dinners on every Wednesday, as well as a highly visited coffee hour every Friday afternoon (more than 150 people show up!). (picture 4) There are often nice stunts during this event, such as prizes to win or handing out of gadgets to create a little diversity.

The University of Colorado has a beautiful campus, which gets very lively when the weather is nice (it’s sunny almost every day). (Picture 5) There are many fields where people study, play sports, hang out and often some student musicians are out there to provide some excellent live music to create a very special atmosphere. The campus is beautiful and green, with many squirrels that also will happily keep you company (picture 6).

But it’s not all play! Although I get to do many amazing things, I spend most my time at work! Doing an internship as an aerospace engineering student at the Astrodynamics Department unfortunately doesn’t allow for the most exciting pictures (lots of math!). It’s worth adding though, that this is one of the top aerospace programs in the U.S. and the people I work with are both highly talented and enthusiastic to work with me. However, Colorado itself is also one of the biggest space economies in the U.S., so there are many conferences that are worth attending to distract me from my research and which allow me to show you some pretty pictures. (Picture 7) This is a meeting in the beautiful Colorado Springs area, called the National Space Symposium. I managed to go here during my internship, and met up with some Dutch representatives of space industry, who (like many others) had flown all the way around the world to attend this symposium. It was only an hour drive for me!

This symposium is one of the most prestigious gatherings in the spaceflight industry, and it allowed me to have some very interesting meetings with people, as well as seeing some amazing things. There were also some impressive ‘toys’ on display, such as the secretive X-37B “mini-space shuttle” (picture 8) as well as the SpaceX Dragon capsule (picture 9): the very first commercial (no government involvement) space vehicle to launch, orbit the Earth and re-enter the atmosphere. This is one of the most amazing achievements of recent years, and seeing this shuttle was an unforgettable experience.

My time in Colorado has been wonderful and exceeded my expectations! I’ve met many people, made amazing trips through the mountains, and been able to do things within my field that I’d never dreamed of. My internship continues in Los Angeles (California) next month, when I will go to NASA JPL to continue the research I started here in Colorado. To that end, I will drive across the majestic Rocky Mountains, through the deserts in the western United States, and finally to the coast of the Pacific Ocean in what will surely be an unforgettable road trip and a fitting end to an unforgettable time in the “Mile High State”.

Love. Love. Love.

Laura Colgan, Ireland
Interning in San Francisco, California for San Francisco Magazine

San Francisco. I only have three words for this city. Love. Love. Love.

I came here with the hope of having a bit of fun by exploring new lands, meeting new people, and of course, gaining that much needed post-college experience. I couldn’t have chosen a better place with a large nudge from some college friends and family members who thought it was about time that I got out of my little town in Ireland and saw what more there was to the world.

I hoped off the plane at the start of July and have only looked back to reminisce on all the good times I’ve had with the friends I came with, the friends I’ve made, and the workmates that I see on a daily basis. Two friends and I began our journey by staying on a house boat for two months, something that we still revel in telling people about. After the vertigo died down it was all plain sailing. I eased myself into my new surroundings by getting to know the city and it’s neighbourhoods, which it is what San Francisco is all about. I spent the 4th of July watching fireworks off a yacht in the bay, went north over the Golden Gate bridge to go wine tasting, checked out all the local art spots, and searched my butt off for an internship that I hoped would give me an insight into what a job in my field of study was all about.

The internship hunting really made me think about what type of experiecne I was looking for. Having done Visual Communication at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin I eventually decided to focus on magazines and publishing houses. I was so lucky and ecstatic to receive a Marketing Design internship at San Francisco magazine. I have been there for eight months and counting. What’s great about working in the marketing department is that I really get to witness the connection between the written word and design. I work very closely with the small marketing team and have learned so much about designing for print.

San Francisco magazine is a monthly publication that focuses on food and fashion and numerous other interesting topics. I help produce ads and special sections. The magazine also sponsors a lot of events so I get to create event signage and collateral. In particular I was involved in creating all of the signage and collateral for one of the magazine’s signature events, Fallfest, in October 2010, and will be doing the same with their other signature event the Best of the Bay Area Party in June 2011.

We meet weekly to discuss everything that is on our plates and for the events mentioned we also meet with the production partners. I also go to some events as a helping hand and get to have a tonne of fun. The Island Style Cook-Off was one of the more recent. These extra aspects of the job is what makes the experience so special. I am seeing real connections between design and the outside world, and meeting lots of interesting people along the way. San Francisco is such a welcoming, universal, free-spirited city and so dancing in Union Square on a Friday is normal, as is discussing what yoga class you go to, and spotting the odd naked person in sitting outside in the Castro.

I was also extremely lucky to work on the design for In-Room Cityguide, a publication of San Francisco magazine. I researched and gathered all the photography for this so that the city would be portrayed to tourists in a fun, non-staged way. My creative eye was worked to the max on this project.

As my time here has gone on, I have gotten to see how I work and manage in the “real” world. Moving to another country for a year and living with people you haven’t lived with for a long period of time before is a challenge in itself, never mind finding a job and being extremely happy in it. It has definitely helped me have more of a prospective on what I will or can do in the future, and essentially what I am capable of.

However the end of my visa could not come slowly enough. Even cycling through the city on my bike gives me such a thrill. My bucket list has seen a few things ticked off but there are just so many things I still want to see, do and experience. It’s so surreal that I am enjoying living and working out here so much but it isn’t without it’s hardships too. Finding a house after the house boat was extremely difficult and time consuming, and fighting off the niggling homesickness every few months is hard too, but you get through it. I’m in San Francisco and am having a ball. Life has thrown a huge experience in my face and I am holding onto it with all I have got.

A Letter

Mariya Ivanova, Bulgaria
Interning for White Lodging in Schaumburg, Illinois

Dear CIEE, present interns, and future interns,

A lot of young people wonder what they should do after they graduate. I was at the same crossroads when I received my diploma. I wanted a career in the Hospitality business, but at this time of crisis, it was so hard to find a good job in my home country. All the jobs required both education and experience in Hospitality. As I had my B.A. in Tourism Management I did not have the required experience. Then I thought “I have to be more competitive”, and I decided to go to the United States for an internship. This was both an attractive opportunity and competitive step for me. I knew I’d be far from my home for a year, but I thought it would be well worth it. I really wanted to experience something different, something memorable, something extraordinary and I’ve been able to!

Finding this internship helped me broaden my knowledge about the duties in different departments in a hotel. I learned how to make my own decisions about the different operations, solve customer problems, and interact with guests from all over the world. Working for a company with over 160 hotels around the United States gave me the opportunity to meet and learn from very experienced professionals. I attended Leadership Development Training classes organized from the company for all the new employees. All the challenges I received helped me to deepen my knowledge about the Hospitality Business and put in practice all that I had learned in the classroom.

Hospitality is all about team work – if just one department fails, the guests won’t be happy with their stay, and they will probably never come back to the same hotel. Our mission is to make every traveler happy, and without a good team, it is impossible. I am so glad that I met every one of my co-workers. They are so unique and everyone with their own uniqueness helps make the team great and complete. One of the happiest days in my life was when my managers recognized me as the Associate of the 3rd Quarter of 2010. I am so grateful of all they did and still do for me. I know I’m going to miss them a lot.

During my internship I have also had the opportunity to travel to some of the most beautiful and famous places in the world – Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Grand Canyon, Brice Canyon, and so many more. When I visited Las Vegas, the busy atmosphere that I had never experienced before, overwhelmed me with emotions. It brought together so many different people who were all looking for the same thing – to have fun at the entertainment capital of the world. I felt so fortunate to be able to enjoy this experience and complete it with attending not one but two world famous Cirque du Soleil shows. In Chicago, I was also able to find a really good dancing studio close to my job and I was able to continue improving my salsa dancing, which is one of my biggest passions. I will also always remember my recent trip to Lake Tahoe where my friends taught me how to ski. I do want to tell you about all the exciting places I got to visit, although I would need lots more pages to describe them all!

In conclusion, I just want to say to all those students who are about to graduate and are unsure about how to start their careers; “Take your chance for an internship in foreign country. This once in a lifetime experience will broaden your prospective about the career path you choose. It will give you a lot of new ideas from experienced companies and will make you more competitive and skillful. And this is not all – the internship will allow you to travel, meet new cultures, find new friends, and make valuable connections. Interning in the United States is an unforgettable experience. All those things happened to me and more than ever I am ready to find a good job in my country and show them what I’ve learned.”

Thank you CIEE, for this great opportunity!

Sincerely,
Mariya Ivanova, Bulgaria

The Internship Experience: "Process of Learning"

Mary Margaret Rose Sarabia, Philippines
Interning for JW Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana

Cooking is an art in which I have such immense passion for in life. Not only does it compliment to art, and music, it creates satisfaction for your body and mind. I often wonder what kind of career I would be driven to pursue if events in my life had not transpired as they did. The courage I took to step towards learning how to cook and the trials of cooking to perfect that right ingredient to make that prefect recipe. As cooking very much relates to life itself, I have found myself driven more passionately towards cooking than ever.

I graduated from school in the Philippines last October 2010 and I worked at one of the most popular restaurants in the Philippines and there I understood the importance of details in a successful restaurant and I wanted to explore the culinary arts even further. I wanted to learn what the restaurants have to go through to be the best, and the level of detail, the energy, the stress, the hard work that is required to do that.

I take my love of cooking to the next step and pursue to join the internship training at the JW Marriott Hotel Indianapolis Indiana. It was a difficult decision since I had to leave my family and friends but it was an opportunity that I would not want to miss.

I work at Osteria Pronto, an Italian restaurant at JW Marriott. I work under the supervision of Chef Rino who is the Chef de Cuisine. Learning Osteria's menu was not my only challenge. At first, when we arrived, it was tough. A lot of people spoke Spanish and the we could understand.

I also learned more than I expected; I experienced everything I was hoping to and many things I didn't think I would, like working the line (learning how to move fluidly on the line while learning how to cook everything on the appetizer and plating desserts.

I learned more about dedication, hard work, and people. Not just who they are, but what motivates them. Most importantly, I realized what motivated me. I will not forget what Chef Rino taught me i.e., “you can learn something from even the worst cook, because he always knows something you don’t."

I also enjoy working with my co-workers. They are not only my friends but they are also my mentors. I am lucky and proud to be part of this team.

This internship has changed my career goals for the future not only to jumpstart my career and gain an important reference for future job application. But to also learn new working skills and establishing working contacts. After working and growing my experience I hopefully want to open my own restaurant someday. This has been an adventure for me and I am living it to the fullest.

Workday at ZF Lemforder Corporation

Timo Spielberger, Germany
Interning for ZF Lemforder Corp in Duncan, South Carolina

"If I can Make It There, I'll Make It Anywhere"

Yolande Libene, France
Interning for One to World in New York City

The first day of my internship, I was nervous. It was my first job in the United States and my first working experience in an office. Everything was new to me! I couldn’t imagine at that time that what I was about to embark upon was not only a new professional step for my career but a life-changing experience. My internship helped me to define my career and made me grow as a person.

From September 2010 until June 2011, I have been working for the New York-based non-for-profit organization, One To World, whose goal is to create global citizens and inspire a peaceful world through one-of-a-kind programs in classrooms and communities. One To World provides programs and services to the 50,000 international students and scholars affiliated to universities in the greater New York area.

As the program assistant of the organization, I have been able to develop my professional skills way beyond my expectations. Coordinating and advertising for programs, I gained an invaluable experience in event planning, non-profit management, as well marketing and communication. I can’t believe that I am now able to make a presentation in front of 100 people in English! (Picture 1)

As part of One To World’s Global Classroom program, I led interactive workshops on France and French culture in New York City public school classrooms. Some weeks after a workshop I conducted on Monet’s paintings, the students went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and remembered my presentation! The significant impact of our program made me so proud and happy! (Picture 2)

More importantly, during this year of internship in the United States I have built relationships and friendships that will last forever. Thanks to my internship at One To World, I have met people from all around the world. My network is now huge! Working within a wonderful team was also a unique opportunity to discover American culture in a way that I would not have discovered as a tourist. I had my first Thanksgiving! (Picture 3)

Through my internship, I have been transformed into an active actor of globalization promoting values I am fond of, such as peace and cultural exchange. I will continue to play this role back in France. It is especially meaningful to me, as a student in political science and international relations, that my internship put life into the ideas I was studying in class.

And last but not least, my internship in New York City made me more self-confident. An experience in New York City is highly valued by potential employers. As says Sinatra: “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere”!

I Want to be a Part of It...

Lea Vujnovic, France
Interning in New York City for Biologique Recherche

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