Intern Abroad in London

Byline: Ellena Schildmeyer

My name is Ellena Schildmeyer and I completed the Summer Global Internship in London this past summer. I had a terrific experience getting to explore my city, but also being able to work with a start-up company in London. CIEE does a great job pairing you with an employer that you’ll get along with and from whom you will be able to learn. Once I arrived in London and started working I was able to learn so much about the global work culture and how it can differ from the United States.  My coworkers were helpful and kind, and allowed me to shadow each of them to see what I wanted to work on throughout my 8 weeks. This allowed me to really be invested in the company and value what I was contributing.

Outside of work, I had class once a week where we learned about business culture and how to present yourself in a professional manner. There are so many things and helpful tips that I learned which I have already implemented into my life. CIEE also set up a lot of networking opportunities and events for us to go to and reach out to people who lived and worked in London. The pairing of class and work was a good balance because you were able to implement what you learned into your daily work life work and realize what worked for you and what did not.

My time in London wasn’t all work and class, it was fun too! I was able to explore the city and see all of the major historic landmarks while also witnessing the Queen’s Jubilee. Living and working in London was such a good experience and allowed me to really grow as a person and  become more confident in myself in work settings and learn how to travel and live independently.  I took the tube everyday to work and loved getting to experience a true London lifestyle. On the weekends when I could, I also was able to adventure and travel to other spots in Europe and see different places and cultures which was inspiring because I had never been to Europe before. Thank you for such a fantastic learning experience!

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