Connect-123 Barcelona Internships

Fifty years from now, when you are (hopefully) peacefully retired in the place of your dreams, reflecting on your past experiences, your education, your work, your family, the friends you have made and the friends you have lost, the places you have visited and the places you will never see, what do you think will come to mind?

In my mind I will picture Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain in the summer of 2014 and the blessing of my colleges's International Studies summer fellowship. I will picture my internship at an organization that actively fought to eradicate the housing and economic crisis that began in 2007. A crisis which, in Spain, resulted in the forceful eviction of thousands from their homes, left thousands more indebted to the banks for life, and even led some to take their own lives. I will picture myself, a 22-year-old university student from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee who at first struggled with language and communication, constantly stressing over research, work and cultural awareness, but who quickly adapted to an intimate work environment, becoming truly comfortable with immersion, and able to have the opportunity to contribute personal, meaningful, and useful work to the fight for housing rights in Spain. All this, still being able to have an unexplainable amount of fun and adventure within the city of Barcelona, around Spain, and throughout North Africa and Central Europe.

Lea and Steve Levy, and the rest of the team at Connect-123, gave me the tools I needed to make my experience in Barcelona not only a memory I could happily look back on 50 years from now, but also a contribution to the city that will forever have an impact on the livelihood of its citizens. Without the help of Connect-123, I would have never been able to be placed at an organization that fit my exact interests and aspirations for a summer internship abroad, particularly in the field of protecting constitutional and basic human rights. To anyone who hopes to look back on their time abroad with a sense of accomplishment, personal growth, and unmatchable happiness, Connect-123 is the way to go. 11 out of 10.

Barcelona is the place to be-between its people, tapas, countless outdoor plazas, beautiful scenery, beaches and nightlife-there is something for everyone. My decision to go live and work in Barcelona was last minute. I was offered two internships, but the one I chose pertained to my career path most and was in the heart of Barca. I cannot emphasize how helpful it was to be a part of the Connect123 program. I had transportation from the airport and the director, Lea Levy, was at my apartment less than an hour later to greet me, make sure I was settled and explore the neighborhood with me to get my bearings. I was able to make friends immediately through the program and eventually, as we made local friends, it felt more like a city we belonged to. I also continued daily activities I would normally do at home, like going on daily runs through the city and having coffee at the same local shop, (where I eventually became a ‘regular’). The think tank I worked for opened a lot of doors to build my professional career. I was able to complete a full report regarding economic relations between the EU and the US (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership), in which a shorter version was published through the organization I worked for, as well as a Barcelona E-journal. In addition, I was able to network with people in the Barcelona European Parliament, a few NGO’s and think tanks and even conduct interviews with the Trade Spokesman and a think tank researcher in Brussels. I grew professionally and personally through my experience in Barcelona, I only wish it had lasted longer. You will not regret your decision to go to Barcelona, if anything you will want to stay longer and then look for job opportunities so you can go back.

As a social sciences student i found it hard to find internships in my field. Being an active person I really wanted something "out of the office" and connect-123 has been able to offer me several options and I managed to do exactly what I wanted. During four months I interned in an Association helping people with AIDS in Barcelona where I had the opportunity to work alongside a team of devoted people eager to help those in need and also live in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The organizers of the internship were extremely helpful by giving information about the city and tips,organizing meetings between interns and events! It was an amazing experience and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an organized work/traveling experience!

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to work as an intern for a non-governmental organization with the primary goal of improving the quality of life of people affected with HIV/AIDS. Because my future professional goals are set within the medical field, this internship was the perfect fit to help me gain more of an understanding of the field I am so interested in. It helped me understand the differences between the health care system within the United States as well as Spain. It also helped me gain a better understanding of Spain's HIV community and commonalities when working with the group affected by the disease.

Interning abroad has always been one of my dreams in life, and when I heard of this program I immediately decided to investigate to find out more information. Working with Connect-123 was a great experience and I would recommend them in a heartbeat! They were always there to help and always found ways to make our living in a new country as easy as possible. I enjoyed the weekly events planned by Connect-123, which made it easier to become immersed in this new culture. Connect-123 is definitely the way to go!"

The experience I have gained through this internship is beyond amazing, monumentally amazing one could say. Connect-123 was able to find me the perfect internship in Barcelona, Spain, which was just the cherry on top of my life in Barcelona. I worked for a company that promoted the underground music, art, and culture scene of Barcelona and was able to first hand experience the inside life of Barcelona. Through Connect and my internship, I not only learned a great amount about the Barcelona scene, but also met friends that I will never forget. My biggest take from my three month life in Barcelona was all the connections I made and all the people I had met, and how each one of them helped me realize and learn something new about this world. In school we aren't necessarily taught how to live on our own. The biggest life lessons are learned through experience, and that is exactly what I felt I recieved through this life in Barcelona. Knowledge gained from experiences; experiences with friends, strangers, work, parties, travels, and so much more. Its sad to go and return to reality, but I don't leave with a frown, I leave with a smile on my face because I know that the reality waiting for me back at home will be much easier to face with the experience I have gained through the Connect-123 program.

From the moment I arrived in Barcelona, as I remember it well, I was enamored with the city, the language, and the culture. I knew this was a good place to further my Spanish language growth, work experience, cultural knowledge, and my person as a whole.
What made the transition from my fairly small town in the US to a the second largest city in Spain even more seamless was the friendly and tireless staff at Connect 123. From the airport pick up to the checking-in emails to the weekly group events Connect 123 truly became my second family for my three months in Barcelona. Thanks, Lea, Eli and Steven!
As far as Barcelona goes, the city is beautiful and you will never be bored! It literally has everything, the beach, the mountains, a water park, an amusement park, countless bars and restaurants, and easy travel access to any other major city in Spain. Not to forget the public transportation is definitely a high point for the city, as well. Barcelona is a place where everyone can find something to do.
My internship working in first the primary school and then in the kid's summer camp was a great learning experience! I was able to put to use my Spanish language skills everyday, all day, and put forth the skills I've learned in my Teacher's Education courses at MSU. From practicing my future profession I also gained knowledge of how to be an effective teacher and that is something invaluable to me.
Overall, I spent the best summer of my life thus far in Barcelona and I gained experiences, memories, and friends that I will never forget. Thanks Connect 123 for making this possible!

I have spent the past 3 months with an internship/study abroad program in Barcelona, and I have loved every minute of it! My internship experience fit exactly into my expectations, and I enjoyed meeting and working with all of my coworkers at my organization throughout the summer. Connect-123 understood my internship goals and found a perfect match for me at my Social Media Organization, and I feel like I learned a lot and am taking many great experiences home with me now.

Not only was everything well organized, but the program was all very personal and friendly as well. Connect-123 offers helpful support if needed, as well as many recommendations for things to do to get to know your new city. I especially think they did a great job of ensuring well-roundedness during the program through trying new things, cultural experiences, and meeting new friends. I have learned so much from this summer abroad, and if I have the opportunity to use the program again then I definitely will!

Discovering Connect 123 was the best thing that could have happened to me! I wanted to come to Barcelona for 3 months and gain some cool abroad work experiences in advertising and copywriting that I could add to my resume and portfolio. I did that and so much more. I was really picky with what type of internship I wanted to do but the staff and program director were always readily available and willing to go beyond their call of duty to make sure I was satisfied and happy. Finally, I landed the job of my dreams! I did SO much more than what I could have asked for and now my portfolio looks amazing with real life work that the company uses.

I came to Spain by myself (and 0 spanish speaking skills), and I can now get by on conversations and can't count the number of foreign friends I now have! The Connect team (and other interns who come to the same city around the same time) are wonderful! We went out for drinks and had a great bond. Wish I had more time to see them! I'm so sad that I have to be leaving. Barcelona is so amazing and so different than back home. I had a blast with all their little random festivals. The fire festival in Valencia, paint fight, carnival in sitges, and so much more) Life is so calm here but at the same time, the work load for my internship I had was heavy (which I asked for, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!