Madrid; An Intern Story

An International internship is all of what you'd expect it to be. Exhilarating. Unknown. And filled with innumerable opportunities, that is, if you're willing to take them.

The 6 weeks I spent living, working, and growing in Madrid conisted of all of the above. Each Intern has their own work schedule, this work schedule varies from company to company. In my case, I went in at 9am and was finished at 6pm, a typical Spanish work day. Others I found went in at 10am and were done by 4pm. Personally I enjoyed working the long hours, it eventually led to some strong relationships with my co-workers. I also invested myself within the company, Trivu, a global ecosystem that promotes opportunities to connect, activate, and empower young talent with the aim of generating real impact. My role consisted of Marketing and the Engagement sector of the company.

The time spent away from work involved networking events, both formal and informal with the other interns and Intern Group Staff. I would like to take this time to mention one of the most important reasons why it was so easy to transition into the Spanish culture. His name is Carlos Perez Bañuls. Carlos is a member of the Intern Group who hosts events and dinner(s) for us interns almost daily. He is our go-to person for any and all information; traveling to other cities in Europe, medical assistance, food savvy, and very open to any type of conversation.

In terms of Safety, I felt right at home. Madrid is a lively city, it hardly rests. However, just like any other city, there are great areas and there are dimly lit areas. In my experience, I did in fact lose my wallet, but that was due to my lack of responsiblity and a night out at the club. If you're reasonably aware of your surroundings and you keep accountability in yourself and your friends, you should be just fine!

If given the opportunity, I would be more than happy to re-live this experience and if anything, extend it. This internship is more than just "an internship". I wholeheartedly believe, if you take proactive measures to achieve your goals and are self-motivated, you will gain so much from this internship. Friends. Connections. Professional Skills. Confidence in your ability to function with a foreign company. And more, much, much more. I am very grateful to have been one of the very few to be selected for this experience. I am happy to have learned, adapted, and grown so much in so little time. Something to note, from a Marketing perspective, the ability to sell yourself to a school, job, or opportunity is invaluable. Investing in an International Internship WILL set you apart from the rest and it will pave new opportunities, should you take full advantage of them.