Internships in Portugal

I lived in Madrid for 10 weeks and was astounded by the culture of Spain and its diversity! Sage Corps helped me get to experience the wonders of traveling abroad as a college student and be able to intern abroad! They were very supportive and led us in many group activities to interact with local experiences.

Amazing program! You feel really immersed in the country's culture, and it was an amazing use of time between sophomore and freshman year! The workplace environment helped my spanish immensely. It is fantastic!

Being a part of the Sage Corps cohort on and after the trip has been such a valuable part of my personal and professional growth. With a diverse group of students from all around North America, you learn to navigate the challenges and successes of your job and develop cultural awareness. So grateful for my experience with Sage Corps.

I had such a great experience with Sage Corps this summer in Amsterdam. Going into the program, I was really excited about the opportunity to intern abroad, but I honestly ended up getting so much more out of the experience than I expected. I was able to work with a startup in Amsterdam and gain real experience in sales, business development, marketing, and working in an international environment. I learned a ton professionally, but I also grew a lot personally. Living in a new country for two months definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone at times, and I feel like I came home much more confident, independent, and open-minded because of it. One of my favorite parts of Sage Corps was also the people. I met so many great people from different schools and backgrounds, made some really close friends, and loved having a group of people to experience Amsterdam with. The events Sage Corps put together were always fun, and it was also really nice having people from the program in Amsterdam who were there to support us throughout the summer. I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of Sage Corps. It gave me an amazing internship experience, great friendships, and memories from Amsterdam that I’ll honestly never forget. I would definitely recommend the program to anyone who wants to gain meaningful work experience while also pushing themselves to try something new and experience living abroad.

This shadow abroad program truly changed my life. It completely transformed my career path and opened so many doors that I didn’t even know existed. I had such a blast, learned sop much, I made some true core memories!

My summer in Spain with SageCorps was truly a dream come true. Getting to live in Europe for a summer (my dream) and gain valuable professional experience with a local travel company, I never imagined it would be possible. I got the opportunity to work for a travel company in their partner experience and brand design department while soaking up summer in Barcelona. Throughout the entire summer, the SageCorps team made sure we felt supported and got the most out of our time abroad. They planned several group activities that allowed our cohort to explore Barcelona and experience all the excitement the city has to offer. My favorite was our day trip to Sitges, a beautiful beach town just outside the city. I will forever be grateful for this experience!

My Sage Corps experience in Barcelona was one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career. The program gave me the opportunity to live and work abroad while gaining hands-on experience at a startup, where I worked on sales, business development, outreach, research, content creation, and marketing projects. I appreciated that I was given real responsibilities and the opportunity to explore different areas of the company, which helped me better understand my professional strengths and interests. Sage Corps also did a great job creating opportunities for us to experience Barcelona beyond our internships. Our City Managers, Pamela and Mikel, were incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful throughout the program. They gave us great recommendations, made the scheduled events fun, and most importantly made me feel safe while living abroad. They organized a variety of activities and excursions for our cohort throughout the program, including visits to Mirador Torre Glòries, Park Güell, and a day trip to Sitges, just to name a few. These experiences gave us the chance to explore more of Barcelona, learn about the culture, and make memories together outside of work. Living abroad challenged me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident. I returned home with new professional skills, meaningful friendships, unforgettable memories, and a clearer sense of what I want from my future career. I would absolutely recommend Sage Corps to students who want international work experience while also immersing themselves in a new culture.

My experience with Sage Corps was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in college. I interned in Madrid, Spain, as a Business Development and Sales Intern, where I worked on customer outreach, sales, market research, social media, and client relationships. One of the biggest things I gained was learning how to adapt to a new culture. At first, I struggled with the different communication styles in Spain, but over time I became more comfortable and learned how important it is to be open-minded and adaptable. I also loved the experiences outside of my internship, especially the Toledo trip, group dinners, and Bernabeu Tour. Getting to explore Spain while meeting other students made the experience even more memorable. I would highly recommend Sage Corps because it gives you the chance to gain real professional experience while immersing yourself in another culture. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally.

The Organization helped me alot, I apreciate the step by step guidance, patience and dedication of the team, Their ability to coordinate to ensure seamless efficiency from start to finish is truly impressive. I apreciate all the help and support I got throughout before, during and even atfer the internship. Thank you.

My business development internship in Lisbon, Portugal, with Absolute Internship was an incredible experience that let me apply everything I'd learned in university to real business settings, from client outreach to strategy discussions. Beyond the professional growth, I fell in love with exploring Lisbon and traveling to other parts of Portugal, all alongside the amazing friends I made through the program. Absolute Internship did a great job balancing meaningful work experience with the chance to genuinely live and explore a new country. I came back with more confidence, real work experience, and friendships I'll carry with me long after the program ended. I'd highly recommend this program to anyone considering an internship abroad.

1. Brief description of the host company/ organisation and supervisor(s) ERITAGE Studio Gallery is a vibrant contemporary art space in Lisbon that champions artistic plurality and uses art as a tool for human development and corporate engagement. It is a dynamic hub where international exhibitions foster intercultural dialogue. The gallery is led by its Founder and Creative Director, Joao Marcus Cavalcanti—a former finance professional from Rio de Janeiro who transitioned to gallerist in Portugal. He has built a remarkable cultural bridge between Brazil, Portugal, and Africa through artist residencies and shared productions. Committed to social dialogue and sustainability, Cavalcanti steers ERITAGE as a space where contemporary art intersects with social consciousness, making it an incredibly inspiring environment to learn from. 2. Your job duties, contributions and accomplishments My role as a Public Relations Intern was varied. My main responsibility was social media content creation and curation. I created and scheduled engaging visual content for Instagram including photography, reels and behind-the-scenes stories to promote current exhibitions and artists, greatly increasing the gallery's online engagement. I also carried out extensive research and reporting on galleries, visiting contemporary art spaces across Lisbon, looking at curatorial strategies and producing detailed reports that fed into our strategic programming. I provided direct support during the installation and de-installation of exhibitions, including handling artworks, setting lighting and display materials, and the safe packing and storage of works. These contributions have given me a holistic view of gallery operations from the public facing promotion to the physical logistics that take place behind the scenes. 3. Difficulties encountered during the internship (if any) The internship was not without its challenges. Professionally, I was initially daunted by the physicality of the role – in Hong Kong, gallery assistants rarely engage in manual construction, but here I was drilling into gallery walls to hang installations, meaning I had to learn proper techniques from scratch. Culturally, the language barrier was sometimes tough, as many locals do not speak fluent English outside of the tourism sector. I had to use hand gestures and basic Portuguese phrases. The city’s notorious topography, built on seven steep hills, was a real workout when commuting. This was personally my first experience living in an 8 bedroom flat with 7 other flat mates which really tested my patience and communication skills on a daily basis as well as bouts of homesickness over the holidays. 4. Knowledge/ skills/ benefits acquired from the internship I have learned a great deal professionally. I deepened my understanding of the artists' backgrounds, creative processes, and thematic concerns, which greatly enriched my appreciation for Portuguese art history and its cultural context. Translating these insights into words, I had the rewarding opportunity to write articles for the gallery's official Substack account—crafting engaging narratives that bridged the artists' visions with our audience, and sharpening my ability to communicate complex artistic ideas with clarity and warmth. On the practical side, I also gained hands-on technical skills in the safe installation and de-installation of artworks, from precise measuring and levelling to correct wrapping, safe transport, and meticulous inventory documentation—skills I never imagined I would learn but now value immensely. Most notably, I developed invaluable interpersonal and adaptability skills, learning to think quickly on my feet when my supervisor assigned last-minute work, and consistently delivering quality output under pressure without losing my composure. 5. Insights into the culture and people of the destination What impressed me most about Lisbon was not just its postcard beauty but its emotional depth, a kind of poetic melancholy that the Portuguese call saudade. This bittersweet longing is in the air all over the city, most distinctly in the plaintive guitar of Fado music drifting from dimly lit taverns, but it does not weigh down the culture. Instead it coexists with an extraordinary warmth and a deep sense of community. I loved the neighborhood life, like in Alfama, where old ladies gossip across clothes-lined balconies, and in the Santos Populares festivities, whole streets become open-air banquets, with neighbors grilling sardines together. The locals taught me desenrascanço — the uniquely Portuguese ability to improvise with charm and resourcefulness. They’re not on the clock, but on the clock of the golden descent of the sun over the Tagus River, valuing human connection over relentless efficiency. Whether it’s a long coffee in a quiet pastelaria or an informal greeting from shopkeepers, Lisboetas are quietly resilient and welcoming, making me feel less like a foreigner and more like a temporary piece of their lively, unhurried story.

I had the opportunity to participate in a study abroad with Arizona State University and Absolute Internship. We spent our time in Portugal exploring different parts of the country and learning about it's deep history and global impact. It was an experience I would love to live again and has inspired a desire to explore more parts of the world!

My experience abroad was something I will always be grateful for. The internship gave me valuable professional experience and allowed me to learn what it is like to work in a different country and culture. I was able to gain hands-on experience in both warehouse and office environments, which helped me better understand logistics and supply chain operations. One of my favorite parts of the program was the weekend trips around Portugal. Getting to explore different cities and places with the other students made the experience even more memorable. The people I met through the program were one of the biggest highlights, and many of them have become lifelong friends. Overall, this experience pushed me outside of my comfort zone, helped me become more independent, and gave me memories and relationships that I will carry with me long after the internship ended. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a mix of professional growth, travel, and an opportunity to meet great people.

This past summer I had the ultimate privilege of going abroad for a Marketing and Business Development Intern in Lisbon, Portugal. To say I had the one of the best summers of my life is an understatement, working in a city as beautiful and vibrant as Portugal was a such a rewarding experience both professionally and personally.

I signed up for an internship in a non-profit industry. Absolute Internship helped me arrange an interview with the company. They also gave us a lot of information and reminders before going to Lisbon. During the internship, Absolute Internship arranged nice accommodation and fun weekend activities for us. For example, we lived in single rooms with AC and the furniture in the room is clean and cozy. The program staff are friendly and supportive. They answered our questions throughout the program and arranged activities well. For example, we had a boat trip during Lagos trip and had meals in nice restaurants.

My experience in Lisbon was deeply meaningful because of the cultural immersion, the diversity of engagement, and the chance to strengthen my Portuguese language skills. Working alongside people from different backgrounds showed me how powerful unity and service can be. We were all part of something bigger, doing meaningful work for a kinder world built on compassion, dignity, and love.

My internship experience in Lisbon was truly meaningful and something I’m deeply grateful for. Being welcomed into a new culture, learning through real community engagement, and growing both personally and professionally made this experience unforgettable. I felt supported, challenged, and inspired every day. The warmth of the people, the cultural connections, and the chance to contribute in a nonprofit setting all had a powerful impact on me. This experience helped me grow in confidence, independence, and purpose, and I’m thankful for every moment.

Trip was great, would definitely recommend other people to travel to Rotterdam. Both our country coordinators were great. They were responsive and showed us around the city. I liked our housing situation too, as it was in a great part of the city.

I had such an amazing time doing an internship in Rotterdam for three weeks this summer! Going abroad was an amazing experience and getting to experience it with the help of two amazing guides from WeFind group made it so special!

My time in rotterdam was truly amazing. I got to explore so many different cities surrounding rotterdam, as well as take the full beauty of rotterdam itself. We find group was amazing and provided two students that lived in the area that we were staying, and they showed us around and immediately welcomed us into the city. The relationships we formed with the students was truly amazing and they will forever now be our friends. Carlota was amazing through we find group. She was always very prompt with her responses and was always supporting us throughout the process. She went above and beyond to provide us materials to enhance our project delivery.