Internships Abroad

My experience with Absolute Internship was quite literally life changing. They placed me in an internship (UK-ASEAN Business Council) which is exactly what i was looking to do then as a junior International Relations major. Little did I know, it would lead me to my career working for the British Government overseas. Thanks to Absolute's placement and the experience I gained working for UKABC for 8 weeks, I landed my dream job right out of college - covering sports and entertainment as a commercial officer for the British Consulate Los Angeles. I spent 6 years as a commercial officer (climbing the ranks) and was offered the opportunity to transition to policy work, earlier this year, for the Consulate covering culture, media and sport. I am the only person covering this sector outside of Whitehall in London which I am incredibly proud to be doing. That said, I literally would be where I am without Absolute Internship's program and opportunity for me.

My experience with Absolute Internship in Stockholm, Sweden, was truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my college journey. As a Business of Creative Enterprises student at Emerson College, I wanted an opportunity that would allow me to step outside my comfort zone, gain real-world professional experience, and experience a different culture. Absolute Internship gave me the opportunity to do all three. What made this experience so special was that it went beyond simply completing an internship. I had the opportunity to explore Stockholm, immerse myself in Swedish culture, meet people from all over the world, and learn how businesses operate in an international environment. Through company visits and professional experiences with internationally recognized organizations such as Spotify, IKEA, and H&M, I gained valuable insight into global business, creativity, leadership, and innovation. One of the highlights was meeting a Senior Vice President of Sustainability at H&M, which gave me a unique perspective on the importance of sustainability in today's corporate world. Beyond the professional development, the personal growth was just as meaningful. Living and working in another country challenged me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident. I learned how to navigate unfamiliar environments, build relationships with people from different backgrounds, and approach opportunities with an open mind. Looking back, Stockholm helped shape the person and professional I am becoming. It reinforced my desire to pursue an international career and showed me just how much can happen when you are willing to step outside your comfort zone. I am incredibly grateful to Absolute Internship for making this experience possible. I would recommend the program to any student who wants more than just an internship on their resume. If you want professional development, cultural immersion, lifelong connections, and memories that will stay with you long after the program ends, Absolute Internship is an experience worth pursuing. Sometimes the greatest investment you can make is in yourself, and Stockholm was exactly that for me.

Spending eight weeks in Barcelona, Spain, was one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my college career. I had always wanted to study or work abroad, and getting the opportunity to live in a new country while gaining professional experience was something I was really excited about. During my time in Barcelona, I interned with Lenium, a company focused on engineering, renewable energy, and sustainable development. I was able to gain hands-on experience working in an international professional environment, contribute to real projects, and learn more about how businesses operate in different parts of the world. As an Environmental Design major, it was especially interesting to see how sustainability and innovation are approached from a global perspective. Outside of my internship, I loved getting to explore Barcelona, experience the culture, travel to new places, and meet people from all over the world. Living in a city with such unique architecture, public spaces, and transportation systems was especially exciting because of my interest in urban design. Some of my favorite memories were simply walking around the city, trying new foods, spending time with friends, and experiencing everyday life in Spain. This experience also pushed me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident in unfamiliar situations. Being away from home for two months definitely came with challenges, but those moments helped me grow the most. I also appreciated the opportunity to practice my Spanish and experience a different culture beyond just being a tourist. Overall, I am incredibly grateful for my time in Barcelona. I came home with new friendships, professional skills, unforgettable memories, and a broader perspective on the world. I would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone considering going abroad, especially those who want to step outside their comfort zone while gaining valuable work experience.

In Autumn of 2020 and I had just graduated from my Bachelors program in Mechanical engineering. At the time, due to the Pandemic, my chances of finding a career felt bleek at best. I was fresh out of university with no prior experience but a brief internship at a medical city, when came across Absolute internship's remote intership program offer. I was skeptical at first, coming from a very hands on Mechanical Engineering background, doing an internship online didn't make much sense to me. What would I do? How would I work or learn. After alot of help and support form the absolute internship team I was paired with a UK based start up. I loved my time at the company and learned so much about simulations and drawings and engineering than I ever could have imagined would be possible virtually. I was based in the middle east at the time but the whole company was remote and I had felt as if I gained a professional family. The company inspired me to pursue a Masters degree in Germany and 6 years later I'm still a part of the team. A team that continues to push my professional career and and allow me to learn and grow. The experience showed me that the things we are skeptical of the most, can have the outcomes that change the course of our lives. Non of this would have been possible if not for Absolute Internship, they alowed me to connect with the world that would have otherwise been far beyond my reach.

Working in Kosovo was such an amazing experience that set me up for success in so many ways. I got to meet so many other passionate change makers from across the world and interact directly with new culture. With Kosovo being such a new nation and so many arising issues, my work actually felt meaningful. It felt like I was helping shape Kosovo despite the short time I was there. It was also so cheap and easy to travel to other Balkan countries, so it was a great opportunity to travel to other parts of the world I've never experienced and might not easily experience again. Isla was such a great support the whole time. They found us housing, they helped us take advantage of opportunities, they supported our mental health, they connected us with community-centered groups, and they helped us get groceries.

I loved everything about this experience. The program coordinators took such good care of us and the program made major efforts to set us up for success in our placements. I loved that our first week we got to immerse ourselves in the new environment and just soak it all in. My internship taught me so much and broadened my horizons both in a personal, cultural, and professional level.

My time at The Intern Group has been a genuinely life changing experience that I would recommend to anyone. Not only have I gained amazing experience at a great company, but have met people that will be friends for life.

The most rewarding part of my summer in Kosovo has been the work I’ve done through my internship. This study abroad program stands out at USC as one of the few that offers students in Global Studies and related fields the opportunity to gain real-world experience through an internship. That aspect was a major reason why I was drawn to the program. In this blog, I’ll share about Isla, how I got my internship, what my responsibilities have been this summer, and highlight a few experiences from other Isla interns as well! Isla, USC’s partner organization in Kosovo, helps students from around the world find internships aligned with their academic and professional interests. Through its network of local partner organizations, Isla connects students with organizations that have openings in sectors such as Global Health, Business, Education and more. With the amount of partnerships they have, they truly can find internship positions for students in any field of interest. In my case, I reached out to Isla’s Executive Director, Leila Ali, to express my interest in an internship after securing my place in the Peacebuilding in Kosovo study-abroad program with a USC professor. She provided me with a list of available positions in my field of interest: Democracy and Governance. From there, I scheduled interviews with the organizations that most interested me and began the internship placement process. After receiving a few offers, I was able to choose the position that best suited my goals and Isla then facilitated the next steps by sending me the necessary work contracts. Isla handled all of the daunting logistics for me, like securing housing, arranging airport pickup, and organizing weekend trips. This aspect of studying abroad was what I found most stressful, as navigating these details in a new country with a language barrier seemed very overwhelming. Leila and our Program Coordinator, Dijana, made the entire process so great. They were there for us at any time of day, even checking in with us at 5AM during a weekend trip to make sure we made our bus. Their assistance was so reassuring, both for me and for my family, who appreciated knowing I had such a reliable support system abroad. With their help, I didn’t need to worry about all these details and could just enjoy my time living and working in Kosovo! This summer, I am an intern at an NGO focused on transitional justice and human rights. My work has involved conducting research on strategies to bridge community-based initiatives with formal policy enactment through methods like policy hackathons and the development of grassroots networks. I have also supported the organization’s information management systems by helping create logical frameworks and compile data sets to facilitate reporting to the European Union. As a result, I’ve learned a lot about EU-related processes and documentation. My favorite part of this internship is how much I’ve grown personally and professionally. Technology has always been outside of my comfort zone (my friends call me a grandma when it comes to anything with computers), but I’ve worked hard to overcome my ineptitude. As a result, I’ve gained valuable skills and greater confidence in my ability to adapt to new situations.

What started off as a desire for change turned out to be the most unforgettable time of my life. I sent in an application expecting the usual response delays I had experienced through the many intern abroad programs I had combed through but was happily surprised when Nicole was patient and kind, communicating often how available she was be it through video calls or email to sooth my anxieties. She helped me sort through my options and even when I had settled on an internship in Scotland, she kept searching and found me one most suitable for me: London. I sound like a broken record but it was truly life-changing. I had support throughout; Nicole with her check-ins to make sure I was settling in, my manager Ammu who was my rock and the best boss I have had the pleasure of working with and interns from another program who made my experience what it was. Walking to my train every morning felt purposeful and fun: I felt like a mini adult carving out a life for myself in this big city. I was excited to pop into my local Tesco and learn more about my roommates who invited me out every weekend; from window-shopping in the streets of Westminster to intimate dinners in a Fitzrovia neighborhood. At work, I was challenged! I learned how to interview, I was given responsibility over the intern team (again, the best people) and there wasn't a moment I felt afraid to be inquisitive or express my insecurities about the job. Every week was a new adventure and a new way to grow. I remember our manager had an idea for a viral tiktok and all 8 interns stood outside the work building searching for incoming buses, lingering close to where they'd park with a straight face, then burst into fits of laughter because of how unpredictable our work was! The train rides were honestly one of my highlights. The place I moved into after a month in London was 5 minutes from Canary Wharf so a quick 9 minute walk from my apartment to the train station looked like putting my headphones on while I admired the scenic waters of Canning Town before starting the day. London has an awesome transportation system so if you missed one train, best believe another one was coming a minute or two later (5 at most!). I travelled to Nottingham on the weekend and had a blast, and was surrounded by a great group of people. My landlord was the nicest and so was my housemate from both of my living situations, I had a wonderful time getting to know full-time staff through a get-together my manager organized and to this day, most of those people I am still in contact with. Shoutout Tina, Alicia, Stuart, Kate, Krystal, Nicholas, Catherine, Gayathri, Kamini, Shelby, Claire and Nate! Another to Nicole, Ammu, Ben, John and Georgeena for their continued support. I was lucky in that the issues I faced weren't program related, but I'll admit a travel kit of sites to see would have been nice! I was given housing recommendations as well though a person of support to regularly communicate with on residence issues I faced would be of great help as well. If the thought of study/intern abroad even occurs, run with it. The job experience was invaluable, the beautiful cultures I interacted with - from India to USA - have stayed with me and the memories linger in the "I miss you" messages shared amongst the intern group. Living away from home can be daunting, but you won't regret it for a second. I miss it and appreciate the opportunity beyond comprehension.

This Internship was an amazing opportunity it allowed me to collaborate with different individuals and teams from all over the world whilst learning exceptional skills that will help me in my future career. This internship also allowed me to explore the different parts of Japan and understand the culture, environment, cuisine and society through multiple immersive opportunities . This programme was an exceptional experience that will stay with me for the future years to come and has allowed personal growth.

An incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience with amazing international networking opportunities. Taking part in the SEKAIA programme was genuinely one of the best career decisions I’ve made. If you want to gain real-world work experience in another country while having the reassurance of support throughout the journey, this is a fantastic opportunity. The entire SEKAIA team was incredibly supportive, and the whole experience gave me meaningful, hands-on experience, real responsibilities, and the opportunity to contribute to genuine projects. I came away with new skills, professional connections, international experience, and memories I’ll carry with me for a long time. I would highly recommend the programme to anyone looking to step outside their comfort zone and grow both professionally and personally

My internship experience so far has been one of the best experiences I've ever had. Something I've improved on is my networking skills, which SEKAIA had helped me with. The events that are set up are perfect to meet more people in Japan as well as make meaningful connections for the future. Something else I really appreciate is my internship placement. It was directly what I asked for, and it improved my skills in the field I am going into a great amount, and I have learned so much from it while only being here for such a small amount of time. The staff and workers, as some of the nicest people, are very willing to lend a hand as much as possible to ensure a great experience here. Overall I am glad I chose SEKAIA to give me this opportunity I wouldn't have otherwise. Q: What was your funniest moment? A: I would have to say the most unfamiliar thing I ate here is okonomiyaki. I had no idea it was even a dish until my coworker at my internship took me to go try it out. Safe to say I liked it a ton, but the whole thing was very novel to me. Pros - Networking and Connections - Helpful Team - Great Environment

This physical therapy shadowing program was an absolutely incredible experience! The staff, physical therapists, and fellow students made this trip truly unforgettable. I created so many amazing memories, formed meaningful connections, and gained invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience. I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity and for everyone who made it such a special, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Some experiences stay with you long after they come to an end, and my time in Bali was definitely one of them. I had the opportunity to spend five weeks in Bali, completing my internship at Made Tea in Ubud, and honestly, it turned out to be so much more than I expected. From the beginning, I felt welcomed and appreciated. Working with Made Tea gave me the opportunity to discover a different professional environment, develop my communication and digital marketing skills, work on creative projects, and gain valuable hands-on experience. I had the chance to create content, work on social media, communicate with potential business partners and contribute to real projects. It was rewarding to see that my ideas and work were genuinely valued. One of the highlights was definitely the people. I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Roni, for her kindness, trust, guidance and patience throughout my internship. Being surrounded by such welcoming people made the experience even more special. And then there was Bali itself! 🌺 Living and working in Ubud allowed me to discover a completely different culture, meet people from different backgrounds, experience the local lifestyle and create memories I will always cherish. Every day brought something new, whether it was discovering beautiful places, trying new food, learning about local traditions or simply enjoying the atmosphere. What I appreciated most was the balance between professional development and personal discovery. I didn’t just gain experience to add to my CV; I also became more independent, confident, adaptable and open-minded. If you are considering an internship abroad, I would genuinely encourage you to take the opportunity. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. You might arrive expecting to gain professional experience, but leave with new skills, wonderful connections and memories that will stay with you forever. Thank you, Made Tea, and Bali, for five unforgettable weeks. A little piece of my heart will always remain in Indonesia. ❤️ Sometimes the best experiences are the ones you never fully expect.

Studying abroad with Toucan Abroad in Costa Rica was the best experience I’ve ever had. I got to meet so many different people and experience things I had never done before. I was adventurous and outgoing and honestly a completely new person. We got experience shadowing PTs in different clinical settings and since it wasn’t in the US, we got to actually interact with the patients. I learned so much and had a great time doing it as well. On top of gaining shadowing hours, we also did so many amazing things on our weekend trips. I went ziplining, rode ATVs through a storm in the jungle, went on a party boat in the ocean, went surfing, and so many other awesome experiences. I will never forget my time with Toucan Abroad and I am so grateful that I got to do it. I am still talking to our study abroad group today and we are hoping to have a reunion soon.

Isla really provided everything you could ever need while living and working abroad. They answered all my questions and helped me feel safe. Homesickness was an issue I struggled with, but Isla helped me get through it!

Being here for 6 weeks has allowed me to see much of Tokyo and experience real culture. Also being here for so long allows for days to rest so you don't have to be out all day like you would be if you was here on holiday. SEKAIA events that have been held have allowed me to meet people that have made me enjoy my time here even more than I thought I would as I can experience new things with new people. Also being able to have an internship in Tokyo on my resume will be great for my career and set me apart from others when trying to get a job, and it provides some idea into a working environment in the career I chose. Q: What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it? A: The most nerve-racking moment would be at the very start and that is moving to the other side of the world and living alone for the first time, especially in a country where I don't speak the language or know my way around. The way I overcame this would be by just doing it as I knew this would be the experience of a life time for me and would help me figure out and learn new things about myself. I was scared but I have wanted to do this for a while and if I didn't do it then I knew I would regret it. Pros - New culture - New scenery and different experiences - Memories for a life time What other participants should know - Can be lonely at times if you don't meet anyone - Can be expensive as there are a lot of things to buy - Sometimes miss home and things that are familiar

Being here for 6 weeks has allowed me to see much of Tokyo and experience real culture. Also being here for so long allows for days to rest so you don't have to be out all day like you would be if you was here on holiday. SEKAIA events that have been held have allowed me to meet people that have made me enjoy my time here even more than I thought I would as I can experience new things with new people. Also being able to have an internship in Tokyo on my resume will be great for my career and set me apart from others when trying to get a job, and it provides some idea into a working environment in the career I chose. Q: What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it? A: The most nerve-racking moment would be at the very start and that is moving to the other side of the world and living alone for the first time, especially in a country where I don't speak the language or know my way around. The way I overcame this would be by just doing it as I knew this would be the experience of a life time for me and would help me figure out and learn new things about myself. I was scared but I have wanted to do this for a while and if I didn't do it then I knew I would regret it. Pros - New culture - New scenery and different experiences - Memories for a life time What other participants should know - Can be lonely at times if you don't meet anyone - Can be expensive as there are a lot of things to buy - Sometimes miss home and things that are familiar

I had an amazing experience the person in charge of my program Joshua was incredibly attentive, kind and patient. He also supported me a lot even before I arrived in Japan. I met amazing people in this internship who I consider friends and hope to keep in my life for a long time. My internships were also great. I met great people, I learned a lot and I did some great networking while I was in this internship. I definitely appreciate the experience I had. I am incredibly grateful as well. I cannot recommend enough. Q: What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate? A: The sticky bean. Did not like it. Pros - Experience - culture - Friends What other participants should know - You will build independence - New city new life - Start from 0

My eight weeks in Prishtina, Kosovo, through ISLA were an experience I will never forget. I arrived excited to gain professional experience and learn about a new culture, but I left with so much more than I expected. During my internship at the Kosovo Women's Network, I had the opportunity to contribute to research and archival projects focused on women's rights, climate policy, and gender equality. I developed valuable skills in research, writing, and archival organization while learning from an organization doing meaningful work to support women across Kosovo. Beyond my internship, what made my experience so special was the opportunity to actually live in Prishtina and become part of everyday life there. From spending afternoons at cafés and exploring the city to cooking with my landlord, Dije, and making llokuma, some of my favorite memories came from the simplest everyday moments. My housemates, friendships, and the people I met along the way made Kosovo feel increasingly like home. ISLA gave me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally while immersing myself in a culture and community I might never otherwise have experienced. I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone looking for more than a traditional study abroad experience. Eight weeks went by far too quickly, and Kosovo will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly became a second home.