What inspired you to go abroad?
I stayed local for my internship, but I still feel that traveling abroad is important. I think going abroad is important culturally, as immersing yourself in other people's way of life is crucial to expanding your perspective on the world.
I chose to work with ArtBound Initiative because I know how important having the right connections can be in the workforce. More than that, however, I trusted in their ability to provide me with the right lessons and knowledge I needed in order to be properly prepared for the creative industry. It was worth the cost in my opinion, as the two internships I had gave me the necessary experience needed to continue being in the NYC industry.
Filming in Jersey City!
On top of that, I am forever a part of an incredible network of people all over the world with varying specialties and capabilities. I get to connect with them, befriend them, learn from them, and more. The community that ArtBound Initiative provides you is special.
Why did you choose Creative Internships in New York?
I chose Entertainment & Media and Advertising & Communications, as that is what I am passionate about. I love being creative, and being able to do that for work made the experience that much better.
I went to school for these industries, and I know how difficult it can be to get a job in NYC. I wanted to get hands-on experience in the creative agency world so I could figure out what aspect specifically stood out to me the most, in hopes that I'd be able to use that experience to get a full-time job doing what I love. I want to be in production, whether that be creative agency work or entertainment agency work.
I knew that ArtBound would be able to help me land a role in one of those fields, and they did, and I had a great experience at a creative agency, which then turned into my first adult job.
What was your favorite part about New York City?
My favorite part about NYC is how bustling it is. You are surrounded by possibilities; you just need to know where to look.
New York City is such a mixed bag of culture and experiences you don't get anywhere else, and that makes it exciting. You can become a part of a community unlike anything else I've seen. NYC and subsequently NJ are becoming new hubs for the creative industry, and especially film, so the job possibilities are increasing.
While the market may be competitive, there will always be a good fit for you; you just need to know where to find it, and as someone who wants to move to NYC, ArtBound Initiative became the right choice when I learned how well-connected they are there. I feel that I am able to make the most of my ArtBound lessons and connections, and follow the right career path for me.
Work life aside, the personal life aspect of NYC is really appealing. There's always something to do, new places to go with your friends, and food waiting to be discovered. NYC is a cultural hub, and ArtBound gave me a way to start building a life there.
New York City at night
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
As I wrote earlier, I stayed local for my internships, but I think the part of my experience that was extraordinary was when I first got to meet a bunch of other people who were also part of ABI. Knowing that I am connected with other professionals through this community is amazing.
I got to learn from other people about their home places, perspectives, and work experiences. I have so much fun every time I participate in an ABI activity, and I really enjoy connecting with those who attend as well. That sense of community is an extraordinary part.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
My NYC Coordinator was so lovely. She was always there to answer any questions I had, and when she hosted events, they were always fun. It was through her that I was able to befriend people I still talk to frequently, and I still attend the events she plans even as an alumnus.
When I was facing difficulties and needed a professional and friendly opinion on how to handle said difficulty, she was easy to reach and quick to respond. She provides a sense of belonging in a city where you're surrounded by so many strangers it can feel lonely.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I would have reached out to a few more people, including in the ArtBound Initiative. Don't get me wrong, I made friends, but I think I could have befriended even more people also actively living in NYC.
I wish I had taken a couple more risks. By that I mean, I wish I would have gone out of my way to participate in more indie events, such as tagging along at shoots, or applying for short-term PA work, just to try something new.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Concert!
I would wake up, do my typical morning routine to get ready for the day, and then hop on the train to work. My commute wasn't terrible, and I would switch between driving and using public transit.
The nature of my job had me constantly switching up what I was doing, and so I usually wasn't doing the same thing every day. Typically, I'd make my way to my work's headquarters and go through the day's plans with my supervisor, who was the owner of the company.
We would start with administrative duties, like responding to emails, and then we'd transition into our client work for the day. I was either in meetings with our client, leading our creative team, or out in the field doing production work.
We had politically aligned clients (that was my favorite experience), indie film clients, and commercial advertising clients. I did a mix of production work (think script writing and filming), account management (working directly with the clients to discuss and manage deliverables), and team management (leading our team through each of our campaigns.
After work, I would either go home or find something to do. I would grab dinner and drinks with coworkers, or go to a museum, or literally anything else exciting I could find on the internet. My days were never boring.
I was in a bit of an atypical position though, as I worked for a startup, so I had an exciting position and workload in the company for being an intern. That creative agency work turned into my first job, and the experience has been amazing and will help me move on to the next part of my career.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
When I wasn't working, I would work on my own personal pursuits, that being music. I am an independent artist (Samantha Jean on all streaming platforms), and I would use my free time to write, produce, or perform. NYC is a music hub, so I spent a lot of time going to small shows and meeting other indie artists.
Living in such a digitized world, it can be hard not to compare yourself to other people, but by actually putting yourself out there and meeting others, you will learn that you are not alone and how lovely the community can be. People just want to support each other, and it can be heartwarming. I get motivated by musical experiences, so I am always doing something related to music, be it an open mic or visiting a music store.
Aside from music, I would explore the city with my ArtBound friends! One time I took the ferry into Brooklyn with one of my Kiwi friends, and she and I spent the day just walking around and exploring local museums.
There is nothing to do. I've gone to karaoke with ArtBound friends, explored the parks, or traveled out of the city to explore surrounding states. The nice thing too, is that not everything costs exorbitant amounts of money. You can definitely have fun on a budget.
I visited Washington DC for a few days to check out the music scene!
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
Since I stayed local, I lived at my parents' house and used public transit to get to and from my internship. I am very lucky to have a family that can support me and is happy to let me stay at their place until I get my own.
I will say, my internship experience gave me a lot of opportunity to explore, and helped me determine where I would like to get my own place and settle in for now.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
The ArtBound Initiative education program will actually benefit you. I learned problem-solving skills that helped me when something went wrong during my internship. Especially if you are working in production, be prepared for anything.
Things are constantly changing, and there will absolutely be at least one time when something drastic happens, and you need to adjust for it. The good thing is, you will likely be working with people who are used to things switching up, so there is no need to panic. Also remember not to take things personally. You will probably make a mistake, but that doesn't mean anything about you as a person. If you are new to the industry of your choice, you will learn so much! It is okay to make a mistake, as long as you learn from it.
That stuff aside, make sure to connect with everyone you meet, either through LinkedIn or social media. You never know who your next job can come from. Most people are happy to support those who are still new to the industry, because they were also in your position once.
Would you recommend ArtBound Initiative to others? Why?
Yes, and I have recommended ArtBound to other people. The program costs money, yes, but I learned skills and gained professional connections that college can't always provide. At least, that was my experience.
ArtBound gave me space to explore my options and figure out what it is I want to do for work right now. I also got not just one, but two internships at the same time, both in my dream industries. I think that speaks for itself on how hard their team works to assist you in getting work in a highly competitive market. Having the right connections is incredibly important, and they give you a leg up in that department.
Work experiences aside, ArtBound gives you a lifelong network of people you can connect with and befriend. I've been able to apply to other jobs through their network, and eventually, I'll be able to be an alumnus who helps the newbies get work in their dream field.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Traveling abroad expands your world, quite literally. Exposing yourself to a culture that is different from your own is imperative to becoming a well-rounded and open-minded person. Plus, traveling is not easy, and if you can be a part of a program that will do the majority of the work for you, you should.
When you are young, I believe it is important to challenge your comfort levels and learn to be independent by leaving where you've spent your whole life until this point. Plus you'll gain experiences not everyone can say they've had, and it may lead you to your dream life!
Visiting Liberty State Park and the Statue of Liberty!
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this question, but I can speak on my friends' experiences abroad. I have a couple of friends who came to NYC for their internships, and I was able to discuss this with them when I last spoke with them.
For my one friend, she explained to me how traveling abroad for her internship was her first time coming to the East Coast, and it took her a while to adjust to the fast-paced environment of New York City.
However, she learned what kind of environment she wants to live in, and what kind of work she wants to be doing in the future. She hopes to come back to the US in the future, but she is glad she got the travel experience and got to immerse herself in the cultural hub.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
I've already alluded to this, but I believe meaningful travel means using your ability to travel to learn and try something new. We can get so stuck in what we are currently experiencing, where we are living, who we are living with, etc, and a change of pace will completely change that.
I personally want to experience everything I can to learn more and become more well-rounded as a person, and traveling will do that. Being open-minded is key, because if you are closed off to the rest of the world, how will you grow?
I believe that being alive means to actually live, explore, and experience new things so we can hear other perspectives, expose ourselves to other cultures, and ultimately find our place in the world.
There is so much more happening in the world than whatever is revolving around you, and leaving that comfort zone is imperative. You will never learn what is out there waiting for you if you don't explore.
