AIFS Abroad Internships in Berlin, Germany

From the people I met, to the places I visited, I had a beautiful time and feel I gained insight into how big the world is. This was my first time traveling without my family, and though I was not worried to travel, I could not have expected to feel at home thousands of miles from Philadelphia (my home). The AIFS staff was more than helpful and always looking to engage interns in immersive experiences. It was worth it 10x over.

I worked at an art workshop non-profit called For Everyone as a marketing intern, where I researched and implemented key performance indicators to measure the company's success. I spent 2 months living in a new environment, speaking a different language, and bearing real work responsibilities. It filled me with motivation, inspiration, anxiety (the good kind!), and hope for my future. I explored a lot more of the city than I was expecting thanks to the outings offered by the program, which I highly encourage future attendees to take part in. Spending time with and getting to know fellow interns, new coworkers, and strangers made me feel very welcome there. Don't be afraid to talk to new people! Expect a lot of work and a lot of free time (use it wisely though, my biggest regret is spending as much time as I did watching TV). I loved my time spent in Berlin and it made me realize that I want to go back and live there again permanently in the future. Also, the people working behind the scenes want nothing but the best for you, and they'll work hard to make your time the best it can be. I hope this program will be as fulfilling for you as it was for me!

My internship was with a restaurant/bar business called Orangerie in Neukölln. There I did data analysis for the company's finances. The internship itself was everything I could have hoped for; my coworkers were so friendly and inviting, and the work itself aligned exactly with my interests and strengths. The location was also absolutely beautiful and convenient to transport to from my apartment. If I get a chance to go to Berlin again, I will absolutely visit my friends at the Orangerie. Otherwise, I met many other people through my various hobbies I continued in Berlin (bouldering and running) as well as through the city's night life. I learned tons about Berlin culture, European culture, and about myself as I gained a broader perspective on my place in the world.