Doing your Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus: you’ve stumbled here because you want to know whether or not doing your internship abroad is a good idea? Welcome to International Horizons, the blog for internships abroad. And Cyprus is one of my favorite destinations, it’s way too underrated! In fact, I had the opportunity to go there a few years ago, to explore the country and decide whether or not we should open. And it’s with great pleasure that we offer this magnificent country!
Doing your Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus: discovering a new work culture.
- Working hours :
In France, the legal working week is 35 hours, although in many cases employees work more! Typical working hours are from 9am to 5pm, with a lunch break.
In Cyprus, working hours can vary, but the typical working day generally starts earlier, around 8:00 or 8:30 am, and finishes around 4:00 or 5:00 pm.
- Work culture :
France has a strong tradition of protecting workers’ rights, with paid vacations, sick leave and strict regulations on dismissal.
In Cyprus, although workers also have rights, the work culture can be less regulated and more focused on flexibility, particularly in small businesses. In fact, labor law in Cyprus is more in line with Anglo-Saxon culture.
- Management style :
In France, the management style can be more hierarchical, with a formal organizational structure and decisions often taken by senior executives.
In Cyprus, the management style can be more participative, with open communication between employees and managers, and more collaborative decision-making. We’re really onto something typical of the North Mediterranean here.
- Vacations and free time:
In France, employees generally enjoy five weeks’ paid vacation a year, plus public holidays.
In Cyprus, paid vacations may be less generous, although this depends on company policy. In fact, in France, the law gives a minimum, and framework agreements give even more, with branch agreements, collective bargaining agreements and so on. In Cyprus, however, people work longer hours throughout the year.
The Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus: what can I do as a student?
Because, OK, work is important, but so is everything else! And that’s really important. An internship abroad, whether in Cyprus, Portugal or Malta (or even Taiwan!), means discovering a country, its culture… and having fun!
Discover Cypriot culture by visiting historic sites and attending local festivals to discover traditional music, dance and cuisine. And, you’ve got a lot to learn: we’re a long way away geographically, and you don’t hear much about Cyprus in France.
Explore the natural beauty of Cyprus by taking advantage of its magnificent beaches for relaxation and water sports, or hiking in the Troodos mountains. If you’ve got a bit of cash, you can even take a cruise to Lebanon! Don’t hesitate to consult the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to find out whether or not this is a viable option. Because between Israel and Hamas, or Hezbollah, Lebanon is not recommended at certain times.
Sample delicious Cypriot cuisine, influenced by Mediterranean flavors, and take part in cooking classes to learn how to prepare local dishes. We’ve even got a blog for that too, to introduce you to all the great things to eat and the country’s culinary culture.
Meet Cypriot people, talk to them to better understand their culture, traditions and way of life, and take part in social events to broaden your network. You don’t need to go up to the first person you meet on the street, just go to parties in bars, take part in local celebrations such as firemen’s balls and religious festivals, talk to shopkeepers, check out ERASMUS parties… any way you can to have a good time and meet as many people as possible.
Explore Cyprus’s lively cities, such as Limassol and Larnaca, discovering their shopping streets, lively cafés and entertainment venues, and take part in urban activities to fully experience Cyprus’s cosmopolitan atmosphere. And these two cities, by the way, are THE places to party hard in Cyprus: many Europeans, but also young people from the Middle East and Turkey, come here to party!
Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus: what types of businesses can I target?
The first step in determining your project and the type of company you can target is your language level. You need to know it in European terms, and if you don’t, I invite you to take the online test: it’s free, takes 20/30 minutes maximum… so let’s go!
Next, you need to determine your objectives, taking into account those of your school: what are the pedagogical expectations? These can often be adapted slightly to suit your language level. It’s obvious that a school in France won’t have the same requirements as one abroad, if you speak English like a goat (I’m not saying that all goats aren’t English-speaking, but at least… all the same).
What do you want to do next? Learn English? Learn sales techniques from another country? Work in an office? Outdoors? With local customers? Foreign? These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself, and this non-exhaustive list will help you decide which places to target: traditional retail outlets, large structures, diving clubs, clothing stores, sports equipment stores, niches, etc. There are plenty of choices open to you, so all you have to do is seize the opportunities to make the most of this superb experience that awaits you!
Finally, you’ll need to decide which city you want to go to: the capital? Or Limassol and Larnaca, by the sea? Paphos, a smaller town, but absolutely sumptuous? Or go to Mount Olympus to enjoy the history and much milder weather?
Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus: what’s it like to live in Cyprus?
The first piece of advice I can give you for going to Cyprus is to have a good budget for sun cream, and to be equipped with a hat or cap! After all, in summer, it can be as hot as 45 degrees! FORTY-FIVE! “Yeah, but I’ve got dark skin, so it’s okay” … well, no. I’ve already had quite a few young people hospitalized, in Cyprus, but also in other countries: so we don’t fool around, and we protect ourselves. The last time I was there, no one was outside from 12pm to 4pm; the sun was exhausting, so everyone took refuge indoors to wait for milder temperatures.
Next, I’d advise you to be careful when crossing the road or renting a car, as they drive on the left! Marie and I nearly got hit in the face by a 38-ton truck in our rental Twingo, and it can sting a bit. So really: be careful.
Finally, the best advice in Cyprus is to enjoy: visit Mount Olympus, splendid Paphos, Lanarca, Limassol, Nicosia … You have everything to discover, it’s a country that changes radically from one town to the next. In some villages, the doors stay open at night, even those of shops and bars! And once again, this is a real-life experience.
And if you’re wondering, why Cyprus rather than Malta? Hmm, I’d say Cyprus is more original, less touristy and therefore more fun to discover. Cyprus is also proof that Muslim and Christian cultures can cohabit without any problems, when the population doesn’t serve the interests of political cronyism (yeah, I’m kidding): and that’s something to experience!
Did this little blog motivate you to do your Bac Pro Sales internship in Cyprus? Then all you have to do is contact us! Register on the site, it’s absolutely no obligation, and someone will call you back very quickly to work with you on your internship abroad project! And if you still have questions, we’ll answer them; in the meantime, I invite you to check out the F.A.Q of the International Horizons internship abroad blog.