International Horizons is a specialist in internships abroad! Through our profession but also through our experience: a whole team of globe-trotters is at your service to make your experience a success. And, to help you avoid a few mistakes and make your internship abroad go as smoothly as possible, we have a few tips. We’ll give you a top 8 list to make your internship abroad a success! Let’s GO the Friend!
1 – Find out about cultural codes
It’s all very silly, but this advice is really worth considering! We all have different cultural codes, and you don’t have to go to the end of the world to realize it. For example, when you cross the road, you raise your hand to say thank you. In France it’s normal; in Greece, the same sign is equivalent to cursing a person over 5 generations. You might as well say that your politeness is then perceived as the ultimate insult to Life!
2 – Prepare yourself well for your internship project abroad
To succeed in your internship abroad, you need a minimum of preparation. You don’t approach Slovenia, as you can approach Australia. Already the laws concerning internships are radically different, and above all, the standard of living. In Australia, without a minimum monthly budget of 1000€ we strongly advise against leaving. It is therefore imperative, when choosing your internship destination, to compare rental prices for example. The best way to get an idea is to compare the prices of tobacco and BigMac: true.
3 – Ask questions
Whose? To people who may have international experience. A departure is always very exciting. However, many of us, once the excitement is over, will give in to nostalgia for home. Wrong! We all go through this phase, we just have to detach ourselves, and get it into our heads that this experience abroad is limited in time, to maximize the benefits of being there!
4 – Prepare your papers
Hey. Silly advice perhaps, but oh so useful. Our advice: scan your IDs, plane tickets, student IDs, and all the trivia. Then send them to an email address you can check from abroad. If you lose your papers, at least you’ll have them available to go to the embassy and you won’t have to waste a lot of time.
5 – Learn the emergency numbers
Leslie and Magi System warned us: “In life you never know”. Prudence is the mother of safety, as we are told by those with foresight, and we give them credit: by knowing the emergency numbers, it can prevent you from panicking or get you out of a bad situation. Lose 2 minutes learning the numbers to save precious time in case of a glitch.
6 – Your allergies
Tip number 6 doesn’t apply to all of us, but it’s useful! To go on an internship abroad, we strongly advise you VERY strongly to have your allergies translated and keep the paper on you. If something happens to you on the spot, we let you imagine that, in all simplicity, it can save your life!
7 – Consult the tourist office
Consult the tourist office online! It’s free, simple and effective: the opportunity to make the most of your internship abroad is still to discover the heritage and culture of the country that welcomes you. Travelling abroad is becoming more and more common and simple, and even cheap. But, there are so many things to visit, that wasting time would almost be a crime.
8 – Enjoy!
Finally, our last piece of advice to make your internship abroad a success is to PROFIT A MAXIMUM!
Did you like this article ‘tips for a successful internship abroad’? If you’re struggling to find your internship abroad, all you have to do is register! We’ll help you, without obligation, Friend! Ciao bello!
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