Looking to study abroad? Or perhaps, land a great internship that will build your resume? I never imagined I would be able to knock out both all in one program, but by participating in the Klein Global Opportunities summer internship program, I was able to!
Studying away is a life-changing experience in and of itself, and the fact that I lived in Barcelona, Spain for two months still blows me away. Klein GO partners with Global Experiences, a company dedicated to providing internships abroad for participants. Upon acceptance into the global internship program, I worked with several people from GE to strengthen my resume and cover letter and to determine my biggest strengths for employers to consider.
Based on your experience, goals and strengths, GE pairs you up with a company in the city of your choice—Temple and GE offer internships in Spain, the UK, France, China, and several cities in the U.S. I was matched up with Edelman, a global marketing communications firm. I did a Skype interview with one of Edelman Barcelona’s senior account managers, who became my boss!
Before I could hop on a plane, though, Temple’s partnership includes earning six credits by taking a two-week course prior to the internship and then completing an online class while abroad. I learned about intercultural communication in the workplace and how it applied to my internship.
But now for the fun part: BEING ABROAD. I will admit that part of my fascination with Barcelona is because of the movie The Cheetah Girls 2. Although, as someone who lives for the beach, warm weather and Spanish food, Spain was the ideal place for me. The architecture and layout of the city is unlike anything I have ever seen and it amazed me how there are buildings and streets that have been around since the 1300s.
There were over 40 people in our program, so I got to meet people from all over the world. Living away from home for eight weeks on a different continent really bonded me with these people, especially my roomates. I have made friendships that will last for the rest of my life.
I had the chance to travel to Amsterdam, Netherlands while I was there which is yet another place that captured my heart. I did program events like a bike tour, a cooking class, networking parties, and day trips to other cities in Spain.
However, it is not a constant party. First and foremost: this is a full-time internship program where everyone is expected to work hard and respect the culture. There were days when I was hesitant about my internship but once I got the hang of it, I absolutely loved it. Edelman Barcelona has such a great dynamic and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. I was able to observe how an agency works, build my writing skills and just see what a career in public relations would entail.
In conclusion, studying and interning away with Klein GO was a life-changing experience for me. The internship tested me to face challenges and discover what I love about PR and where I could go with it. Not to mention, the lifelong friendships I made, the places I encountered and culture I immersed myself in. So if you’ve ever thought about studying abroad, I encourage you to do it!
This blog post was written by Paige Kunkel, Director of Recruitment
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