Introduction
California and Cairo are on your mind, but is career growth in your way? Everyone wants to live out their fantasy in a foreign land, embracing the unique culture and experiencing everything it has to offer. Regardless of whether you prefer lush green mountains or refreshing beaches, travel is sure to beckon you.
Travel is essential, just like literature and hugs. Travel brings a version of you that would not exist otherwise. It brings a great deal of adaptability, from asking directions at the airport to understanding what to order from a plethora of dishes that sound wildly unfamiliar. It brings the superior responsibility of taking care of yourself from known and unknown dangers.
Doing an international internship abroad fosters sociability, professional growth, and adaptability, much like travel. However, unlike roaming around somewhere, interning abroad isn’t a leisure activity. You would have a rigid structure for daily and weekly objectives, with tasks to prepare for and research, and you must be consistent in both your performance and demeanour.
Having said that, interning abroad, preferably in a new country, brings endless opportunities to quench that irresistible thirst for exploration. Capital Placement has over a decade of experience curating opportunities for our interns across London, New York, and Singapore. We are pro-socialisation and encourage our interns to interact and connect with others. We have interns within our community sharing their experience travelling with a group in places such as Snowdonia.
We have covered countless articles on how to focus on your internship abroad, but this one is particular to how you can find time in your short duration abroad to wander and explore the place.
Make the Most of Your Weekends
Your weekends are the best window to fit your fun activities within the city. More often than not, your internship can get a handful over the week, but doing a good job throughout the week means you have the weekend to yourself. If you utilise the correct information and prepare well in advance, then the weekend is all you need to satisfy your wanderlust.
Plan Around Public Holidays: All countries have public holidays. If it falls on a Friday or a Monday, you have a long weekend ahead of you. In cities like London, that time would be sufficient to take a night train to Edinburgh, explore the place, and come back in time for work.
Sync Your Plans With Local Festivals: The best experience any place can offer is their cultural immersion. Stay tuned for local festivities, neighbourhood activities, and community events. You not only create everlasting memories but also get authentic impressions of what the city and its lifestyle were like.
Reserve Spots Ahead: If you’re interning in a much bigger city than what you are commonly used to, then chances are that you are getting familiar with a much bigger crowd than usual. Make it a habit to reserve your accommodation, flights, and other components in advance before your confirmed trip to get cheaper rates and better availability
Go Local on a Budget
It is natural to be overwhelmed by the multitude of things to do within a new city, splurge on elite experiences and live your ‘Emily in Paris’ life. However, the truth is that, especially when you are young and earning a minimal income through your internship, the best option for you is to immerse yourself in the local culture. Explore your surroundings in the immediate neighbourhood, join a community, etc. Here’s how you can do so:
Day Trips & Walking Tours: Many popular internship destinations, such as London, Berlin, or New York, host an exemplary public transport system that can take you to faraway places quickly. Research free walking tours in your desired destination or weekend hikes that will provide the perfect recharge.
Avail Student Discounts: From public transportation to restaurants, these cities also offer student and intern discounts. Utilising many of these facilities also brings you into the right circle, where you can meet more people of your age and background.
Join Expat Communities: Numerous groups on Facebook, Reddit, and Instagram organise weekly hangouts, day trips, and fun activities. All you have to do is knock!
In Summary
Chasing the perfect internship abroad involves several key components. Of those, one of the biggest that gets tethered is the prospect of travelling and exploring the new destination, along with your internship duration.
While keeping your internship goals at the forefront, you can also incorporate learning a few things mutually from your internship experience and travel, such as communication and adaptability, among others.
Your best bet is to make the most of your weekends. They can be stretched to your advantage depending on underlying public holidays or local festivities that fall closer to the weekend. Another approach is to stick to your budget when exploring, confining your search to your immediate locality, trying budget-friendly areas and transportation options, and taking advantage of student or intern discounts.
If you’re interested in interning in London, New York, or Singapore and are eager to experience an inclusive atmosphere of work and travel, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team at Capital Placement will help you identify your career pathway.
