GRIP, Internships Abroad Five Things I Wish I Knew Before My Internship Abroad

Chatham House - London, England

It's probably fair to say that I barreled into my internship abroad, rather than landing gracefully. Here are 5 things that might have helped things go more smoothly, if only I'd known then what I know now: 

1.   Getting to work on your first day will not be as easy as you think – I got lost on my way to work this summer just about every day for the first week. I was living close enough to walk and to save the three pounds and experience a bit of the city, I threw myself into striding down the winding streets of London every day to make my way to work. The catch? I didn't have cellular data. Following screenshots of my planned route did not get me there in exactly the estimated time. If you're at all navigationally challenged like me, leave a half hour earlier than you'd expect to, and if you arrive to your office early, go to a coffee shop around the corner. You'd be surprised how little time for coffee you'll have.

2.   Different countries have different caffeinated beverage norms – I didn't go to a Starbucks once this summer. Where I worked, Café Nero was the bread and butter of everyday life. And everyone went to the break room for at least 3 cups of tea a day (normally one in the morning, two in the afternoon). The bad news? These new norms left me buzzing 24 hours a day. The good news? Turns out, Café Nero has really good coffee. 

3.   Different countries have different business attire expectations – One of the most nerve-wracking things I did this summer was to try to choose what to wear for my first day of work. Do women wear heels? Blazers? A full suit? If I had it all to do over again, this is what I would tell myself: Wear something versatile. There are a few things that can be more or less fancy depending on the situation. My key lessons: a pair of black pants can be formal or casual; wearing two layers (a nice top as well as a jacket) means you can adapt how formal you look once you arrive and can assess how everyone else is dressing; a pair of low-wedge heels means you can fit in if women wear heels, but also not look ridiculous if they don't. Maybe shape-shifters are real after all. 

4.   Most of the "tourist" attractions you want to do will probably be closed when you get out of work– It didn't occur to me coming from college, where we have so much free time during the day – when you're working nine to six, everyone is working nine to six, including all of the places you want to go when you're not working. This means that you need to be clever about scheduling that museum you really wanted to go to, or that shop you wanted to stop by. Most museums and shops have one day a week when they're open later than normal (for people like you). Find out ahead of time and plan! 

5.   Be careful of how much traveling you plan – It can be easy to get excited about planning trips about everywhere you want to go in Europe when you go abroad in London. But be careful that you don't book so many trips that you miss London itself. Working a full-time internship during the week means that you won't be able to experience London during the week as you would during the weekend. Value that time, and make sure you experience fully the place you're in. There are so many things to find.