If someone had told me, a Mexican immigrant, that I was going to intern abroad in Barcelona, Spain through Absolute Internship last summer, I never would have believed them. Fast forward a year and I’m now interning in Spain for the second time as the Program Coordinator in Madrid for Absolute Internship. To say that both experiences abroad have been life-changing is quite an understatement.
Before my first internship abroad experience, I had always dreamed of becoming an immigration lawyer. With the help of Absolute Internship, I interned at the immigration department at a law firm in Barcelona, where I built connections with legal professionals from five European countries. I also grew my legal writing skills and worked in a Spanish-speaking environment.
What I felt last year was something I’d never experienced before. I was meeting people from all over the world, experiencing a new culture, learning about different business methods and finding myself throughout the process. What I witnessed was outstanding. Spanish culture is so unique, yet very similar to Mexican culture. I was moved by their lifestyle, including the way they value life over work, the after-work dinners and hangouts with friends, their endless sun hours and their openness and curiosity.
This summer, I spent the first three weeks of my internship at our Barcelona headquarters and I was excited to continue exploring the city that made me fall in love with traveling. I discovered new things about myself with the other program coordinators. They came from over 15 countries, which helped me with cultural immersion and adapting to a global perspective. My favorite memories came from us having group dinners and participating in group bonding activities, like canoeing in Parc de La Ciutadella, trying foods at local farmer’s markets and showing each other a bit of our culture.
After the first three weeks, we went to Madrid to prepare for student arrivals and I was absolutely amazed by the culture in Madrid. As a Mexican immigrant with a very strong “Norteño,” or Northern accent, I’ve always felt welcome here in Madrid. Locals have welcomed me with open arms each and every day. After almost eight weeks in Madrid, I can say that it’s one of the most underrated destinations in our programs. Experiencing the vibrant energy while walking down the streets of Gran Via, visiting the Chueca and La Latina neighborhoods, going to rooftops every other day, getting tapas with friends and interacting heavily with native residents and others, is indescribable.
I love hearing the debate between Barcelona and Madrid and I’ll always be on Madrid’s side because of its dedication to authentic food, cultural scenes and medieval charm, even if it has no beach in the hot summer days. Additionally, it is impossible to run out of things to do in Madrid because it’s so big. My favorite thing to do in Madrid is to go with the flow because I’ve found amazing places just by wandering around. I have enjoyed experiencing Spanish pride by watching Spain play in the European Championship, celebrating pride and exchanging cultural aspects with locals.
Needless to say, being in Madrid has been a scary experience for me because I didn’t have many friends here, but after putting myself out there and stepping out of my comfort zone, I’ve made amazing friendships with locals. Students should feel comfort knowing that even if they go alone they will meet amazing people through the Absolute Internship program. From the interns to locals, the interactions are always a gift.
As a college student who has been both an Absolute intern and a program coordinator, I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced both perspectives. One of my favorite parts about this role is that I get to talk to the interns in Madrid about their internships and their personal growth and witness how they’re changing and having the time of their lives because the same thing happened to me last year.
Additionally, being able to go on company visits and witness exactly where the interns are working and speaking with their supervisors and the interns about the experience has been beautiful for me. These past 12 weeks have been immensely rewarding for me, as they reassured me that I want to continue traveling the world.
My time in Spain, both last and this year, has made me excited to move here upon graduation next spring to continue inspiring students like me, who never thought they could go abroad, to take that first step and advance in their professional development. I feel incredibly fortunate for these experiences and for the opportunity to have lived in two of the most important Spanish cities.
My biggest advice to anyone who is interning abroad is to be on top of communication with your supervisor to ensure success, and to make friends with the locals. Forming friendships with people in the same program as you is very special, but making the effort to make friends with locals is just as important. And finally, don’t forget to cherish the time you have in your city. It may seem like four, eight or 12 weeks is a lot, but when you are dedicating time to your internship and living your life, time will fly by and you won’t even realize it.
Nothing makes me happier and brings me more peace than knowing that soon, I’ll be moving to the country that changed my perspective on life. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being home in a place so far away from home.
This post was contributed by Alexandra Sandoval Flores, a Global Ambassador for Summer 2024. Alexandra is a senior psychology studies major interning abroad in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain.
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