He’s currently sitting in Brussels munching on waffles and fries and working at ESN, Europe’s largest student network. For us, Stefan will summarize his experiences as a Global Intern in Sydney this winter, after he was able to get a taste of everyday EF work for two months at our headquarters in Zurich.
With a bachelor’s degree in European Studies and a ton of international experience – he’s studied in the Netherlands and Turkey and worked in Belgium – Stefan’s next challenge is all about learning to surf down under and avoiding poisonous spider bites in the Australian jungle avoid.
Despite his busy schedule, Stefan kindly took some time to answer our questions. We are interested in: What was it really like, this cross-continental, border-crossing and horizon-expanding experience?
Q: YOUR GLOBAL INTERNAL EXPERIENCE IS NOT OVER YET. WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER MOST FROM THIS POINT?
A: It is difficult to choose one out of so many impressive experiences. Maybe the moment when I walked to the train station on my last day in Zurich and realized that the first two months were already over.
My first day at the EF office in Zurich was also really exciting!
Q: WHAT DID YOU LEARN IN ZURICH? AND IN BRUSSELS? AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN IN SYDNEY?
A: In Zurich I learned a lot about online marketing and was able to benefit from the multicultural working environment and corporate culture.
At ESN I was able to apply much of what I learned during my studies to research projects related to student and EU affairs.
This was particularly interesting because I wrote my bachelor’s thesis on this topic. In Sydney I would like to learn to surf and of course find out how an EF language school actually works.
Q: WHAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU GAINED IN ADDITION TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR FROM YOUR REMAINING TIME?
A: I have always wanted to travel to Australia. Thanks to the internship, I will be able to fulfill this personal dream.
Another personal goal is to return home from Australia without being bitten or stung by one of the many poisonous animals there. I hope I can do that.
Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THIS INTERNSHIP?
A: Definitely, that it is so international and that I have the opportunity to live in such fascinating cities. It’s also fantastic that I was able to choose one of the cities myself.
Q: HOW WILL THIS INTERNSHIP BENEFITS YOUR CAREER?
A: It will definitely help me find my career and of course it will look great on my CV.
Aside from that, I learned a lot about how big companies work and what I want to focus on, not only in the job itself, but also when looking for a job.
Q: WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS? AND WHAT WILL YOU DO THEN?
A: Five years is a long time. I hope to work in a large company where EF would be a good choice. I want a job where I can be creative and independent.
Considering that in less than two years I will have lived in six different countries when I return from Sydney, I can’t imagine where I will be.
And with that in mind: Stefan, we wish you lots of happiness and satisfaction for your entire future. Don’t forget: the world is your oyster.
Are you also looking for an exciting internship? Then feel free to take a look our careers page over.
