Meet Sam in New York!
"I visited the Niagara Falls with a colleague who is also an intern at the company. However, one of the most impactful events I visited was the Global Citizen Festival. This music festival is organized by a lot of different communities and organizations who are part of a movement to end extreme poverty and inequality. Around 50 of the most international known celebrities attend this event, I saw for example Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Tedder, Carole King, Kelly Clarkson, Pharrell Williams etc. The most memorable moment was when Alicia Keys started to sing New York, I had the feeling that I truly made it."
Sam, 22 years old, is studying Business Administration and just finished his 5 month internship in New York City! Read more about his experiences here:
Why did you choose to go abroad?
As a kid in high school, I always felt the need to take on challenges. It was 4 years ago that I started saving money and building my professional background. After I had earned valuable knowledge during my studies, I felt that I was ready for this challenge.
How did you find your internship?
First, I viewed the options that my University was offering and I did some research myself. Eventually I started to look for an agency which can find me a high-quality internship and luckily, I found Stage-USA.
How do you feel about your internship so far?
The first thing I noticed is that the company’s workflow is really different than the companies I have worked for in the Netherlands. I had very different expectations than what the company had, as I thought I would immediately be involved in different processes. I took Stage-USA’s advice and talked to my family, friends and other people as well as with my supervisor about how I would love to be involved in more tasks. After the first 4 introductory weeks, I started to get more involved in the conversations and I started to work on a few of my own projects. It was an important lesson to have a lot of patience and willingness to adjust to the expectations of the company in the beginning of the internship.
How does the American culture differ from your culture and what has impressed you the most?
I work at a restaurant group that is all about food quality and customer experience. It was interesting how different the industry is in the States compared to the Netherlands. For example, the impact of tips can be huge on the work dynamic. I was surprised that waiters and waitresses can earn less than minimum wage but with the tips their salary can be as much as a manager would make.
Could you take us through a day? What is your routine?
An average day would start at 7.30 am. I take a shower, get ready and take the subway. On my way to work, I always go through the downtown area and see the Freedom Tower which is in my opinion the most beautiful tower in Manhattan. When I arrived at work, I first start with a few daily tasks. Around 12 there will be a lunch break and I’ll get lunch from one of the restaurant locations. Because there are 7 locations in NYC this also gives me the opportunity to explore the city. After lunch, I start working on projects which is the most engaging part of the day. Around 5, I finish the tasks and on a Friday I would drink some beers with friends.
What is your housing situation?
I live in Brooklyn in a shared apartment with 3 American students. Before this, I booked a hotel room for 5 days and started searching and checking on different options as I believed it would be easier to find accommodation once I was already here. If I may give one tip: if you start searching for an apartment 5 days before you go to New York and book a hotel for the first week this is perfectly do able. Most rooms that are available will be taken in 2 till 7 days.
Have you made any trips so far? (Or have you trips planned/in mind?)
I visited the Niagara Falls with a colleague who is also an intern at the company. However, one of the most impactful events I visited was the Global Citizen Festival. This music festival is organized by a lot of different communities and organizations who are part of a movement to end extreme poverty and inequality. Around 50 of the most international known celebrities attend this event, I saw for example Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Tedder, Carole King, Kelly Clarkson, Pharrell Williams etc. The most memorable moment was when Alicia Keys started to sing New York, I had the feeling that I truly made it. In the upcoming months, I am planning to visit Boston and Washington DC.
What are your future plans?
After I get back to the Netherlands, I will have some time to think about what I would really want to do next. I am feeling less pressure to do things that people will expect of me and to do the same that classmates would do. As of now, I believe I will finish my studies first, do a pre-master program and after that complete a master’s program. There are a lot of different paths I can take from there. One of them might even be to go back and work in New York again!
How has this experience abroad helped you grow both professionally and personally?
This experience abroad taught me how to react and deal with difficult and uncommon situation. I also learnt a lot about myself as I have not seen myself in such a new experience before. It gave me some time to reflect on my normal actions because most things I would normally do are not that normal abroad.
Why would you recommend others to do their internship/traineeship abroad?
Well, I don’t want to say what everybody says so let’s answer this question a little different than usual. Yes, every internship is an experience in itself and yes, every internship is a learning experience. However, I think it’s safe to say that you won’t experience such an adventure, such an experience and learn so much about yourself if you don’t go abroad. There were a lot of ‘first times’ during the internship abroad and it will certainly be a challenge, but it was all worth it without a doubt. There is not a single moment I regret my decision to go and I am very thankful that I was in the position to have the opportunity to do an internship abroad.
If you could express your internship experience in three words, what would these be?
Patience, Self-development and Dynamic
