Tips for preparing your internship abroad
Going abroad is always a great adventure, whether it is for a trip or for an internship. It is therefore important to be well prepared in advance to avoid any unexpected situation on the spot! This blog post is made to enlighten you and help you prepare yourself as well as possible.
The language and culture of the country :
Before leaving for an internship abroad, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the language and culture of the host country. Indeed, you will need to learn about the local language, which you may not know very well, or even at all. There are many different methods if you want to get back into the swing of things, or if you want to have some basics before you arrive in your new host country. First, you can download applications on your smartphone or computer, such as Duolingo, Babbel or Busuu. These kinds of applications are quite effective and allow both fun and interactive learning. You can learn new vocabulary, review grammar and also learn about the culture of the country in question. In addition, you can also buy a small bescherelle / dictionary so that you always have the words at hand, at any time. What also works very well, and helps with understanding, is to watch series or films in the language of your destination country. You will also be able to learn new things, while having a good time watching a program you like!
The administrative steps :
To do an internship, there is always a lot of paperwork to fill out and even more when the internship is in a foreign country. This is why, depending on the destination you are going to, it is important that you make sure that you are well informed about all the steps to take. For example, for your internship agreement, make sure that the signatures are up to date and that everything is in order at your university. Make sure that your passport or identity card is still valid, look into opening a bank account, have the European health insurance card, if your country is in the European Union. All these papers are necessary for your departure and that is why you should not waste time with all these steps. It is important that you can do it as soon as possible to avoid any stress.
Preparing your personal belongings :
To do an internship abroad, there are many things to think about, but you should not neglect packing your things in your suitcase either. First of all, you need to find out about the climate of the country and choose your clothes according to the season you are going there. Take the bare minimum and what you think is most appropriate. There is no need to pack things that you don’t expect to use. One last thing that is very important before you leave is organizing your budget. You can’t go abroad without thinking about your expenses. You will need to think about a budget that is sufficient to pay for: housing, transportation, food, extras to treat yourself from time to time and everyday needs. You can find out about the financial aid you can receive such as a grant from your region or the Erasmus Plus grant for example. These are not things to neglect in order not to run out of money.
In short, you will have understood, an internship abroad is a new adventure! And a new adventure is always prepared a minimum in advance with a good organization in order not to get lost !
Frequently asked questions to know how to prepare your internship abroad
Why do an internship abroad?
An internship abroad is a unique experience to learn new things in a new country.
How much time do I have to plan in advance?
There is no specific time to organize an internship mobility. It all depends on how well organized you are, but the sooner the better so you don’t have to panic.