Education Abroad

Program Overview

During the summer of 2022, I participated in a Fisher Global Internship (FGI) in London, England. The program was an 8 week internship abroad where beforehand we were placed with companies looking for interns in London in fields that we were interested in. We took a one credit hour course in the spring semester leading up to the internship to go over how to properly prepare for an internship abroad. Myself and around 50-60 other Ohio State students lived in an apartment complex for 2 months in London, allowing us to explore the city together and create lasting friendship. I had the chance to work for a start-up holiday home company called Lovat Parks as a data analytics intern.

The focus of the Fisher Global Internships program was to provide professional work experience in a different country, allowing us to learn relevant international business etiquette that enhances us to work with any company around the world. By immersing ourselves into the culture and work, it provides opportunities to develop and enhance skills such as cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and the ability to navigate diverse business landscapes. The program was structured in a way to allow us to get professional work experience in a different country, but since there was a visa work limit of 30 hours a week, it gave us time to really explore the city and embrace the culture.

Pre-Departure Reflection

From the time I started college, I knew that I wanted an international experience during my four years at Ohio State University. During the beginning of my sophomore year, I started researching and asking around about different options to get involved in an international experience, and through that I found out about the Fisher Global Internship program. I went to a couple information sessions and talked to the program coordinator and eventually decided to apply to the program in December. I ended deciding that I wanted to apply to the London, England program because I had been intrigued by the rich history and culture that they have in England, and I grew up a huge soccer fan watching the Premier League, so I was excited to visit and check out the world-renowned stadiums.

By the beginning of February, I had received my decision that I was accepted into the program! In order to prepare for the program, myself and the rest of the FGI cohort were enrolled in a once a week class that prepared us for an internship abroad and how to network with international business professionals. The class also prepared us for our in-country partner interviews along with company interviews for internship placement. The program coordinator Dominic DiCamillo helped out a lot during this whole process and ensured that communications with in-country partners went smoothly. I also had the chance to meet and become friends with other people in the internship program, some who were going to England and some going to other countries. Knowing other students in the England program came in handy when choosing roommates and helped us have friends to go and explore the city during the internships. The class also helped me alleviate some concerns that I had before heading over, such as visa concerns, in country transportation, and health and safety policies due to concerns of COVID-19 still abroad.

Outside of the FGI class, I prepared for my trip by applying for different scholarships and forms of funding to alleviate some of the financial burden for my parents. One way I did this was by participating in the STEP (Second Year Transformational Experience Program) Program, which provided a $2000 fellowship for second year students participating in a “transformational experience” provided we create a presentation and write a reflection. Along with this, I also applied for the Fisher Global Grant, which provided a $1500 scholarship to help students pursue their dreams of traveling abroad. Both of those definitely made my international experience more affordable and become a reality!

While Abroad Reflection

Eventually the time came where I flew into London and got settled into my apartment in Islington with my three other OSU roommates for the next two months. The first full day for us we decided to utilize the “tube” to find our offices all around London to figure out our work commute. The transition to life in London was pretty seamless as the quick start to the internship projects forced us to adapt to the lifestyle.

My boss was very passionate but also understood that my internship experience was also about immersing in the culture, which he helped in different ways. One way he would do so is sending me to different parks around the UK to see a different side of England that tourists don’t usually see. There, I had the chance to help out with social media shoots, and in my free time, explore these more rural, beautiful cities all around England like Padstow, Green Hill, Waxham, etc. Chatting with the locals working at the parks or even around the city was my favorite part of these excursions, as I would get an insight into the lives of people that I never imagined connecting with. I think one British stereotype that I came with, but was definitely disproven, was that British people are rude. Thinking back on my experiences with these locals, they were actually very helpful and kind-hearted individuals, even offering myself and friends free food or directions to places that we were headed. Also, my boss also allowed me to have a flexible work schedule, which helped me be able to visit and experience more of London. Whenever I finished up the work that needed to get done for the day, I would be able to occasionally leave the office early and check out different places around London. Sometimes I would just hop on the tube and check out unique stops that sounded interesting and walk around! Those were some of the best experiences during my time in London, as I would be able to just walk around and admire the intricate design of the city and take in everything it has to offer!

The first things I immediately noticed while working in London were the multiple different types of accents in the office and the more casual style of business. Having done an internship the summer before, my first work experience in the US was drastically differed from my UK internship experience. In the London office, there were ping pong and pool tables scattered around our WeWork office space. I noticed that although British work culture still requires hard work, their sense of work life balance was way stronger from my personal experience. Along with this, I also noticed that the camaraderie between the team members was also significantly better in British companies, as my co-workers knew each other very well and would often meet up at pubs or other events outside of work.

There were some challenges that I did have to overcome during my time in England for sure. The first one was definitely getting used to using public transport (the tube/the buses) and navigating my way around the city using it. The first couple of days I would end up taking the wrong train or going up the line instead of down and ending up further away from my destination. However, after my first week on the job, I felt more confident with the routes and started to understand how they operated. My coworkers also showed me apps called tube map and Bus London that would allow me to plot my journey and tell me exactly which trains/buses to get on and how much it would cost. Coming from the US, which has little to no public transport and being used to driving wherever I wanted to go, this was definitely a big challenge to overcome. Another challenge that I was faced with throughout my 2 month internship was periods of homesickness. Being in a setting where everything around me was so much different from what I was used to was a fun situation mostly, but at times I would definitely get a little homesick or miss my family and friends. To combat this, I made sure to call my parents and friends often, and try to share the experiences with them over text or phone. Having that communication available and having a good group of friends in London with me helped me get over my home sickness at times, which made the whole experience much more enjoyable.

After Return Reflection

The 2 month internship abroad zoomed by, and before I knew it it was coming to a close. However, reflecting upon my experiences in England, I can sum up my adventure with 3 of my biggest takeaways.

• Cultural Adaptability: Immersing myself into a different culture enhanced my ability to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives. Having this opportunity to live in a city full of rich culture like London allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the values and social norms that shape different societies. This adaptability proved crucial in navigating unfamiliar situations and building meaningful connections with people from various backgrounds.
• Self Independence: Balancing day-to-day and work tasks in an unfamiliar environment required me to adapt a heightened sense of personal responsibility. From finding groceries to navigating public transportation, I learned to take ownership of my decisions and actions, fostering a sense of accountability that I didn’t have to worry about in the US. Successfully navigating life in a foreign country boosted my confidence. The ability to adapt and thrive independently instilled a belief in my capacity to overcome obstacles, setting the stage for increased self-assurance in future endeavors.
• Professional Growth in a Global Setting: Working in a global context allowed me to develop my cultural intelligence more along with developing useful finance and business skills. The ability to navigate cultural nuances in a professional setting is a skill that I honed during my time abroad, making me better equipped for a future in an increasingly interconnected and diverse global workforce. Along with this, building connections with other interns and business professionals from around the world expanded my professional network. These connections proved valuable not only in terms of academic collaboration but also in gaining insights into different industries and potential career paths.

Overall, this experience abroad impacted me significantly and only bolstered my passion for exploring the world and learning more about different country’s cultures. This 2 month trip helped me learn a lot about myself, including my strengths and weaknesses. I found myself exceling in building connections with others, regardless of differences in cultures, and also in my situational adaptability. The experience abroad has also had a profound impact on my personal development. It challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, embrace uncertainty, and adapt to new environments. These challenges, while initially daunting, have significantly contributed to my resilience and ability to thrive in dynamic situations.

I think the best message that I can give to future students who are considering going abroad is to just embrace being uncomfortable and take advantage of any opportunity that you are presented with, because you never know what lesson you’ll learn or how your experience will be enhanced!