Fisher Summer Global Internship Program in Lisbon, Portugal

My STEP signature project took me across the Atlantic to Portugal this summer to work as an intern in the capital of Lisbon. I was a Market Research Intern for a social media software, and influencer marketing company called Primetag.

This experienced changed many of my previously held beliefs and expectations, ranging from silly and mundane to rather large. Living next to the sea I was able to try many different kinds of foods and I was surprised to discover I love sardines! (especially when grilled at one of Lisbon’s many street festivals) More than just opening my eyes to new culinary possibilities, however, this program transformed my confidence professionally and allowed me to experience a unique environment which will no doubt influence my professional life for years to come. I was able to work alongside people from five different countries, and many more cultural backgrounds. I saw firsthand how people with vastly different working styles can collaborate to make an office run smoothly, or not, and how to deal with challenges and accomplishments as they arise.

One of the biggest challenges I expected when working in Portugal would be the language barrier. I don’t speak Portuguese and I didn’t expect my coworkers to bend over backward to accommodate a temporary employee. When I met my coworkers, however, I realized because of the international breakdown of my team speaking English was actually an important asset. My fellow interns hailed from France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, but we could all communicate in English. Additionally, being the only native English speaker I was able to turn the language barrier into a tool that allowed me to take on more responsibilities, lending some of my time to the copy marketing and PR side of the operations writing and editing a slew of Primetag’s materials. This experience helped me to see my differences as potential benefits to myself and any future employer rather than detriments.

Some of my coworkers and people I came across, understandably, were less inclined to speak English. I used this challenge to find ways to connect with people in different ways. I wanted to ensure my coworkers feel my appreciation for them so I decided to connect in a much more universal way, food! I made a 4th of July barbeque lunch for my office to give them a taste of America. Lo and behold my plan worked, one of the employees that I hadn’t had a good chance to connect with prior bonded with me over chocolate chip cookies, which shockingly are not readily available in Portugal. I really enjoyed having this chance to create an environment where it was easier to connect with someone who wasn’t as comfortable due to the language barrier between us.

Another challenge that arose from cultural differences in the office came from a lack of communication regarding both short and long-term goal setting. I didn’t initially feel comfortable asking for more concrete directions, but after gathering the courage to meet with my boss to create an explicit plan I felt much more fulfilled with my work and could offer more to the office. This helped me understand that any perceived inconsistencies in expectations will lead both sides to gain less from the work being done. Taking initiative to clear up any doubts in expectations gave both sides of the working transaction more satisfaction at the end of the day.

This change gave me more confidence to work with people of different backgrounds because I know how to connect and create strong personal and professional relationships that transcend our perceived differences. I hope this opportunity will help me strengthen personal and professional relationships in the future. Beyond making some amazing friends and coworkers this summer I learned so much about how I best  function as a member of an office.