Erica Kurtzman, London Internship Program–Management Track

Internship doing executive recruiting for the finance industry, Spring 2012

I Learned: I learned how to travel. It may seem silly, but when you are on your own in a new city or cities without your parents, it takes trial and error to learn how to make the most of the short time you have in any one location.  Each city has its own unique offerings and I enjoyed learning how to dive into the attractions, arts, and especially cuisine of each one I visited.

I also learned how to manage work and fun.  Although this has been the challenge of my whole college career, studying abroad escalated this.  I knew I only had four months to cram as much of London and the rest of Europe into my Facebook albums, but sometimes I had to stop and remember I was still “studying” abroad.  I  learned when it was time for a new adventure in London and when I had to still write that paper.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: My office in London was a lot more relaxed than an office in America.  They were more lenient about lunch breaks and the office was a lot more social.  They often side-tracked and talked about outside work during the work day.  My current office still goes out for happy hour, but we save social interactions for outside work hours. I have not decided if the “European way” is more or less productive, but it is definitely different.

Hardest Part: Never being settled.  Although I loved my dorm and friends, I was constantly packing, unpacking, traveling and doing something new.  I would not change that if I did the program again, but it was hard sometimes never having a week or two of doing “nothing.”

Best Part: London was and always will be the best part of my study abroad in London.  I loved traveling to new cities, but I absolutely fell in love with London while I was there.  The sheer number of attractions there are to take advantage, paired with the culture and history of the city make it the best part of my study abroad.  I still feel that I need to go back just to appreciate the city itself again.

Andrew Berkman, Sydney Internship Program—Business & Econ Track

Intern in Sports Marketing with the Australian Rugby Union, Spring 2012

Internship: After arriving in Sydney, I got an interview and accepted my internship with the Australian Rugby Union within Community Rugby, a department that promotes the sport across the country to school-aged children, organizing tournaments and Gala Days.  Another intern and I also had the opportunity to work at the National Women’s Sevens Rugby Championship.

I Learned: The study abroad experience taught me more than I truly expected.  I learned the Australian people are some of the most hospitable and entertaining people I have met, and their culture is truly unique.  I also figured out where I may want to live to pursue a career following graduation.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: Since most of my internship experiences prior to the semester were finance related, they were vastly different from my experience with the Australian Rugby Union.  My two finance internships were in much larger work environments with more hierarchical and strict company cultures, while the ARU was more organic.  The Rugby Union was absolutely open to new ideas and opinions from a foreign intern.  On Thursdays we also had the opportunity to play touch rugby with our fellow colleagues including former players and current Wallabies coaches.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of the experience was by far budgeting my money.  Australia is an extremely expensive country; however, the experiences we shared were absolutely worth it.  It’s an amazing place.

Best Part: The best part of my experience was renting a car with two of my friends for the weekend surfing and swimming Byron Bay and then hiking around the rain forests of Southern Queensland.  I also spent a week at the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest snorkeling, hiking, skydiving and bungee jumping. I could go on forever about my positive experience and the friends I made during the program.

Emmily Hu, London Internship Program—Management Track

Intern in Finance at Venn Group, Spring 2012

Internship: Billings & Account Management and Credit Control Intern at Venn Group (www.venngroup.com)

 I Learned: Concentrating in Accounting and Finance at SMG, I never thought about taking a class on the E.U. All that ever mattered was the American government. Learning about another system really opened my eyes to methods other than “the American way” (similarities, differences, pros and cons, etc). Also, the class trip to Brussels was an amazing experience that introduced me to the E.U facilities and allowed me to listen to first hand accounts on what working in the E.U is like.

Additionally, working with British locals, allowed me to experience the different methods they use to carry out what may be the same tasks as in the States and to get a sense of what they consider humor. (They can be very blunt sometimes. I learned to not take anything too personally or offensively.) Working with the Brits was a blast. (Believe it or not, I started to pick up the British accent!)

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: The Brits like to take their time and check things over and over again. I feel like when Americans are given tasks, we would like to finish it as quickly as possible, get things done, then move on to whatever comes next. Also, the technology where I worked was not as fast as I experience in the States. (I once had to wait a good ten minutes for a program to start up, only to have it freeze in the middle and have to restart my computer.)

Another thing which I noticed at the office where I interned was the level of friendliness. Everyone was very comfortable with each other and top level managers were not hard to reach or “scary” at all. I met the CEO of the company my first day there, and the CFO sat at his desk 10 feet from where I sat. If someone had a question, he/she would simply ask the question out loud and whoever had the answer would just shout out the answer.

Another unique aspect was the amount of motivation provided by higher level managers to the employees. The last Friday of every month a party would be thrown from 3 to 5pm at the office. At each party, there would be a competition between four groups of employees put together randomly. One competition, which I judged, required each team to invent a mobile device from everyday household items. Whichever team created a device that could travel furthest across the office floor won a free lunch with our CFO and 50 Vennture points, company points that could be redeemed for prizes – movie tickets, weekend trips, etc. Although everyone was very competitive (they bribed me with sweets and coffee), people laughed and mingled throughout the party, which included free cheese and crackers and champagne. Where in the States can you find something like that happening?

Hardest Part: Being so far away from home for such a long period of time. At the beginning, I would listen to my roommates complain about how homesick they were, and I would not understand why they would want to go home when they just got to London. By my 3rd month there, I couldn’t wait to come back to the States. Although I Skyped with my family once a week, I still missed them greatly. I still do not regret going abroad for a semester. It was an experience of a lifetime!

Best Part: Getting a chance to explore not only London but also some of the amazing cities in neighboring countries as well. I traveled to Brussels in Belgium, Paris in France, Barcelona in Spain, and Rome, Florence, and Pisa in Italy. Seeing and experiencing the different cultures and historical aspects in all locations was priceless. Going to all these places while studying abroad was only a taste. It made me promise myself that I would definitely go back to experience all the other things which I did not have a chance to due to time limitations.

Evelyn Gross, Madrid Internship Program–Business & Econ Track

Plaza Mayor in Madrid

Editorial Intern at Glamour Magazine, Spring 2012

Internship: I interned at Glamour Magazine as an editorial intern reporting to the Editor in Chief of the Fashion Section of the magazine. I translated interviews with designers from English into Spanish, managed the credits for photo spreads, and got to help choose shoes for a photo shoot about a trend in plastic shoes.

I Learned: I learned how to assimilate into a new culture and learn the cultures and values. I also learned how to travel: packing light, figuring out buses and trains in foreign countries, and seeing the highlights of a city in a short time.

Comparing/Contrasting to Other Work Experiences: The work environment in my internship abroad was far less structured than any internship I have had in the US. I had to ask constantly for responsibility as opposed to being assigned tasks to work on for the day.

Hardest Part: The hardest part for me was learning a foreign language. I knew Spanish from taking various classes at BU but had never been forced to communicate in it. It took a lot of getting used to to converse in Spanish at all of my meals eaten with my host family, in the work environment at my internship, and socially when I went out. Although it was the hardest part of my experience, it was also the most rewarding. By the end of my study abroad experience, I was shocked by how easily I could communicate in Spanish! I felt very proud of myself.

Best Part: The best part of my experience was living with a host family. I was nervous about living with a host family, but it proved to be a wonderful way to learn about the Spanish culture first-hand. I vastly improved my Spanish because I ate lunch and dinner with my family every day. I also was made to feel like a part of their family and got to go my host brother’s school play, do makeovers at my host sister’s sleepover party, and attend my host mom’s work party with many Spanish diplomats. My experience felt so authentic because I was part of the Menchón family.

Alec Fong, Madrid Management Internship Program

Alec’s Homestay location

Intern in Accounting and Hospitality in the Restaurant and Hotel Industries, Spring 2012

Internships: I had a pretty interesting experience with the internships. At first, I was placed in the accounting department of a company that owned a group of restaurants. A lot of the work was basic, but that’s because the company wanted to ensure that I had a good work ethic and could prove myself before giving me other responsibilities. I had a previous internship in accounting back here in the United States, so I asked to be put in another accounting internship.

My second internship was helping out the manager of a restaurant and learning about running a restaurant. That included verifying bills, helping customers, and the like. Due to complications with management there, I was moved to a hostel where I was a receptionist. That was by far my favorite job as I got to interact with many different travelers from different parts of the world. I even checked in a guest in on my own and explained all the rules of the hostel. Maybe the only down side to this internship was that I spoke a lot of English since it is a very international language. Although I had these experiences, the internship placement team over in Madrid will always work with students to make sure they’re content with what they’re doing.

I Learned: In the Madrid program, we were all placed into home stays, unlike other programs where students were all bunched together in a dorm. For this reason, I learned how to be extremely independent and not afraid to ask questions to get where I needed to be or to find out how to do something I needed to do. This ranged from cultural interactions to asking which train to take to get home. I also learned how to communicate effectively in another language (expressions, study terms, slang, etc)! There is no other substitute to being surrounded by those who speak the native language.

Comparing/Contrasting to Other Work Experiences: Spain was very different. A lot of the technology was older than that in the United States. People there were generally more relaxed about their jobs and followed tradition. Smaller shops opened around 9/10am, closed for a long lunch from about 2pm-4/5pm, and re-opened until closing time at around 7pm or earlier. Banks closed around 2pm every day and were rarely open on the weekends.

Hardest Part: Studying at a university level in Spanish was probably on the top of my list. Learning finance terms in Spanish wasn’t easy, but some parts were easier since numbers are the same in every language. Professors were generally more willing to help international students, but it was still difficult since some class grades were based off of one cumulative final exam. (I believe this system is getting changed next year.) Study hard!

Best Part: Adjusting to the Spanish culture and living in Spain for five whole months was the absolute best part of my experience. I learned to study in another language, explore the city like a local and know the transportation system like the back of my hand. Being in Europe for that long also meant that I got exposure to a variety of different cultures as well as the opportunity to be able to travel to neighboring countries.

Eduardo De La Garza Sanchez, Madrid Summer Internship Program

Intern in Marketing at the Factory of Entrepreneurs, Summer 2012

Internship:  I interned at an incubator called the Factory of Entrepreneurs. There I proposed a strategic market positioning, based upon field research focused around entrepreneurs, an incubator benchmark and an aligned vision of the incubator, itself.

I Learned: I learned that being consistent and dedicated are always two factors that emanate positive outcomes in all cultures. I also learned that being authentic to who you are and where you are from will provide a great cultural component to your workspace.

Comparing/Contrasting to Other Work Experiences: I noticed that businesses are bread and grown with day-to-day, consistent hard work, but unlike any other internship I had before, in Madrid I was asked for the highest level of achievement and an open opportunity to approach my own set of tasks.

Hardest Part:  Learning that to be productive, sometimes you must decide which battles you want to fight, even if it means leaving out projects that you’re really passionate about.

Best Part: Being able to intern at such an amazing place, with such an amazing set of people that truly cared about my development both as a professional and as an individual.

Caroline Gass, Dresden University Studies Program

Dresden, Germany: University Studies, Spring 2011

Reason for Program Selection: I am planning on doing the dual degree program with German and concentrating in international management within SMG. My goal is to work for an international firm, working both in the United States and Germany.

I Learned: There are many opportunities abroad for American students beyond university programs. BU study abroad is an amazing experience, and it taught me that you don’t only have to spend one semester abroad. There are other international student programs, internships, and jobs possible for American students that you could take advantage of after graduation or during the summer.

Moreover, study abroad changed a lot about my outlook on life. The world suddenly feels smaller. I think this is partly because you meet people from all over, which really broadens your horizons, and because you travel so much, seeing and experiencing new cultures.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of my experience was figuring out what classes to take in Germany. The registration system is very confusing and different from BU. My advice is to plan out what you think you might want to take and to also ask for help from your advisor when you get there.

Best Part: The best part was the growth and independence I experienced throughout the semester while traveling, meeting new friends, and exploring a wonderful city. Learning German in Germany was the best educational part of the experience; there is no other way to really improve your language. It’s impossible to pinpoint one “best” part of study abroad, but it has been the best experience of my life thus far.

Stephanie Pepper, Sydney Internship & LA Internship Programs

Santa Monica Roller Blading

Sydney: Intern in Media and PR at The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, Spring 2011

Internship: The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is a non-profit governmental organization that puts on the largest set of events in the Southern Hemisphere called the Sydney Royal Competitions.  The largest event they put on is called the Sydney Royal Easter show, which is a two week long event in April that took place after my internship had ended, but my supervisor asked me to come back and participate, which I was thrilled about.  I worked in the press box on the Sydney Olympic Showground with all the different media outlets.  I was able to work one-on-one with radio stations, the local 7 news channel, and the Disney Channel, helping to pitch story ideas they should run.  I was also able to make YouTube videos about the different days of the show and host interviews with the show talent to create press releases.  To this day I remain very good friends with those I worked for, and even the show talent, including the world’s smallest strong man, “Goliath.”

L.A.: Intern in Publicity for NBCUniversal at Bravo and at Shop Talk Los Angeles, Spring 2012

Internship: I assisted the publicist on site with interviews and live tapings as well as at the NBCUniversal Summer Press Junket.  I was also responsible for creating the press book for the series debut of the “Shahs of Sunset.”  In addition, I was an intern at a start up called Shop Talk Los Angeles.  The founder of the company was a BU alum, and it was such an incredible experience learning from her.  I was able to work directly with clients and vendors, creating partnership marketing proposals and recap reports.  I also managed pro-bono client Children’s Miracle Network and their Extra Life initiative which is a 24-hour gameathon.

I Learned: Living in another city, whether nationally or internationally, provides tremendous insight on the different backgrounds and cultures of other people.  Immersing yourself in a totally new place and living the way other people do is eye opening.  Whether you enjoy the experience or not (which I did) at the very least, you learn about different people, you learn about yourself, and you meet people you would never have expected to.

Comparing/Contrasting My Work Experiences: Comparing my two abroad working experiences, given that one was national and one was international, there are a couple differences I have noticed.  In Australia, I was able to contribute to the final outcome of significant projects and events.  I was pitching story ideas and editorial angels as well as writing full press releases with very little oversight. I enjoyed the creative license I was given.  This experience actually was similar to my experience working at the start up company in LA.  My boss always encouraged me to participate in contribute ideas during client meetings.  While I appreciated the autonomy I was given in Australia, as an intern, it is also important to ask for feedback in order to grow.  My business experience in the U.S. may not have had as much autonomy, but the training programs in place provided a great learning opportunity for me.  No matter the differences between home and abroad, the one commonality is myself, and what I chose to make of the experience.  If given more autonomy, I still need to be proactive and ask for feedback.  If given a lot of oversight, I need to feel confident in asking for more responsibility.  Unequivocally, Australian and American approaches to work and the respective cultural mind set behind each, are both positive and negative in their own right.  With that, no matter what it is that I do or where it is that I work, being proactive and maintaining a balance is key.

Hardest Part: Coming home!  I call it “re-culture” shock.

Best Part: All of the adventures we were able to go on.  In Australia we went to surf camp, we played with kangaroos and petted koalas. We were also walking distance from some of the most beautiful beaches and nature you will ever see. 


Tianfeng Sun, London Internship Program—Econ & Finance Track

This is how, where and when you fall in love with London.

Intern in Finance at Omerta Group, Summer 2012

Internship: In London, I did my internship in the Omerta Group. As an intern, I had several tasks during my tenure including researching candidates, looking up information online and on Bloomberg, answering phones, creating organizational charts, attending candidate meetings and assisting with projects.

I Learned: The first of the two important things I learned from studying abroad is that being humorous is very important in the office, at least in the company that I worked for. Seriously, you should occasionally tell jokes to make people laugh in the office; otherwise, your co-workers will get mad at you. (No, that’s not true, just kidding.) The second thing I learned from work is that initiative and creativity are more important than I thought. Before I did the internship, I thought that as an intern, I just needed to listen to my boss and do my jobs as directed. The truth proved that it was a very wrong assumption. The projects my boss asked me to do required a lot of my imagination. For example, one project was to organize foreign exchange candidates. Since there weren’t pre-established models to analyze the data, my boss asked me to create some straightforward and effective templates that were useful for foreign exchange candidates.

Comparing/Contrasting to Other Work Experiences: I used to work for a real estate company in China and the biggest difference between these two companies was the environment of the office. There was less tension in the English office. In contrast, the staff had more restrictions and rules in the office in China.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of my experience was holding conversations with people from different backgrounds.

Best Part: The best part of my experience was having a drink with my co-workers after work and talking about everyone’s stories. In the end, it is really awesome to walk on a central London Street with a hot Shiwama in your hand at midnight. You have to try it once!

Celestine Mignott, Sydney Management Internship Program

Sydney Opera House

Intern in Marketing at Top Snap, Spring 2012

Internship: I worked for Top Snap, a property photography franchise which provides realtors, who wish to enhance their visual marketing materials, with quality photos at an affordable price. My responsibilities included researching Australian Territories, planning a conference, organizing an AdWords Chart, updating the franchisee directory, and writing a social media policy.

I Learned: If there are beets on your burger, it’s bound to be scrumptious. Also, there are few things as calming as gazing over a stretch of clear blue waters.

Comparing/Contrasting to Other Work Experiences: In terms of similarities, both corporate America and corporate Australia value the importance of teamwork, although they approach it in different ways. As for differences, corporate America seems to value the idea of working overtime to achieve success whereas corporate Australia seems to value the idea of having a good work, leisure balance.

Hardest Part: The hardest part of the experience was being away from my family and friends. I missed them a lot.

Best Part: I really enjoyed the entire experience, but I’d have to say the best part of study abroad was getting to know the Aussies from Sydney Uni.