During the spring of 2023, I had the opportunity to study abroad in France where I got to do my internship. I was an intern for the Montpellier Basket team in Montpellier, France. I was assigned as a social media manager where my roles consisted of: gathering footage of the team for posts, engaging with the followers of the sport, and curating media graphics on the various social media platforms.

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I learned a whole range of things during my internship. Skills that apply to both the business world and the real world. Working in a different culture really changed my perspective on the many ways business changes from company to company. Before my internship abroad, I did an internship in the United States. During my internship in the United States, I worked as a business management intern. I participated in different projects with the other interns to complete the task. I did all the tasks that my boss asked me to do and the work day was structured every day at the same time, when we arrived at work and when we left for the day. I learned a lot about how to work with other people and different business practices. However, when I started my internship in France, it was completely different. First of all, the international contrast was something I was not prepared for at all. From the work structure to the hours, it was the complete opposite of my previous internship. For this internship, I was my own boss. I had to set my own work schedule and complete the tasks that I felt contributed to the success of the program. It was much more independent than I ever imagined. The meeting times were also very different. Instead of a structured meeting time, the team would meet whenever they practiced, which changed often. 

Outside of practice, I also met with Tariq, my boss, when he was available.  As he was a very busy man, this could be at 8 o'clock in the evening or in the afternoon on a Sunday. In addition to working with Tariq, I learned a lot about working with international colleagues. The videographer also had a different schedule and the working habits with him were very different. It wasn't very formal and it was a very friendly environment at all times. 

I never felt like we were colleagues, but rather friends. When I first met Tariq, he told me that he wanted to bring an American perspective to French basketball to gain popularity. But he also told me not to cross the line and to keep working as before. I was a little intimidated by this at first, because I didn't want to be the American who didn't understand. However, once I took the time to befriend everyone and understand how they liked to work, I was able to complete the work I needed to do. 
It really taught me how to grow by having to deal with and adapt to different perspectives and cultures, as I had to question my own values and rules that normally work at home. This has affected me in a positive way, as I have changed for the better. While working abroad, I had to deal with situations that forced me out of my comfort zone, such as the language barrier, culture shock, and homesickness. Not having my close friends and family pushed me to pull myself into new territories and face these challenges head on. 

My internship abroad definitely strengthened my resilience, as I had to persevere and refuse to give up when faced with challenges. Constantly exposed to new experiences and challenges, I began to understand the issues better, think outside the box, and take innovative approaches. I think that all of these skills that I gained from my internship prepared me for the job market. I feel like I can bring everything I learned abroad to any future job. In addition to the skills I learned about myself, I think this internship has allowed me to learn a lot about the topic of social media. 

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It was a great experience to watch the team go from a low division to becoming the champions of their league. They were a brand new team that year so it was very exciting to see them climb their way to the top. I believe my internship really helped shape my time abroad because I gained so many new valuable life lessons. From handing out fliers at school to organizing meetings, I would not trade my time being an intern for the world.

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Below you can find my internship report, written in French, explaining in-depth the experience I went through abroad and how it compares to the work style here in the United States.