Written by Ella Zeff, a Fall 2023 intern in Valencia, Spain, with ISA. Read more about her travels on her personal travel blog, EZ Abroad! You can learn more about interning with ISA here.
The first three months of my journey were based out of Valencia, Spain, where I was an international intern with Villarreal CF of LaLiga.
Interning abroad was not even something I knew was an option until I had met with my university’s study abroad office. To be quite honest, I was a little hesitant about the idea, especially as a sport management major. After many hours of research and talking to ISA, my future study abroad agency, I came to the realization that an internship abroad would be the perfect fit for me.
Here am I, back on my college campus, to tell you that this was the best decision I could have been guided toward taking. This experience was unforgettable as I have developed new skills for my future career, I have created strong connections and I have developed more as a well-rounded person.
My internship provided me with a variety of experiences and tasks that have expanded my knowledge and skills. I was given new tasks that pushed me to apply what I have learned in the classroom. Looking back, the three most important career-focused skills I picked up in Spain have been genuine listening, cultural awareness, and ambition. These three skills specifically have helped me become successful because I am now able to slow down and comprehend while conversing, think about other perspectives, then take on my tasks with full purpose and objective. This way of thinking and taking on my duties is something that I want to keep utilizing throughout my career post-grad.
Overall, my biggest takeaway from the Spanish work culture is their motto:
“Work to live, not live to work”.
I think about often as I prepare to graduate in May, and I will never forget the amazing balance of culture and lifestyle balance that I learned during my time abroad.
I would encourage everyone to intern abroad and experience life outside of their everyday bubble, because this experience taught me to truly live.
