Archive for September, 2025
My Internship at Bosch Cooperation in Tranås
- Chemical Engineering M.Sc.
- Sweden, Tranås
- Bosch Cooperation
- 03/2024 – 08/2024
Application & Finding an Internship
A fellow student told me about her internship at a company in Tranås, Sweden. There, the company develops and researches all kinds of heat pumps, utilizing power from the mountain, the water, or the air. On the company website, I found several open positions in different departments starting in spring 2024. I applied for a few positions and quickly received their answers. After 2 interviews, I got the internship position in the engineering department, which is working on the reliability of the components in the refrigerant circuit of the heat pump.
Accomodation & Living Expenses
The company is located in Tranås, a small city in the prince Småland in Sweden. I was accommodated with other international interns and thesis students in a hotel directly next to the lake Sommen. Every intern had their own private room and bathroom.The living room, kitchen, Office and laundry room was shared with the other interns. There was also a gym and sauna in the hotel, which we were allowed to use. It took about 10 minutes to drive from the hotel to the city center of Tranås and about 15 minutes to the company. We were provided with 2 cars and 1 van for us interns to drive to work, grocery shopping and other activities. It was also possible to rent company bikes, which was especially nice in the summer.
The provision of accommodation and cars simplified the preparation for the internship a lot, because I didn’t had to look for apartments abroad. Living with 13 other international interns and students, it was easy to settle in and find friends. I really enjoyed living with so many people from different countries and cultures. We often cooked dinner together and spent the evenings on the terrace enjoying the sunset over the lake together.
Everyday Life & The Internship
For my internship contract I had to work 40 hours per week, usually from 7:30 am in the morning until 4:30 pm in the afternoon with a 1-hour lunchbreak. The interns were allowed to work flexible hours and arrange their working hours themselves. During my time at the company, I worked with my supervisor on 3 big, different topics. I was able to get deep into the different topics, apply my knowledge from university and get some work experience.
The working culture in Sweden is non-hierarchical. Everyone is approached just with their first name, regardless of their title, age or status in the company. This is also reflected in the casual dress code at the office. Managers and workers are both working in comfortable and convenient clothing like jeans and sweatshirts. It is also worth mentioning that the Swedes have a very high sense of duty and connection towards their work, their team and the company. Therefore, they are often proudly wearing clothing with the company logo. Important decisions are not only made by senior managers or executives, but everyone on their team is also included in the decision and asked on their opinion on the subject matter. As an intern I felt as part of the team since my first day at work and my opinion was valued and not less worth than from other colleagues. The Swedish way of working is characterized by trust, independence and flexibility of the employes. You are able to organize your workday as you prefer, whether you want to work from your desk, a meeting room or from home.
A very important part of the Swedish work culture is the Swedish coffee break called “Fika”. At least once per day you get yourself a coffee, tea or hot chocolate and sit down with your colleagues on the couch and talk about non work-related topics. Usually someone brings some baked goods with them to share and enjoy during Fika. There is a huge variety of different swedish pastries, like the famous Kanelbullar, Wienerbröd, Chokladbollar and Blabärspaj. I was not surprised, when learned that Sweden is one of the countries that consumes the most amount of coffee per person.
People in Sweden value their work life balance a lot. During lunch time I could go to free Yoga classes, go for a quick session at the companys gym or join one of the running groups.
My colleagues at work were from a lot of different countries, so I talked Englisch most of the time during my internship. Since I shared my accommodation with other interns from all over Europe, I was able to learn some phrases in French, Italian, Swedish and Portuguese.
Free time & Tips
Summer is the best season to for a visit in Sweden, since the amazing Swedish nature with all the beautiful lakes and woods is coming alive. In Sweden, there is the so called “Allemansrätt”, which guarantees you free access to all parts of nature. You are allowed to visit ever dock on the lake, collect as much berries or mushrooms as you want and put up your tent on every island or wood as long as you don’t bother the owner. Everywhere in Sweden you can find amazing hiking trails through fairytale woods with shelters and fireplaces for camping. Even though the summers in Sweden are not as warm, you can easily go swimming in one of the many beautiful and peaceful swimming lakes.
©Irma Staskiewicz
©Irma Staskiewicz
©Irma Staskiewicz
On the weekends I often visited one of the citys around Tranås. I really enjoyed my trip to the small town Gränna, where the sugar cane was invented and stroll past all the candy shops with all the colorful candys displayed. I spend a few sunny afternoons sitting in small cafes in Eksjö surrounded by old pastel colored timber houses. But also, bigger citys like Linköping with the medieval cathedral and Jönköping at the lake Vättern are definitely worth a visit.
From Tranås, you can travel to Stockoholm in 3-4 hours by using the train. I had a lot of fun walking around the old part of the town “Gamla Stan”, visiting the famous Vasa Museum and going for a night out in big city like Stockholm.
Gothenburg is known for its archipelago, several scattered islands on the west coast of Sweden. I had a marvelous time while driving with ferries from island to island. On one of the islands, we rented a kajak and paddled along the coastline for a few hours, of course with a few stops for Fika and a swim in the sea. In the evenings, we visited different bars and listened to swedish metal and rock music.
One of my highlight during my time in Sweden was my canoe trip on the lake Ansen. We rented a canoe for a few days at one of the several canoe rentals. We drove through the national park, enjoyed the beautiful nature and stopped on one of the many islands to build up the tent and sleep for the night. I can highly recommend renting a canoe or kajak and going onto the lake, even just for a few hours.
Another one of my highlights was our trip to the island Öland during Midsommar, the national holiday at the summer solstice. At Midsommar everyone is celebrating all day wearing flower crowns in their hair and dancing around a tree, decorated with flowers and leaves. Since it’s the longest day in the whole and it’s not getting dark, you stay up late and party all night.
©Irma Staskiewicz
©Irma Staskiewicz
Conclusion
I spent a fantastic and wonderful summer during my internship in Sweden, experiencing the incredible nature and landscapes. All the Swedes I met were open-minded, super friendly and made me feel very welcome. The work ethic and culture is much more relaxed than in Germany and you meet your colleagues at eye level, regardless of their hierarchical level and enjoy a coffee and cake during Fika. I am thankful for all the beautiful experiences, memories and new friends I made during my time in Sweden.
My Internship at the University College Dublin
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology M.Sc.
- Irland, Dublin
- University College Dublin
- 04/2024 – 06/2024
Finding and Applying to an Internship
Figure 1: Me on the coast of Ireland, the weather is typically Irish 😉
©Matthias Monissen
Before my stay abroad, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. However, when my girlfriend told me she was offered an internship position at a school in Dublin, my decision became clear. We decided that experiencing our internships abroad in the same city would make things easier, so I started searching for research groups in Dublin that interested me. I explored the websites of known universities, searching for researchers focused on bioprocessing, bioeconomy, and microbiology. I was particularly drawn to one research group, which aimed to utilize microalgae for the valorization of food waste. I directly applied for a three-month research internship, and after a few weeks and two Zoom calls, I was told that I could do the internship.
Accomodation and Living Expenses
Securing an affordable place to stay in Dublin was challenging. The city has a housing crisis, making flats very expensive. Student accommodations on the UCD campus were not a cheaper option, with the lowest price being 800 Euros per month for a shared room, and their application timeframes didn’t fit my schedule. Fortunately, I found a room in a shared apartment for 850 Euros per month on the website “Homestay”. At the start I was feeling very unaccustomed to living with a stranger but that feeling faded away with time when I got to know my flatmate better. The commute to the university was about 30 minutes, and a trip to the city centre took an hour. Despite living outside the city, I enjoyed the greenery, particularly Fernhill Park, which became one of my favorite spots in Dublin.
I usually did my grocery shopping after work once a week, as the smaller stores near my apartment were quite expensive. For example, cheese could cost up to 5 Euros per pack. Bulk shopping at a discount market was essential for affordable food, except for bread, which was inexpensive everywhere but of course not comparable to German bread 😉. I definitely recommend to only shop in large discounter markets in Ireland.
Everyday Live
I felt a bit nervous on my first day, but that quickly faded as I got to know the welcoming members of my research group. The lab environment and research methods were similar to those I was familiar with in Germany, which helped me settle in. Although the general approach was familiar, I still learned new laboratory techniques and tricks from my supervisor, especially regarding sterile work.
My tasks were divided between data analysis of existing literature and practical laboratory work with microalgae, known as wet-, reproducible outcomes. While there are standard practices, each lab has its own tricks lab or bench work. Working with microorganisms requires strict sterile conditions to prevent contamination and ensure predictable to maintain sterility, and I was grateful to learn new methods that were unfamiliar to me from my previous experience in German labs.
One aspect I appreciated about my work was the independence I had in deciding when and how to approach my tasks. Academics often start work later than usual, and this seemed even more common in Ireland. I typically worked from 9:30 am to 5 pm, but some colleagues started later and stayed longer.
In the evenings, I didn’t do much besides going for walks and cooking dinner, with leftovers serving as lunch the next day. Without a bike and with limited bus service in my area, my options for activities were slim. However, I eagerly looked forward to the weekends when I could explore more of Dublin and Ireland.
Free Time and Tips
Figure 2: The well known Temple Bar Pub is decorated nicely.
©Matthias Monissen
Although my work group was friendly, social interactions outside work were limited to a monthly movie night. Luckily, I was part of a group of interns from the school where my girlfriend worked. Together, we made the most of our weekends by exploring Dublin’s pubs, restaurants, hiking trails, sightseeing spots, and local markets and art scenes.
Ireland’s pub culture is something special. On weekends, it’s common to go out, have a few pints, and dine at restaurants. Everyone is relaxed and enjoying the weekend atmosphere. Most pubs have live music, and the crowd cheers and sings along, creating a sense of unity and merriment that I have yet to experience in Germany. I personally loved the more traditional “Porterhouse” in the temple bar quarter but also the modern “bonobos” where tabletop games were played and who had a wide variety of all sorts of drinks. Dublin’s culinary scene is also diverse. I enjoyed Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, and occasionally Irish food.
Figure 3: Beautiful cliffs on Howth seen from a boat.
©Matthias Monissen
Apart from the bustling city, I loved Ireland’s nature the most. Green hills and meadows are everywhere, often contrasted by steep cliffs overlooking the sea. I often visited the peninsula of Howth, close to Dublin, taking all my visitors there because it is a must see for everyone visiting Dublin. It is a 50-minute bus ride from Dublin city center, but only 30 minutes from my girlfriend’s place, where I stayed most weekends. Two highlights at the end of my stay were trips to Galway and Belfast, where I experienced other cities in (Northern) Ireland and took a bus tour along the coast, where I could again awe the nature and the rougher northern coast line. When traveling Ireland, I would recommend taking the train if possible. Train tickets between the big cities cost only 8 Euros and the trains are very clean and spacious making the ride very pleasant. The best thing is: while driving you can view the beautiful landscape.
Conclusion
All in all I can say my internship in Dublin was a remarkable experience, both professionally and personally. I gained research skills, made new friends and could experience the culture of Ireland first hand for 3 month. Especially living and working in a foreign country is an experience that is hard to come by easer than with an Erasmus internship. I am happy I could have that experience and I am sure I will never forget it.
My Internship at the Manuscriptorium in Czechia
- Philosophy, Literary and Linguistic Studies B.A.
- Czechia, Prague
- Manuscriptorium Digital Library of Written Cultural Heritage
- 06/2025-07/2025
Application
©Lea Decker
I heard about the internship opportunity at the Manuscriptorium (part of the National Library in Prague) from an online article I read. I applied online and after a short period of time they agreed to let me do the internship in Prague. I applied for the Erasmus internship support with the help of RWTH. After filling out the forms I received the confirmation shortly after. The whole process was easy and straightforward.
Accommodation
Finding accommodation in Prague is very difficult and the prices have risen over the years. The locals in Prague told me that finding a flat is even difficult for them. I got a small furnished room in a shared flat with five other people who were also mostly international students. My room was close to the city centre, and I paid 15900 Kč (~640€). For other students I recommend getting a room further away from the centre and looking through Facebook. The public transport in Prague is cheap and amazing, especially the trams and the metro. I paid around 20€ a month and could use every tram, metro, bus and train inside the centre and the surrounding area.
Everyday life in Prague and tips for other students
©Lea Decker
I really enjoyed living in Prague as it is a very beautiful and big city so there is always something to do. I tried learning some Czech, but it is very difficult and since I only spend two months in Prague and the language at my internship was English, I only learned a few words and sentences.
During the first weeks I often visited the famous tourists’ spots like the Prague castle or the Charles bridge. There are also a lot of beautiful churches that I visited, however in Prague you often must pay to go inside them. Since the city is so beautiful and has a lot of amazing architecture, I also often just walked through the city looking at the buildings. I also met some Czech students that I went climbing with or went to the cinema or the bar. I also visited a lot of exhibitions. In my time in Prague, I went to the Mucha and the Kafka Museum and saw a David Lynch exhibition as well as one focusing on women artists throughout the ages. Surrounding Prague is also a lot of nice nature. I went to Divoká Šárka, which is a nature reserve with a big lake that was perfect for swimming. There is a website called goout.net that I would recommend to all students going to Czechia, it shows concerts, museums, parties and many other events happening in Czechia, but it is also available for Slovakia and Poland.
I also went to some tea rooms that are very cozy and nice if you enjoy freshly brewed tea. In Prague there were also many bistros. Many of these are affordable (the price is calculated based on the weight of your meal) and offer vegan/vegetarian food. Because I am vegetarian I ate at these places a lot. Since Czech food is often made with meat, I could not try a lot of it but there is a meal called Smažený sýr which is fried cheese and fries and tastes nice. Many places also sell homemade lemonades that I can highly recommend, the one I liked the most is Malinovka, which is raspberry flavoured.
Work
©Lea Decker
I really enjoyed working at the National Library which is inside a beautiful building near the Charles bridge. It was my job to help catalogue medieval manuscripts with XML according to the TEI guidelines and prepare the files for publishing. For this I was first given a good introduction into XML and the cataloguing of medieval manuscripts. I would then start by doing a rough draft for each manuscript and then refining the files multiple times, adding more information about the manuscript and fixing mistakes. The people working at the library were very nice and helpful.
As well as the cataloguing I helped by popularizing the manuscripts by writing articles about them. I really liked the internship since I got to learn XML as well as the TEI-Guidelines which are often used in digital humanities projects. I also enjoyed that I got to learn about medieval manuscripts in the process, since I am very interested in history.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my time in Prague and met a lot of amazing people. I was a bit nervous at first about going away, however it was a good time, and I would like to experience something like this again. The city is beautiful, and I appreciate that I got to do the internship and learn new skills.
My Internship in Cork, Ireland
- Electrical Engineering and Information Technology M.Sc.
- Ireland, Cork
- QT Technologies Ireland Limited
- 03/2025-07/2025
As a master’s student in Electrical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, I had the opportunity to complete a six-month internship at Qualcomm in Cork, Ireland, supported by the Erasmus+ Internship Programme. My goal was to gain practical experience in my field while improving my language skills and experiencing life abroad.
1. Application/Finding an internship
I did not specifically look for an internship in Ireland at the beginning. My main aim was to complete an internship during my master’s studies in a country where English or Spanish is spoken, so I could improve one of these languages. Going abroad was a priority for me. I had heard great things about Ireland from two friends who had previously lived and worked there for half a year, so Ireland quickly became a strong option.
I applied directly via the Qualcomm careers website for an internship position in their Cork office. After completing several interviews, I was fortunate to be offered a place.
2. Accommodation & Living expenses
Different Irish stouts: Beamish and Murphy’s from Cork, and Guinness from Dublin.
©Niklas Groß
Shortly after receiving my internship offer, I began searching for accommodation. I was surprised to find that rental prices in Cork were quite high, especially considering the condition and furnishing standards of many of the available options. Fortunately, I was later informed that the company provides shared housing specifically for interns. I was able to rent a furnished 12 sqm room with a private bathroom in a four-person shared house located very close to the city centre. The house included a shared living room, guest toilet, and communal kitchen. The rent was €1000 per month – a flat rate that, as I understood, applied to all interns living in company-provided housing.
Grocery prices were similar to those in Germany. However, prices for personal care products were significantly higher, and alcoholic beverages in supermarkets were extremely expensive. Prices in pubs for a pint of beer ranged between €4.40 and €6.70 – quite steep, though not unheard of compared to places like Cologne. Eating out at restaurants was only slightly more expensive than in Germany.
For baked goods, Lidl offered a self-service bakery section very similar to the ones in Germany, with comparable prices. If you’re looking for high-quality bread, the English Market in Cork is a good place to go – though the prices there are significantly higher.
3. Everyday life/The internship
During my internship, I worked 37.5 hours per week as a Timing Engineer at the company. The office had a very international environment, with interns and colleagues from all over the world. This made for a dynamic and collaborative workplace, where English was the primary working language.
Although I’m unable to go into detail about my specific responsibilities due to confidentiality agreements, I can say that the experience significantly strengthened my technical and analytical skills. I also had the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art tools and contribute to real-world projects within a professional R&D environment.
Regular meetings with my supervisor ensured that I received consistent guidance and feedback, and I always felt well supported by my team. In addition, Qualcomm offered internal learning opportunities such as tech talks and knowledge-sharing sessions, which broadened my perspective on current trends and technologies in the industry.
The office was located within walking distance of the city centre, which made commuting very convenient. I had heard from many others that buses could be unreliable, but since I didn’t rely on them, I can’t confirm this personally.
4. Free time/Tips
Elizabeth Fort, Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork.
©Niklas Groß
Cork is a relatively small city, so you can explore most of the main sights in just a few days. Highlights within the city include Elizabeth Fort, Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the University College Cork (UCC) campus, and the historic Cork City Gaol. A highly recommended walk leads from the city centre to Blackrock Castle, along a newly developed riverside promenade. On the way there or back, it’s definitely worth stopping by the Marina Market, a large indoor street food hall offering international cuisine and a lively atmosphere.
St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh.
©Niklas Groß
Cork also boasts a vibrant and active pub scene, with events such as pub quizzes, live music – from traditional Irish tunes to international classics – beer pong tournaments, and more. Especially on weekends, there’s always something happening.
When the weather is good, relaxing outdoors is easy. In addition to Fitzgerald Park, Cork Lough and St. Patrick’s Hill are great spots to lie on the grass and enjoy the sunshine.
For short trips just outside of Cork, the harbour towns of Kinsale (about 1 hour by bus) and Cobh (25 minutes by train) are highly recommended. Both offer beautiful coastal views and a pleasant atmosphere for day trips.
The stunning Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s west coast.
©Niklas Groß
There’s also a WhatsApp group and Instagram page (corkinternationalstudents) specifically for international students. These platforms help organize a variety of events in the city, such as parties, pub crawls, karaoke nights, and more. They also arrange affordable tours to Irish landmarks like the Cliffs of Moher, cities such as Dublin or Galway, and scenic hikes to places like the Ring of Kerry or Coumshingaun Lough. The people involved are very welcoming, and it’s a great way to make new friends – including students from UCC.
Another cultural highlight is attending a match at the GAA stadium to cheer for Cork in traditional Irish sports like Hurling and Gaelic Football. When Cork reached the provincial finals and even the All-Ireland semi-final and final in Hurling, the whole city came alive with celebration and watch parties.
If you’re a fan of other sports, you can also catch international football matches at pubs like The Woolshed, which even streams the German Bundesliga – perfect if you want to see Borussia Dortmund win a match!
5. Conclusion
I truly enjoyed my time in Ireland. I had the chance to meet many friendly and inspiring people and gained valuable professional experience. Following my internship, I’ll be moving back to Cork to work full-time for the same company. This internship was an incredibly rewarding experience both personally and professionally.
