Kategorie: ‘Allgemein’
Incredible experiences in Paris
- Computational Engineering Science B.Sc.
- France, Paris
- Wiremind
- 10/2022 – 03/2023
Application/ finding an internship
Since I went to Paris in august 2021 for two exchange semesters at a university, I decided that I’d like to stay longer. The resulting conclusion for me was therefore to search an internship in Paris. I’m currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Computational Engineering Science. For this cursus it is mandatory to make an internship that lasts at least three months at the end of our studies.
Luckily, I already collected some recommendations for the application process in France during my time at the university over there. I sent two applications to start ups in Paris. The application process for the two positions included first an online test and afterwards a personal meeting where I introduced myself and presented what I’ve coded in the exercises before.
To search for open job positions I can highly recommend having a look at welcometothejungle.com. This platform is used by startups as well as larger, classical companies (e.g., L’Oréal). The company where I made an internship as “Junior Full Stack Software Engineering Intern” is called wiremind. They offer optimization solutions in the context of transportation.
Concerning the language, I can highly recommend having already basic knowledge in French before the internship. During my internship I met some people who are not speaking French neither are willing to learn it. Not speaking French is in general not a real problem in the background of business questions, but it is difficult to integrate in the French culture and find friends (that are French) if you don’t know their language. Besides of this, no French person is going to judge if you try to speak French, but you are not yet fluent. I met a lot of people who had German in school and they where always impressed by French, because they compare it to their knowledge of German.
Accomodation and living expanses
Paris is a very expansive city. During my internship I earned 1500€ of salary (brut). It is common in France that the employer pays the half of the transportation per month. Another particularity of working in France is that they hand out restaurant checks to the employees. In general, the company pay for 20 days 5€ per day and they subtract directly 5€ from the employee’s salary and add it to those restaurant checks (around 160€).
The cost for an appartement varies between 750€ and 1300€ for small appartements. It highly depends on the location of the appartement. As an example, I’m living with my boyfriend in a 32 square meters appartement with two rooms that is fully equipped, and we pay around 1500€ in the “quartier latin” near to the Pantheon. I met many people who are living outside of Paris in the banlieu to save some money.
I would all the costs are higher in Paris especially in comparison to Aachen. Thanks to the inflation in Germany, it feels like the difference for food prices in comparison between France and Germany is decreased, but this could as well be just a feeling.
Everyday life / the internship
During my internship of six months, I got six days of vacation. Personally, I really appreciate the working hours in Paris. Normally I’ve started around 9:30 am and worked until 6:15 pm. In the lunch break we were making some sport or playing FIFA or Mario Kart. According to my contract I’ve worked around 35 hours, which is the legal limit in France.
Free time / tips
Paris is a city which is not only incredibly beautiful but also busy city. If you are under 26 the most of the museums are free. I’ve started during my internship to go running with my colleagues in the lunch break. After 5 months I made a half marathon together with one of them. There exists an entire running culture in Paris. During the week at around 12 am there are many runners at the quay of the Seine (which is stunning with sunshine). Another advantage of living in Paris is the fact that from Paris you can reach nearly every important city in France by train without switching the train. Staying for some time in Paris gives you the opportunity to discover France.
Conclusion
I would do it the same way again and again! My internship was incredible in terms of my tasks and my colleagues. I really appreciate every second I could spend at wiremind!
As I mentioned before, I highly recommend to already speak French or at least being willing to learn and speak it. Especially if it comes to jobs where you need to interact with customers it is necessary to speak French. Furthermore, I recommend Paris as city for an internship. Since I’ve already done an Erasmus exchange at a university in Paris and an internship in Paris, I tend to recommend the internship. In my opinion Paris itself is not a student town. It’s too large and honestly just too expansive if you have no income like a salary due to an internship.
Great internship in an architecture office
- Architecture M.Sc.
- Netherlands, Rotterdam
- studio AAAN
- 11/2022 – 04/2023
Application/Finding an internship
I did my internship with Erasmus+ in the Netherlands in Rotterdam. There I spent 5 months working in an architecture office.
Finding a spot for an internship was definitely time-consuming and at times a bit frustrating. Many offices didn’t respond to my application at all. For me it helped to not only focus on the well-known offices, but to look for smaller ones as well. When one of these offices invited me to do an interview online, I was delighted. It went quite well and they offered me the position right away.
Accomodation & Living expenses
From that point on everything happened very quickly and there was still lots to do.
For example, finding a place to stay. In Rotterdam that turned out to be quite the task. Many people are looking for accommodation in the city, so finding something can be a challenge. I found my place via kamernet.nl, where I got a subscription and messaged as many people as I could every day. You definitely need to be quick, but it’s possible. In the end I scored a room in a shared student house in Rotterdam West. I was really lucky to have great flatmates and I absolutely loved living in West. It’s a really nice area close to the centre where a lot is happening, so I can only recommend checking it out.
Living in Rotterdam can be rather expensive. Rent was quite a bit more than in Aachen, where I study. Also groceries, restaurants, museums and other activities can really add up. While that’s something to be aware of, with my internship salary, the Erasmus+ scholarship and subletting my room in Aachen, it all worked out.
Everyday life/ the internship
The internship was great. It was a small and young team and everyone was super friendly. I felt very welcome from the beginning and genuinely enjoyed going to the office. In my experience Dutch people are very open and their English is fantastic, so it was easy to connect with them. They also seem rather laid-back but are still upfront and share their honest opinion. I really enjoyed that mentality. My bosses taught me a lot about architecture in general and in the Netherlands and my colleagues soon became good friends. After work we would often grab something for dinner or go to the local wine bar. Once a week some of us also went bouldering together.
Free time/tips
On the weekends I would meet friends and explore Rotterdam and the surrounding area. My favourite part about the city are the endless possibilities of activities. There are many great museums and art galleries for example. I would highly recommend getting the Museum card or the Rotterdam pass if you’re interested in that. I didn’t get it and I think I could have saved a lot of money.
I also fell in love with the many markets. Pop-up graphic design markets, vintage kilo sales, the food and clothes market in front of Markthall, the market at Noorplein – there is lots to discover. It’s definitely helpful to follow some websites or Instagram pages and keep an eye out for flyers and posters to find out about the next vernissage, crocheting workshop or forest light installation.
What I will also miss is the huge range of snack bars and restaurants. There are so many different cultures and culinary directions to choose from, it’s amazing.
In addition just biking across the city and looking at the architecture was a highlight for me (if it didn’t rain). Having a bike is definitely a must. I rented a Swapfiets and was very happy with it.
Rotterdam’s nightlife also didn’t disappoint. There are plenty of bars and some great clubs.
If you are interested in daytrips, the Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht and the sea are all only a short train ride away and there is so much to see!
Conclusion
In conclusion I highly recommend doing your internship in Rotterdam. The city is very interesting and diverse. I met lots of great people and made many valuable memories with lovely friends.
Internship at Bosch in Austria
- Mechanical Engineering B.Sc.
- Austria, Hallein
- Robert Bosch AG
- 10/2022 – 03/2023
After postponing my mandatory internship for as long as I could due to the covid pandemic, as I wanted to do it abroad, I finally decided to do it during the winter semester of 2022. Since it was during winter, and I really like skiing, I decided to search for internships in Austria and Switzerland. This is where things started to get a little complica
© Ralph Rauhut
ted: The mandatory internship for the Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. degree has to cover very specific topics to be accepted as such. Only few companies have the capacity to offer all the tasks that are needed to acquire the requested experience.
I searched all over the internet for internship openings that met the needed criteria. As there were only few openings, I knew that I had to polish my application documents to even have a chance of getting the internship. I asked help from friends to improve my CV and motivation letter, and gathered letters of recommendation from my previous bosses. After a couple of negative responses, I finally got invited by Bosch in Hallein to two online interviews (for a total of four internship openings). Each interview was held by a manager from the respective area, and someone from HR. The interviews were very relaxed and felt more like a normal conversation with friends, where we talked about my background,
© Ralph Rauhut
my goals for the internship and about the internship they were offering. About a week later I got the best possible response: I was offered all four internships they were offering. After analyzing all the offers, I picked the one that matched my interests and the ones from the university the most. Now it was time to get ready to move to Hallein, a small city around 15km from Salzburg.
Through WG-Gesucht I found a furnished room in a shared flat with two other flatmates in Hallein. It is also possible to live in Salzburg and go by train to work every day, it only takes around 30 minutes from Salzburg to Hallein, but I think I made the right decision of living in Hallein and having a shorter commute time. Despite being a rather small city, Hallein has everything you need to live comfortably: Supermarkets, Gym, Restaurants, etc. The only thing Hallein lacks, is the nightlife. But thanks to the good train connections, going to bars and parties in Salzburg is not a problem. What Hallein lacks in nightlife, it has in nature. Hallein is surrounded by mountains with peaks like the “Barmsteine” and a big river, the Salzach, which crosses the whole city. Close to the city you have a lot of hiking trails into the mountains. In winter you can reach a lot of ski resorts in less than an hour by car. My favorite ski resort was Obertauern: Cheap, good snow and good slopes.
The internship at Bosch couldn’t have been better. Before my arrival they sent me a brochure with all sorts of information, including information about the city, the documents I would need, possible accommodations, how to take vacations and how the check-in system worked. As soon as I arrived at Bosch, I was assigned a tutor who was in cha
© Ralph Rauhut
rge of explaining to me how everything worked in the company. I had a lot of freedom to choose which projects and with who I wanted to work. Everyone at the company was friendly to me, and I never felt being treated differently for being “just” an intern. I had to assume a lot of responsibility, but I was also awarded the respective recognition. The company also offered a lot of benefits, like discounts on different store
s and cheap meals (3 EUR for a 4 course menu). During my internship I learned a lot and made some important connections that might help me in my future career. There were also many other interns with whom I became friends with and continue to stay in touch after the internship ended.
During the weekends I was always on the go. When I arrived to Austria I purchased the “Klimaticket Ö” which allows you to take any train or bus you want in the whole country. During the warmest months here, namely October and November, I often went hiking with friends or exploring different cities like Hallstatt, Innsbruck or Vienna. During the other months I was mostly skiing in different ski resorts around Salzburg. To go partying, if après-ski is not your thing, I would recommend going to Vienna, but Salzburg also has some decent clubs.
In the end I can say that I really enjoyed my time here in Hallein and at Bosch. The people I met in Austria were very kind and made me always feel welcome. Even though I really liked Hallein and Salzburg, I prefer bigger cities to live for a longer period. That’s why I am aiming towards getting a job in Vienna at Bosch once I finish my master’s degree. I will, however, definitely come back to Hallein to visit the friends I made during my stay and to go skiing with them on the nearby mountains.
Highly recommendable internship in Liechtenstein
- Business Administration and Engineering: Mechanical Engineering M.Sc.
- Liechtenstein, Schaan
- Hilti AG
- 10/2022 – 03/2023
© Phil Brune
Hilti AG is a multinational company that specializes in manufacturing and supplying construction tools, systems, and services. It is committed to sustainability and social responsibility and is known for its high-quality products and innovation in the industry.
Preparation:
After I received my acceptance for the internship in Liechtenstein, I immediately started looking for an apartment. Immediately it became clear that it is not allowed to live in the country itself. So, you must decide whether you want to live in Switzerland or in Austria near the border to Liechtenstein. Clear recommendation: Feldkirch in Austria. Pretty much all interns live there, and it is a very nice old town.
Unfortunately, I was quite unlucky with my first apartment. One of my roommates was very unpleasant. That’s why my advice is to find out exactly where you’re moving to and which landlord you have. Without naming names, I can advise against a few.
© Phil Brune
Daily life/Going out:
Before I moved to Feldkirch, I was worried that due to the size of the city (approx. 30,000 inhabitants) there would hardly be anything going on at the weekend. This fear was to prove unjustified very quickly. Feldkirch is a very lively and up-and-coming city. The high percentage of young people and the many bars and dance clubs made me feel at home right away.
Every Thursday, Hilti organizes an “Interns Dinner” for 30 interns in different restaurants. This way you meet new people every week and can expand your international network and make new friends. So you have a direct connection when you start new at Hilti.
Due to Feldkirch’s perfect location, in my opinion, there is plenty to do on the weekends, both in summer and winter. Especially if you’re into outdoor activities, you’ll love it. From hiking and biking to skiing and sledding, there is something for everyone. It’s a stone’s throw to Switzerland and Italy isn’t far either. Together with a few interns, we were in Bern, Zurich, Innsbruck, Turin and Milan, for example.
Work at Hilti AG:
Hilti has its headquarters in Liechtenstein. Both the first production facility (Plant 1) and some business units are located there. The working environment is
© Phil Brune
very international. I was able to expand my network a lot during the internship. There are about 80 interns working there, all of whom come from all over the world. For example, I was able to improve my English a lot.
Overall, the working atmosphere at Hilti is very pleasant and I can highly recommend the company. And the pay is excellent, by the way.
All in all I can highly recommend to do an internship there.
Internship at Harvard Medical School
- Medical PhD
- USA, Boston
- Harvard Medical School
- 11/2022 – 11/2023
- Application/Finding an internship
Applying to Harvard Medical School seemed daunting at first. The reality was far more ordinary than expected. I sent an email including CV, letter of recommendation and lette
© Nikolai Ratajczak
r of motivation to the professor I wanted to work with in reply to an ad posted in the forum of my scholarship program. Within a week I had talked to two of the present lab members and the professor and was offered a position. This experience highly encouraged me to not be held back by the mystified prestige that has grown around some institutions. As my PI likes to say, in the end “we only cook with water”.
- Accomodation & Living expenses
Life in Boston and Cambridge is full of opportunities. Unfortunately living expenses and housing prices are extraordinarily high. Any room around $1000 a month will be considered cheap. In comparison to housing in Aachen this really requires a change of mind. Luckily, the college structure offers plenty of free food events to learn, participate and get some nice food. Other than that, food prices are two to three times as high as in Germany.
- Everyday life/the internship
I used to be in basic science in Aachen before coming here and was overwhelmed by the different workplace culture: I arrived just before the deadline for one of the conferences the lab attended this year and the work intensity, flow and energy reminded me rather of what I imagine a stock market to be like than what I associate with research. Overall, the team is very supportive and projects are being pushed in a demanding but productive way. Being here is definitely a great learning opportunity and can be a gateway to a career in clinical research. Other than that the city and colleges offer just about anything a student could ask for. I got into sailing and running and joined conferences every now and then.
- Free time/tips
© Nikolai Ratajczak
I really enjoyed my time with the cambridge running club and the community boating incorporation. Also the museums are a must see (MFA, Harvard Arts Museum, MIT Museum, …). Most of them offer free entry at some point or another. Moreover, I love to get out of the city every now and then. Going to New Hampshire, Maine, or Rhode Island for a weekend can offer nice hikes, the experience of a less “European” US and time to bond with new friends.
- Conclusion
I highly recommend anyone to come here. Working with my PI was a great experience.
My practical year in St. Johann in Tirol, Austria
- Medicine
- Austria, St. Johann in Tirol
- Bezirkskrankenhaus St. Johann in Tirol, department of “Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie”
- 11/2022 – 01/2023
© Angela Kurz
Preparation
I applied around ten months before the start of the Practical Year (called Praktisches Jahr (PJ) in Germany or Klinisch Praktisches Jahr (KPJ) in Austria). However, most places at the hospital “Bezirkskrankenhaus St. Johann in Tirol” are already taken one and a half to two years in advance, so it makes sense to call first and ask if there are still places available. The contact person is the “Sekretariat Ärztliche Direktion”, whose contact details can be found on the hospital’s website. They will also tell you which documents you need for the application. The hospital is a teaching hospital of the Universities of Innsbruck and Vienna. I would recommend contacting Ms. Lemos, the coordinator for study abroad of the medical faculty of the RWTH Aachen University, in time for necessary formalities.
Accommodation
There is a house right next to the hospital where students who are interns at the hospital can stay for free. Each student has their own room and bathroom. The kitchen is shared and is a great meeting place for communal meals and game nights. You also get free breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the hospital. However, the number of rooms is limited, so you should register for this in time. Since there wasn’t a room available at first, I lived in an apartment in the neighbouring town for the first two weeks. Then I was able to move into the student house for the remaining time. I would recommend checking regularly with the secretary’s office, as there are often vacancies in the house at short notice. I found support in finding a private apartment at the secretary of the hospital and the tourism association (Tourismusverband St. Johann in Tirol), each of which sent me a list of contact details of private landlords via e-mail.
Traineeship
On the first day of my internship, I had some organisational tasks to do: I reported to the secretary’s office, received work clothes, a staff ID card, and keys. Then I introduced myself to the surgical department. The working day began daily at 7.15 a.m. with the morning meeting. Afterwards, we medical students took some blood samples on the ward or assisted in the operating theatre. The rest of the time we accompanied the doctors in the surgical outpatient department. The day ended around 4 pm after the X-ray discussion and the ward rounds – on Fridays, usually a little earlier. As a medical student at the hospital in St. Johann, you do two night shifts a month, one during the week from 4 pm until the next morning and one on the weekend. The tasks include taking blood samples, setting up intravenous lines and assisting in the operating theatre if necessary or helping in the emergency room. I would recommend rotating also to orthopaedics/trauma surgery as part of the surgical tertial if possible.
© Angela Kurz
Free time
The region around St. Johann in Tirol is situated in the middle of the mountains and offers many great leisure opportunities. There are many ski resorts nearby, e.g. St. Johann itself, Kitzbühel, Saalbach/Hinterglemm or Ellmau/Scheffau. In some of them you even get a discount with your employee ID card! In other seasons, of course, there are also wonderful hikes to be done. The cities of Kitzbühel, Innsbruck and Salzburg are also not far away. In December, the Kitzbühel Christmas Market is definitely worth a visit!
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my time in St. Johann in Tirol and can recommend a PJ tertial in this great area. I made many new friends, and we made great memories together in the hospital and during our weekends in the mountains.
Getting to know a different culture
- Mechanical Engineering B.Sc.
- France, Signy L’Abbaye
- Beuret Sarl
- 09/22 – 12/22
My internship in France
The company I worked for produces agricultural equipment and steel structures for buildings. Since the company moved to a new location recently, they needed new custom equipment like tool cart for storing and moving heavy tools. I spent the majority of my time developing, designing in the office and manufacturing this equipment in the factory. Having the responsibility for those projects and completing them was a truly rewarding experience.
Even though I did not work on the division of the company that was responsible for the buildings they let me go on the respective construction sites a few times during my stay. Although this was not at all part of my internship, I still enjoyed discovering the big machines and assembly techniques they used to join the massive components that were previously prepared in the factory.
Working in a small company (about 10 persons in total) helped me to get to know all the people very quickly. I had a great relationship with both the employees and the supervisors from the beginning on which made my time in the company really enjoyable.
I worked a total of 40 hours a week which is not necessarily typical in France. Many people only work 35 hours. This makes room for other activities after work. Also, the meals have a much greater importance than in other European countries. Lots of companies have 60 to 90-minute lunch breaks and it is common for grocery stores and other shops to close during midday. But many stores make up for this by opening their doors on Sunday morning.
© Dimitri Robert
Luckily, on Fridays I only worked till 12 pm which made it possible to plan longer activities for the weekend. I tried to discover as much as possible of the “Champagne” region. It’s especially known for its production of champagne and its vineyards.
On another occasion I had the opportunity to travel to the beaches of the Normandy and admire the breath-taking landscape. These places are not only beautiful but also have an undeniably interesting historic relevance.
Travelling to these different destinations by train is difficult and takes a lot of time. In addition, the company I worked for was situated in a very rural area. So, having a car was a necessity in this region of the country.
© Dimitri Robert
Something you need to get used to when you live in France are long and late dinners. Most of the time, they start with the well-known “apéro” where you have a few drinks and snacks before beginning to eat your meal. I really enjoyed those convivial evenings. I also observed that drinking wine at dinner was a lot more common than in Germany. Even a lot of young people enjoy drinking a glass of wine instead of beer. In general, the locals are proud of their local wine and especially champagne.
Helpful information
Good news is my phone worked without any issue thanks to EU-Roaming. On the other hand, German mobile network operators have put in place a limit of months that you can spend abroad. Exceeding this time limit will result in them charging you extra roaming fees. Luckily, many French carriers provide very generous offers for the first year of contract. Combined with a pricing that is generally much lower than in Germany, getting a mobile plan with a lot or even unlimited data becomes very affordable. Your mobile plan can even replace Wi-Fi. So, if you plan on staying more than a few months in France, I would definitely recommend getting a French mobile plan.
Same thing goes for your bank account and credit card. You should check with your bank if the card you plan on using works abroad. Opening a bank account was not necessary for me but it made withdrawing money free of charge and receiving my salary was also easier this way.
Keeping in mind that finding a fitting internship and going through the application process would take a bit longer than in my home country, I started to plan my stay more than 6 months ahead. This gave me enough time to prepare everything properly and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to go abroad. All in all, my internship abroad was a great experience for me. Getting to know a different culture and improving my language skills while completing a mandatory part of my curriculum was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to do so.
My internship in Bilbao
- Business Administration and Engineering M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
- Spain, Bilbao
- FEV Iberia SI
- 10.10.2022-15.01.2023
Preparation:
When it comes to preparing for a stay in Bilbao, the most important thing is housing. In general, finding a place to live in Bilbao is not as stressful as in other cities. The best place to look for housing is “idealista”, a Spanish online real-estate marketplace. Prices obviously differ, but finding adequate housing for around 500 Euro/month is possible. Especially, when you can communicate in Spanish and also stay for at least half a year. Also, there are Erasmus Telegram and Whatsapp groups (you can find them on Instagram or in the Internet) where rooms are offered as well. Besides to look for housing, this is also a great way to make first contacts in the city. Another important preparation would be to look for health insurance. I had the luck that it was organized by the company.
Finding an internship:
In my case, I was a working student in the Aachen Office of the company I then worked for in Bilbao. Generally, going for an international company is the easiest way to find an internship abroad and that’s also how most people I talked to did it. Especially, when you are not fluent in Spanish, a regular local company will be tough to convince to take you.
Culture:
Most people have been to parts of Spain before, so I guess a Culture shock is not to be expected in
© Lukas Tacke Genannt Unterberg
that case. However, Bilbao is part of the former Basque-county. Even if it is technically Spain, the people are often quite proud of their heritage. Some might take it as an insult, if you call them Spaniards. Additionally, the Basque language is very prominent. You will hear it on the streets and read it a lot on signs. It is very different from Spanish, so don’t be fooled thinking it is just some form of dialect you might be able to understand! All in all I must say, people were very welcoming and most of the time happy to help and communicate, even if there isn’t actually a common language between you. The level of English capabilities is very low in that area, so basics in Spanish or Basque can be very helpful.
Day to day life:
Coming from the culture, food plays a very significant role there. Pintxos (A slice of bread with ANY savory toping you can think of) might be the most prominent one. You can take them for lunch or in the evening with some drinks. Since the city is next to the ocean, fish and other seafoods are integrated in a lot of dishes. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, it might be hard for you. In more traditional restaurants the vegetarian dish is just a salad or something along that line, so you might want to go to more modern places.
When it comes to going out in the night, Bilbao has a lot to offer. Especially in the casco Viejo (old town) the bar density is very high. But also throughout other parts of the city, you will always find a nice place to grab a beer or a Kalimotxo (popular Basque drink, red wine with cola) and some Pintxos. The club landscape is definitely more restricted. For most clubs, you have to love reggeaton, since it will be played the whole night. But there are also some clubs, where the music choices are more diverse (strong recommend for “Sala Sonora” for Saturdays).
© Lukas Tacke Genannt Unterberg
Public transport is ridiculously cheap and easy in Bilbao. You go to any bigger metro station and buy a “Barik Card”, on which you then can load money. From then on, you just touch-and-go for trains, buses and the metro for prices mostly below 50 cents per ride. The metro also goes all the way to the ocean. Plentzia and Sopella are the beaches reachable by metro I recommend the most. If you want to explore the area, for hikes or to visit other towns nearby, going by bus (Asta or bizkaibus) is a very good option. Most beautiful places I have seen are: San Sebastian, Gangekogorta and the Urdaibai area.
When it comes to work life, in my case it was very similar to my experiences in German companies. Similar working hours, with maybe a longer lunch break and in my case an amazing office climate. My co-workers were always happy to help with tasks or problems at work, but also with recommendations what to do in the area on weekends or which restaurant to go to.
An incredible experience in Norway
- Psychology M.Sc.
- Norway, Tromso
- The Arctic University of Norway (UiT)
- 12.09.22-01.12.22
My experiences:
I recently completed a three-month internship at the UiT in Tromso, Norway during the fall. Overall, it was an incredible experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an opportunity to gain valuable work experience while immersing themselves in a new culture.
© Anton Koger
One of the biggest challenges I faced during my time in Tromso was finding social connections with native Norwegians. The city is quite small, and many locals tend to stick to their own social circles. However, I found that joining clubs and organizations related to my interests was a great way to meet new people and make friends. Additionally, the university has a very active international community, so it was easy to connect with other students from around the world.
The weather in Tromso can be quite challenging, especially during the fall when the days are short and the nights are long. However, the natural beauty of the area more than makes up for it. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors. One thing to keep in mind is that the lack of sunlight can be quite difficult to adjust to, so it’s important to make sure to get outside and soak up some sun whenever possible.
The university itself is quite international, with students and staff from all over the world. This made for a very diverse and stimulating learning environment. The work I did during my internship was very interesting and I felt like I was able to make a meaningful contribution to the research project I was working on.
As a secret tip, I would highly recommend visiting the PUST sauna in the harbour. It’s a unique experience where you can jump into the icy Arctic sea after sauna, it’s a great way to invigorate the body and mind.
In conclusion, my internship at the UiT in Tromso was an incredible experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique opportunity to gain valuable work experience, immerse themselves in a new culture and enjoy the beautiful nature. The difficulty to find social contacts with locals can be challenging but with a bit of effort it’s totally worth it. The weather and nature are beautiful, but the lack of sunlight can be challenging. The university is very international and the work you did was very interesting. And don’t forget to check out the PUST sauna in the harbour where you can jump in the arctic sea.
© Anton Koger
© Anton Koger
© Anton Koger
© Anton Koger
My stay in Vienna – a truly transformative experience
- Business Administration and Engineering: Mechanical Engineering B.Sc.
- Austria, Vienna
- Austrian Institute of Technology
- 09/22 – 12/22
My name is Eva, and I spent September till December 2022 in Vienna doing an internship at a non-university research Institution, in the area of energy technology.
My half year Erasmus experience in Vienna was an incredible journey that completely exceeded my expectations. I arrived in the city in September, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I didn’t know anyone in Vienna, and I was worried about how I would make friends and adjust to living in a new country. But from the moment I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and friendly everyone was. I really fell in love with the beautiful city of Vienna. To be honest, I was obsessed to do my internship in this city. I have never been there before, but my sister who is currently living in Zurich (I am a bit of a fan of this city as well) told me it is almost as beautiful and a lot cheaper. Spoiler: it is definitely more livable as a student because you can actually afford activities. The cost of living is not as cheap as in Aachen, but still within the range of big cities like Munich or Hamburg.
One of the first things I noticed about Vienna was its stunning architecture. The city is filled with gorgeous buildings and landmarks. I spent many afternoons wandering the streets, taking in the sights and soaking up the rich culture of the city.
© Eva Paeffgen
In Vienna there are no kiosks, so everywhere are little “Trafiks“ which look really cute. If you want to get a beer in the evening, it is difficult, because supermarkets are closing at 8 pm. But you always can get one at a Würstelstand. My favorite one is the `Wiener Würstelstand´ in Pfeilgasse crossing Strozzigasse. I can recommend the vegan bosna. On the weekend they do organize little events with pretty cool live music.
I was really lucky! In my office I sat only with interns, bachelors students, masters students and PhD students. So it did not take long till we went on for a beer or other activities. My colleagues and I went bouldern. The company were paying half of the price to support sport activities. We also went for paddle, weird sport.
It was also really affordable to do some yoga, in the “oneYoga“ studio it is possible to test all classes for 30 euro for one month after that it costs 90 euro what’s still okay if you go three times a week.
© Eva Paeffgen
I was living in a shared flat with another girl, I found the place on WG-gesucht. It is not easy to find something, but that’s only because no flats are rented with furniture. Everyone else I have met said if you are staying longer, the market really is alright because of social housing. Our flat was in the 8th Bezirk Josefstadt, I would recommend living in the area. It took me 35 minutes to work by train but only a 10 minute walk to get in the city or in the 7th Bezirk which is absolutely my favorite. Full of little restaurants, cute boutiques and nice bars. Maybe a few recommendations: Bars: Espressobar, Cafe Anno, Cafe Benno (they have a lot of games, and you can eat really good kasespätze there). Breakfast: Cafe der Provinz, all you can eat for 18 euro, with a good quality of food, most of them vegetarian and a lot of vegan stuff. Party: there is a website called Vienna wurstelstand -making the most out of Vienna and life. Every month they make recommendations about cool events. My friends and I did a lot of it. Went to art galleries, little concerts or parties. It is also nice to get to know Vienna, so take a look. Restaurants: pizza bussi ciao, mamamon thai or nguyens pho haus.
The picture on the left was taken from the top of the “Haus des Meeres“, you can get up there for free, but it is also possible to have a drink or eat something there. I would go up for the view and get a beer in the area, there are a lot of little cute bars around.
© Eva Paeffgen
If you are also going in winter, you should take a walk on the Kalenberg, it is not far from the city and for me, it was really important sometimes to get some nature and fresh air between all these massive and impressive buildings. There are a lot of Heurigen (vine farmers that are selling between their fields) you can drink „Sturm“ and with good weather you get a beautiful view over the city.
I also had the chance to travel on the weekends. I went to Bratislava which is worth a visit, it is only two hours by train and the city has much to offer. Budapest is a four hour trip, in my opinion you have to stay overnight to make it worthwhile.
Last thing: withdrawing money costs fees, but you can get it for free from the supermarkets.
Overall, my half year Erasmus experience in Vienna was a truly transformative experience. I grew as a person and learned so much about myself and the world around me. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do my internship abroad and to have had the chance to live in such a beautiful and culturally rich city. I will always treasure the memories I made in Vienna and I hope to visit again someday.