25 Nov International Education Week Round-Up
This week we have been celebrating International Education Week, with both educational and fun initiatives for all of you and for our team! Our main event for this week was our series of cultural webinars where we discussed working cultures in four of our top program locations: Singapore, Sweden, Spain and Japan. In case you missed them or need a reminder, we have summarised our key learning from each session.
Singapore🇸🇬
- Singapore is a “melting pot” of different cultures, anyone working there should be open to meeting people from many different backgrounds.
- Singaporeans are very sensitive to retaining “face” in all aspects of their lives. In order to keep others from losing face, much communication will be non-verbal and you must closely watch the facial expressions and body language of people you work with.
- Hierarchy is very important in Singapore. You must always respect your elders, even if they are not as senior as you.
Sweden🇸🇪
- Swedish companies tend to have a very flat hierarchy. The CEO is interested in what the intern has to say and their ideas will be listened to and valued.
- Fika breaks are very important to attend in Sweden, no matter your position in the company. This is when colleagues will bond over coffee and often “informal meetings” will take place here.
- Swedes are direct communicators and as such, “Saying what you mean and meaning what you say” is both practiced and expected.
Spain🇪🇸
- In Spain it is very common to spend time both working and socializing with your colleagues. For example, working together all day and then spending the rest of the evening together drinking.
- Although there is a stereotype of Spaniards often being late, it is still important, especially as an intern, to be punctual and ensure you stick to schedules and deadlines. This shows respect and organisational skills, even if your boss may turn up 10 minutes late.
- Many companies have a “jornada reducida” during the summer when work starts at 8am and finishes at 3pm, with no break. Be prepared to work reduced hours if you visit in the summer.
Japan🇯🇵
- Japanese hierarchy is heavily based on age. The oldest person will be respected better, no matter their rank in the company.
- In Japan, it is common to work until at least 10pm. They work hard and for long hours, so be prepared to adjust to a new working schedule!
- Teamwork is more important than individual efforts. It is not about furthering yourself in your own career, but about the good of the team as a whole.
Absolute Internship Team Fun
As well as our insightful webinar series, we also hosted a fun initiative for the team here at Absolute Internship! We asked everyone to bring one dish from their home country and hosted an International Education Week Breakfast and Lunch. With more than 15 different nationalities between us, it made for a very interesting menu:
Breakfast:
Croissants – France🇫🇷
Bagels – USA🇺🇸
Starters:
Vigorón – Nicaragua🇳🇮
Caponata – Italy🇮🇹
Nordic Canapés – Latvia🇱🇻
Chlebičky – Czech Republic🇨🇿
Mains:
Vegetable Curry – Vietnam🇻🇳
Tortilla de Patatas – Spain🇪🇸
Hutspot – Netherlands🇳🇱
Buffalo Mac & Cheese – USA🇺🇸
Dessert:
Apple Crumble – UK🇬🇧
Arroz con Leche – Cuba🇨🇺
Ensaimada – Mallorca🇪🇸
Chocolate Brownies – USA🇺🇸
Exclusive Student Discount
Finally, we have been running and continue to run an amazing International Education Week promo for students! If you enroll to one of our Summer 2022 international internship programs by the end of November, you could have a chance to benefit from the following:
- 300 EUR Flight Voucher
- Free travel insurance for your program
- 1:1 coaching session to improve your CV and LinkedIn
The first 10 students who enroll will be entitled to these amazing benefits! If you’re interested, make sure you apply using the code IEW2021.
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