12 Jan Internship in Paris: Emily’s Experience
Hi! This is Emily Rahmig. I’m from Germany and I recently decided to participate in the Absolute Internship program, interning for a startup based in Paris. I finished high school in June 2021 and earned my “Abitur”, a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. I’m looking forward to attending university in 2022 after becoming my own real-life “Emily in Paris” 😉
“My internship abroad has helped me build confidence and open my mind towards new cultures and new people.”
My Internship in Paris
I interned for Rumble Studio, a startup based in Paris. Their office is located at Station F, the world’s biggest startup campus. Rumble Studio is a B2B (business to business) company that uses software as a service, allowing companies to produce audio content and expand their marketing strategies. Rumble Studio offers an online tool to easily conduct remote guest interviews, using conversational AI, that are published as podcasts.
As a marketing intern my main task was to help manage and increase Rumble Studio’s social media presence, by creating content, designing posts, writing blogs and engaging with potential customers and other people in the podcasting industry on social media.
I also participated in a weekly podcast club, discussing and reviewing branded podcasts created by other companies.
Challenges of Interning Abroad
My biggest challenge has probably been juggling my first job and living by myself in a different country. In the beginning it was quite overwhelming for me to take care of myself while working eight hours a day. However, I adjusted quickly and got used to living by myself in a different country, as it has always been my dream to travel during my gap year and study abroad later on.
Getting settled into France, learning more about the Parisian culture, exploring the city and immersing myself into it made me feel more and more at home and less like an outsider.
My Favourite Thing about Paris
My favourite thing about my Internship in Paris and my experience in general, was exploring the city. There are many beautiful spots to visit in Paris, such as Le Marais, Montmartre, Place de Vendôme, Tuileries Garden and many more. Shopping on the Champs-Élysées and the view of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night never gets old.
Other than the culture I also enjoyed being surrounded by mostly friendly and polite people, despite Parisian stereotypes and the fact that french people are often depicted as rude and snobbish. However, a stereotype that I can confirm is that most Parisians are stylish and elegant.
Achieving my Goals
My goal with this internship was to collect work experience in the area of business development and entrepreneurship in order to decide whether or not I could imagine myself studying something related to that.
My internship at Rumble Studio has helped me understand the operations of a business, offered me great mentorship and helped me find my path. It has also helped me provide required experience for my university applications and is very beneficial for my resume.
Learning and Growth
My internship abroad has helped me build confidence and open my mind towards new cultures and new people. Each day has been a learning experience for me. I am more comfortable in my ability to adapt and learn now more than ever. From organizing my flights to learning how to navigate a different city’s public transport system – I felt like I was becoming more independent with every step.
My Advice to You
Firstly, it is important to come with a clean slate. I made the mistake of coming to Paris without having fully recovered from illness. Unfortunately I had to deal with that during my whole stay in Paris. Take some time for yourself before your internship abroad starts, as you won’t have much time to rest and bounce back after being sick.
Secondly, I would advise everyone, pursuing an international internship, to step out of their comfort zone. You probably won’t be there for very long, so take advantage of everything around you and experience it for all it’s worth! Don’t worry about things you can’t control.
And lastly: don’t be afraid to ask for help and be ready to be lonely. You will meet amazing people, but homesickness is unavoidable. That is part of the experience and you are doing the right thing by exploring the world.
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