05 Jun When your Spain internship immerses you in the local culture—and beyond
Table of Contents
Living and working abroad naturally means you’ll get to experience the country’s unique culture. But for Michigan State University student Sofia Henry , her Spain internship also exposed her to the cultures of Morocco, Greece, the Netherlands, and the UK.
Sofia (2nd from the right) and fellow students in the internship program, in Madrid
An internship that gave her actual industry experience
Sofia, a Marketing major, took on an 8-week Public Relations internship in Madrid during the summer of 2025. She worked with Marco, a global independent agency focused on brand and reputation building.
“This experience gave me a broader understanding of the fast-paced world of public relations,” she shared. “I had the opportunity to work alongside a talented team, contribute to client campaigns, and strengthen my skills.”
Throughout her internship, she worked with several clients. This showed her how the concepts she studied in university applied not just outside the classroom, but also how PR actually played a role in various industries.
In the world of PR, having a specialization (e.g., working only with fashion design studios) doesn’t always happen immediately. For most fresh graduates, potential clients can come from any trade, and so knowing a bit of everything across different fields is a huge advantage for students like Sofia.
Sofia’s internship highlight: “Meeting different people in the workplace, working with different clients, and learning how to work in a professional environment.”
Her tasks included doing research on client industries and competitors, daily media monitoring, and creating summary reports highlighting news that mentioned Marco’s clients. All these are part of the essential role of PR agencies in brand and reputation building; Sofia’s work here gave her foundational experience that’s crucial and invaluable in her field.
Campaigns are also a big part of PR, and Sofia was able to contribute to some of the ones that the agency is actively working on.
In particular, she proofread and checked campaign reports, ensuring all messaging is aligned before they were shared with clients. That’s an impressive responsibility, if you ask us, but a comment from Marco’s Senior Strategic Consultant, Fauve Billard, gave us an idea why Sofia was entrusted with it.
“It was amazing to work with [Sofia]! Any company would be lucky to have [her],” Fauve wrote, revealing just how much their international summer intern excelled in her role.
Spotted in a window in Amsterdam
But wait, have we mentioned that Marco is a global company?
What it truly means to work in a global company
Being a global company means that Marco has clients all over the world—and Sofia herself was assigned to companies not just in Spain, but in Morocco and the UK as well.
Now, take all the work that she did and add a global edge to it.
Sofia didn’t simply learn how PR is applied in various industries, but also how it worked in companies from different backgrounds and cultures. Monitoring exposed her to media and news coverage not just in Spain but in multiple countries, and background research pushed her to dive into foreign markets.
In Malaga, Spain
This global exposure allowed her to see nuances between cultures and, consequently, how those differences impact approaches in brand and reputation building. It’s a vital lesson in PR that not everyone has the opportunity to learn, even before stepping into a professional setting. It brings “knowing a bit of everything” to a whole new level and is undeniably a great addition to Sofia’s resume and portfolio.
“I was given a professional opportunity along with a once-in-a-lifetime experience of living abroad. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience and everything I’ve learned,” she said.
Taking her internship abroad program a few steps farther
On her days off, Sofia continued to foster her cultural awareness. First, she immersed herself in the vibrant energy of her host city, Madrid, exploring iconic sites like the Gran Vía and Almudena Cathedral. Then, together with the other students participating in Absolute Internship’s internship abroad program, she went to see the rest of Spain and beyond.
In Barcelona, Spain
It’s easy to assume that you would see the same traditions and eat the same dishes wherever you go in Spain. In truth, though, it has a rich history that has led to its position today as a highly diverse country. There are significant cultural differences between regions and cities, and Sofia got to experience many of them, from the Catalan culture in Barcelona and the relaxed, coastal vibe of Malaga, to the Castilian landscapes of Segovia and the ancient city of Toledo.
In Mykonos, Greece
Beyond Spain, Sofia and her friends visited the stunning island of Mykonos in Greece, once again being introduced to a whole new culture and pace of life. They also made their way to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, which placed fifth in the Happiest Countries in the World that same year.
When asked for her overall feedback on the international internship program, Sofia wrote: “This is an amazing program and an opportunity to get work experience as well as travel abroad. I gained so much from this!”
Want to discover on your own what it truly means to go global? Apply for an international internship with us today! Our programs include a guaranteed internship in your chosen industry, a network of students from all around the world, as well as cultural activities and trips to maximize your time and learning abroad.
Send us a message, and we’ll help you get started!
No Comments