Interning in London: A Once-in-a-lifetime Summer
Ever since I went to Spain many years ago to visit my sister while she was doing a global program through the Fisher College of Business, I knew that going abroad was a priority for me in college. Getting accepted into Ohio State, I knew right away that I wanted to participate in one of the many study abroad programs that are offered. Knowing that I wanted to do a program that bettered me personally and professionally, the Fisher Global Internships Program was perfect for me.
My sister was my first source of knowledge about the many Fisher global programs because she participated in a program. When I was a Freshman, I did research and applied to the perfect program for me at the time. The pandemic canceled this program, along with the rest, so I tried again in my Sophomore year. All in-person programs were canceled for a second time, leading me to participate in the Fisher Global Internships: Virtual program. While this was a great learning experience, I still had the itch to go abroad, leading me to apply for the Fisher Global Internships program in London, England. This past summer, I was finally able to fulfill that dream of studying abroad.
Once I was accepted into the program, I was enrolled in the pre-departure course that is required for all students in the program. Not knowing anyone else going on the trip, the class helped me meet some people and establish relationships between traveling. The next step was filling out a questionnaire on my interests and professional goals, which were discussed in a one-on-one interview with the internship placement team. I had to wait a few weeks to get an interview, but once I did I matched with the company and locked into that position. The next step of the process was the most stressful part: getting a work visa. To work in London, you must go through the extensive visa application process and send in your passport. Since I applied to the program after the first of the year, I got a late start on this process and was very worried that my passport would not be back in time. To my surprise, I got it back 5 days before my flight left, easing all that anxiety.
I arrived in London at the beginning of June and started my journey. There was so much to see and do that I was equally excited and overwhelmed. The feeling of being overwhelmed eased a bit once I got settled into my apartment and got the hang of how transportation works. Now, it still took a bit of time to find my way around the city and pick up on the cultural norms, but I knew it was very normal. One of the biggest things that made me feel comfortable in London was building relationships. Only having met a few of the girls once or twice before we landed in London, we got very close in a short amount of time which made London start feeling like home.
The commute to my internship was around 30 minutes which I never minded because it meant I got to see the city along the way. The company I interned for is called WonderGlass, a glass-making company based out of the Venice mainland that specializes in bespoke glass installations and chandeliers. While it is a Venetian company, its office and showroom are in London. The office I worked in was rather small and intimate which made me feel more at home in the big city – I enjoyed the dynamic of my company. On a typical day in the office, there were 3-5 of us working. The environment was very professional, yet casual at the same time. If I had any questions I would just ask across the room for help or clarification. Communication was also hybrid at times when communicating with the team members working with the manufacturing team in Italy.
At my internship, I worked as a marketing and communications intern. Some of the tasks included collaborating with the Head of Marketing to create content for their Instagram and LinkedIn pages, as well as writing descriptions and blogs for their public website page. My favorite task during the internship was conducting market research to find out how industry peers are using social media to then come up with ideas to improve WonderGlass' social media pages. Overall, I loved the work that I did at WonderGlass, as well as the chance to meet and connect with so many great people.
Outside of work, my friends and I spent most of the time exploring. We were going to do anything, whether it involved taking the tube to the other end of the city for dinner, exploring a new park, or seeing a castle. On a few weekends, we even decided to travel, seeing multiple new countries together. Additionally, there were many days that I would spend time alone exploring, becoming more comfortable with being by myself. I would walk to the Sunday flower market, go for a coffee, or go see a new sight. Each had a significant role in my journey and growth.
I am walking away from this experience having learned many skills, one of the most beneficial being how to adapt to an unfamiliar industry. Having no background knowledge of the niche Venice glass-making industry, I had to become familiar with the ins and outs to do my job to the best of my ability. This is something that will benefit me so much in whatever industry I work for next. It has given me the confidence to know that I am capable of marketing for any industry, whether I have background knowledge of it or not. More personally, I grew confident in myself and my ability to navigate new areas alone, build connections with people that I did not know, and sustain a life in an unfamiliar country. I would not be who I am today without this opportunity – I am forever grateful.
