Good to know when doing an internship in southern Spain!

During my internship, I learned a lot. There were a few things I wish I had known before starting this adventure. There were also things that made my experience much more enjoyable, which I would like to share with others! Here are a few tips for your internship adventure:

Learning the Spanish language will greatly enrich your experience
When I came to Spain, I barely knew any Spanish. I mostly hung out with Dutch people and wanted to learn Spanish but found it very difficult. I couldn’t yet have a conversation with someone in Spanish and thus make Spanish friends. I was also afraid to start a conversation with Spanish speakers because I thought the conversation would stall. In the meantime, I kept practicing and learning new words. The moment I really started speaking Spanish was when I realized that Spaniards found it very fun when I tried to speak their language. Despite making mistakes, they appreciated that I was trying to learn. I began to have small conversations more often, in which I mentioned that my Spanish was not very good yet and often asked them to speak a little slower at the beginning of the conversation. I started to feel more and more comfortable in Spanish and before I knew it, I didn’t even think about it anymore! I began to meet more Spanish people and noticed that this made my experience in Spain so much more enjoyable!

Meeting other students is very easy!
Participating in trips organized by MSE is a great way to meet other international students. Additionally, it is super fun to see more of the surrounding area where you are staying. When I was doing my internship, I often took a day trip to a nearby village or city on the weekends. This kept the vacation feeling alive whenever I had the weekend off.

Not everything will go as you expected, but that’s okay!
It’s very normal to have expectations before and during your internship period. I advise you to let go of these expectations completely because things always turn out differently. I remember one of my expectations was that I would mainly be dealing with customers and communication at my internship, but in the end, I learned how to build a website during my internship and even managed to turn it into a side job for other companies!

Keep in mind that southern Spain can steal your heart!
I did my internship 2.5 years ago and I still live in Málaga! When I arrived in Málaga, I couldn’t imagine ever going back to the Netherlands. Of course, this is different for everyone, but many students I speak to also experience this and always come back, whether for vacation or to stay and live here. If you feel the same way and are considering staying in Spain, spend time building a network and do your best at your internship company! Who knows, they might offer you a job, giving you the opportunity to stay here.

Written by Féline David