As I prepare for my summer in London there are many things that I have had to think about: what do I have to do before I leave, my goals for this experience and my expectations for the time I will spend abroad. Of course, obtaining an internship placement, getting my passport and visa, packing and just mentally preparing myself to live in another country for two months are the main parts of my preparation.
I have been looking forward to this opportunity ever since I first heard of the London IES internship program as a sophomore. I think this experience will help me grow, not only in professional ways, but also in more personal ways. My primary goal for this internship is to gain valuable work experience that I can use after I graduate from IU. But I also hope I can make connections with a wide variety of people. Since London is a very diverse place, I look forward to this happening.
Along with networking, I also expect that this internship will help improve my writing and social media management skills, which I see being very useful to me in the future. In addition to these more professional goals, I am also looking forward to this internship giving me a taste of being on my own. My hometown is very close to Bloomington and my little sister also attends IU, so I have never really felt like I was truly on my own and taking care of myself.
As for my expectations for this trip, I wish for this to be an experience I never forget and can look back on in the future. After visiting Beijing for a week in March this year, I feel like I know more about what to expect when traveling abroad. Beijing was ones of the most valuable experiences I have had while at IU. I learned so much about China, media, and myself while I was there and that trip was only seven days long. Since I will be in London for two months, I expect this trip to influence me and help me grow even more.
