Internship at Leiden International Centre: Paulina's Experience
I applied for an internship at Leiden International Centre because I wanted to gain work experience after finishing my studies. In addition, I wanted to help other internationals feel welcome and comfortable in the Netherlands. Being an international student and having travelled from Chile, I understood very well the concerns and challenges that moving to a different country can entail. Therefore, when I found the vacancy on LinkedIn, I thought it could be the perfect opportunity to put both my knowledge and lived experience into practice.
During my six-month internship at Leiden International Centre, I worked on a variety of tasks that provided me with useful skills: from social media planning and website management to event organization and helpdesk assistance. I learned a lot about working independently while also collaborating with a team, having regular meetings, and discussing each other’s progress. One of the highlights is that my supervisors were very flexible when I needed to take a day off due to university activities and gave me continuous feedback on the tasks I was working on. They guided me throughout my internship, showing me the best way to achieve something and helping me improve my work.
However, while I know that the skills I developed will undoubtedly help me in my future job search, what I value most is the experience of working with Dutch people. Because although Leiden International Centre is mainly an international team, it is, nevertheless, a business unit of Leiden&Partners, which is a Dutch marketing company. Consequently, my internship had the best of both worlds. Not only did I immerse myself in a Dutch environment, but I also got to know the Dutch working culture from the very inside. In addition to the well-known efficiency, I realized that many of the things I had heard were true: the Dutch are very direct people, but also friendly and casual. At the office, everyone was welcoming and easy-going, which created a pleasant working environment. From my perspective, there was no visible hierarchy and no formalities. Interns were treated as equal team members, which made me feel very comfortable. Since Leiden&Partners is a small company, working there feels like being part of a big family.
In addition to the daily work activities, I also participated in several team events, such as borrels, a boat tour, and even a summer festival. This came as a surprise to me, because I never imagined that working in a company would also entail having fun with my colleagues at the office –or anywhere else. This made working there very enjoyable.
Overall, I believe this internship was the perfect transition between my studies and the job market. Not only was it a good experience, but it also gave me a great insight into the everyday perks of working in the Netherlands. I would therefore recommend any international student who wants to gain some practical knowledge and learn more about Dutch culture to apply for an internship at Leiden International Centre.
If you would like to know more, feel free to get in touch!
