Top things about going abroad that made me look forward to the future
Top things about going abroad that made me look forward to the future:
It’s been almost two months since my return from an AIESEC internship in Córdoba, Argentina, and although I have always known that the opportunity was quite impactful, gaining distance from the experience has changed my perspective on the way it has influenced my path and actions. Here is how going abroad four months ago has made me start looking positively towards the future:
1. It has given me the confidence to confront, embrace, and utilize cultural differences in new work environments. I came back from my exchange to sit in several business classes and learn about framework after framework that tells us that we are ill equipped for our globalizing world because we do not have the cultural intelligence to be effective in a professional environment. In turn, working in marketing job abroad, engaging in conversations about our rights, politics, and differences in educational, social, and political norms across different countries, as well as developing working competency in a second language has allowed me to develop myself as an individual that can work in a multi-cultural environment later on. Furthermore, the experience has shown me that I have a lot more to learn and incorporating this learning of other cultures and their role in a workplace as an essential part of my future career paths is of great interest to me.
2. It has drawn my attention to individuals who are going through the same experience. Upon welcoming an intern into our city that is also completing an internship through AIESEC, I feel like my experience in AIESEC Victoria (which started out as participating as a Vice President that would contribute to facilitating this experience for international youth and then turned into being able to work abroad for three months) has come full circle. Not only am I more sensitive to the culture shock and transition he is experiencing in the beginning of his internship, I am constantly looking forward to the growth and development that he will (have to) undergo. 3. It has made me more open to different career paths. In addition to sparking my interest in international work, the challenge of the internship has helped me to be more confident in confronting weaknesses in functional areas. Although I struggled with the language barrier and marketing as a function in the beginning, the progress I made over three months in the project made me realize that upon considering possibilities for new work terms, I should never rule out an opportunity due to an underdeveloped capability. At the end of the day, the whole point of a project or internship is to develop those skills, and as we always say in AIESEC, if you enter a position already knowing how to do it, you’re doing it wrong.
After completing this internship, I know this ability to grow and improve is a strength I can bring to any workplace. Beyond the personal development and cultural understanding, one of the most impactful aspects of the experience has been the motivation to facilitate this exchange opportunity for others so that they can experience the same growth and excitement for their potential.