Connect-123 Barcelona Internships

I’ve wanted to work abroad since I started studying at university, but had always lacked the foresight and planning to be comfortable with spending an extended period overseas. Connect-123 provided me with help in all of these areas; quickly providing job offers, housing availability and all sorts of resources for living in comfort.

My job is in nanotechnology fabrications, and I was surrounded by intelligent and welcoming friends who are invaluable in learning more about science and engineering as well as local culture.

Barcelona has quickly become one of my favorite cities, with newfound lifelong friends, university and job connections and most importantly, incredible food. It’s a bittersweet feeling to know that my time in Barcelona is limited; but I’m already looking forward to visiting again, as well as the following internship through Connect-123 in Dublin!

A great programme to build your personal and professional growth. An internship places you out of your comfort zone in so many different aspects. A worthwhile and rewarding experience.

The first day I arrived, I met my programme coordinator. They made me aware of some important and useful aspects such as the metro system, emergency contacts, as well as a timetable listed with excursions and events that were held for us. These excursions were held every week, here we had the opportunity to meet other interns also on the programme.

I would definitely recommend this programme. Whether you are a student or have finished your studies and would like a break by interning in a different country. There is time to travel as well, especially during weekends and sometimes even after work depending when you finish.

Looking back when I lived in San Diego, California, I still remember walking to my bedroom on a daily basis, sitting at my computer desk, sighing and staring at the enormous poster I had on the wall - it was a world map. It was there to remind, motivate and inspire me to go for the things that I truly wanted – to return to Spain, travel, continue to learning, self-educating, connecting and seeking understanding of other cultures and people. It was a difficult choice and challenge to go back to Spain, especially, this time, as an older guy. But I learned that in the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take. That simple paper on the wall, that world map, kept me on track; it helped me stay focus on my goals and to visualize the possibilities – that it was doable, reachable.

Fast-forward to now, I have reached that goal. And I couldn’t have done it without the help and continuous support of the superb, professional and friendly duo from Connect-123, Zuzana Jurasikova and Mireia Vila. I’m grateful for Connect-123, the journalism/translation/editing internship opportunity with ShBarcelona, and for the new friendships I’ve made with other student “Connectors.” I’m aiming to keep growing personally and professionally in the beautiful city of Barcelona. I’ve no regrets in the choice that I made in joining the Connect-123 family and picking Barcelona as the place to pursue my career objectives. For any young soul out there who’s contemplating on doing an internship in a foreign country that you’re interested in, just do it! I strongly believe in investing in your own experience and education because the impact can be of a positive life change, an unforgettable adventure, a transformative and eye-opening journey – in other words: priceless.

The people that I worked with in Barcelona were so welcoming and genuinely cared that I was enjoying myself in the city. They were so supportive and they helped me out so much when I was getting acclimated to the city but when I was acclimated they let me explore and travel to other countries in Europe on my own. They planned so many fun and different events for us to come with and they are great event to see all the little things that Barcelona has to offer.

I always dreamed of living in Barcelona, and being an architecture student, there was no better city to have this experience. I was hesitating at first, when applying to the connect-123 program, I was afraid to believe in it too much, to get my hopes up. Even after everything was set, I still didn't believe it was actually happening...And then, I was Here ! Here in Barcelona living the life I always dreamed of, and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made! For me, this was not just an internship program, it was a life experience. I had to grow on so many levels and i can already tell that now, I'm a changed person. The architecture internship was better than I expected, I was working with a team of passionate people (small office, big projects & even bigger minds), I had the chance to experiment, to design, and i was trusted and given big tasks from the get go. Not speaking Catalan or Spanish made it harder for me to fit in within the social context of the office, it was challenging, but I managed to bond with every single one of my colleagues....and that was the hard part, realizing how much of an impact the people around you have on the quality of your experience. I was out of my comfort zone in every possible way, and I managed to adapt. Throughout my stay in Barcelona, I was in contact with the connect-123 office, I met some of them, they introduced me to other interns and made me feel like I was genuinely cared about. At the end, looking back at this experience, I can say that I truly LIVED in Barcelona, I walked every street, met so many people from all from so many places, worked till my eyes shut closed, danced till my feet hurt, sang at every corner, laughed and cried my heart out...it was one of the most intense periods of my life, I loved every second of it, and I will do it again in a heartbeat!

If you are searching for a sign, this could be it. It has always been a dream for me to see the well-known Sagrada Familia in real life and before I know it, I was right at the foot of the history-in-the-making. My experience with Connect-123 has been nothing less than spectacular! The application process was really easy and fast. I was really impressed by the level of energy they have in initiating regular meet-ups and events for the group of Interns & Volunteers in Barcelona. I no longer need to depend on “Trip Advisor” or search for tourism suggestions as Connect-123 team is constantly suggesting various events and festivals that we can choose to go via a common Facebook Group. What is more heartening is that they will listen to your interest and henceforth look out for any related activities.

I chose to do an architecture internship in Barcelona for 3 months and it was an eye-opening experience. Within the first 2 months, I was closely involved in 4 projects and even a chance to manage the company’s portfolio website. One of the projects was a submission for a local competition and the adrenaline rush during that period was pretty unforgettable. It’s working hours are very flexible and as long as I am done with the work assigned, I can leave as early as 4pm. Hence, I was able to do a little bit of exploration around Barcelona on my own, discovering random places and people around. Every day is unpredictable and there is always something to look forward to. The only difficulty I faced was probably the language barrier, as I do not speak Spanish or Catalan. Hence, there are certain moments when I wished that I learned Spanish before coming over to Barcelona. However, the people there were really nice and will always try to translate whatever they were saying in English for me.

Overall, I am really glad that I signed up for this! My term break has never been so productive yet enjoyable at the same time. Barcelona has taught me many valuable lessons in balancing between work and life. I enjoyed every moment in the streets of Barcelona as I witnessed every details of the remarkable architecture! Hence, for those who are still considering, wait no further to click that sign up button because it will bring you to whole new adventure!

Barcelona is your next trip! If it's not, change your travel plans immediately and get on a flight to Spain!
Bursting with vibrant culture and nightlife as well as some of the kindest people in the world, Barcelona is the place to be. Not to visit, but to actually live, and with my internship through Connect 123, I had the opportunity to truly experience life as a real "Barcelonese." I was able to intertwine myself into the culture and the language for a full immersion experience filled with new friends, personal discovery, and unbelievably delicious food!

However, while living abroad changes you (usually for the better!), I still felt like myself throughout the entire experience because my internship was so tailor-made to fit my personal interests and strengths. I believe I was able to get a lot out of this opportunity because my work was so closely tied and reflective of my personality that I could learn and grow in the areas I wished to improve upon in order to succeed. The internship was valuable to my future career because it allowed me to test the waters of what a life in this field would consist of and now after completing my program with Connect 123, I'm diving in headfirst!

Fifty years from now, when you are (hopefully) peacefully retired in the place of your dreams, reflecting on your past experiences, your education, your work, your family, the friends you have made and the friends you have lost, the places you have visited and the places you will never see, what do you think will come to mind?

In my mind I will picture Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain in the summer of 2014 and the blessing of my colleges's International Studies summer fellowship. I will picture my internship at an organization that actively fought to eradicate the housing and economic crisis that began in 2007. A crisis which, in Spain, resulted in the forceful eviction of thousands from their homes, left thousands more indebted to the banks for life, and even led some to take their own lives. I will picture myself, a 22-year-old university student from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee who at first struggled with language and communication, constantly stressing over research, work and cultural awareness, but who quickly adapted to an intimate work environment, becoming truly comfortable with immersion, and able to have the opportunity to contribute personal, meaningful, and useful work to the fight for housing rights in Spain. All this, still being able to have an unexplainable amount of fun and adventure within the city of Barcelona, around Spain, and throughout North Africa and Central Europe.

Lea and Steve Levy, and the rest of the team at Connect-123, gave me the tools I needed to make my experience in Barcelona not only a memory I could happily look back on 50 years from now, but also a contribution to the city that will forever have an impact on the livelihood of its citizens. Without the help of Connect-123, I would have never been able to be placed at an organization that fit my exact interests and aspirations for a summer internship abroad, particularly in the field of protecting constitutional and basic human rights. To anyone who hopes to look back on their time abroad with a sense of accomplishment, personal growth, and unmatchable happiness, Connect-123 is the way to go. 11 out of 10.