Before my internship, my boss sent me the address of Aisle 8, commenting on how it was a bit hard to find and attaching her number in case I got lost. I didn’t pay much attention to it, as I thought I would be able to find the building in no time with Citymapper since it had never failed me. Sure enough, I soon found myself frantically asking those in the area where the company Aisle 8 was, and no one seemed to know. I knew it was in St. John’s Square, but I absolutely could not find the building entrance. Even my dad, who knew I was a bit directionally challenged, had sent me what the outside of the building entrance looked like the night before on Google Maps. 

Little did I know that I had passed the entrance so many times, since it was so inconspicuous and the photo of the building entrance on Google Maps had not yet been updated to reflect the more subtle company plaque. I could see the people in the nearby buildings noticing me from the window, and they seemed to glare at me menacingly, when in reality I was just embarrassed and lost. The weight of dread started to set in as I didn’t want to resort to calling my supervisor, but I knew I would not be able to make it to the office on time. The building was located within a tiny alleyway that was lined with a brick road like the rest of the square, and I asked a total of three locals where the building would be with no luck in sight. I was told directions (which ended up being completely wrong) and was laughed at as I was walking away, so I gave up and resorted to leaving a voicemail for her. 

A few minutes passed, and I received a call back and texts from her reassuring me not to worry, as she was on the tube and making her way down. My time in the office was supposed to start at 9:00, and it was already 9:08. I apologized profusely to her over the phone and told her the nearby pub I was at, and it was there that I met her for the first time in person. My mind was racing with so many negative thoughts about what others might think of me coming in late until I was surprised to witness that no one else was in the office yet and that she was the one opening it up. Instantly, my worries dissipated and I finally felt I could be more at ease. I expected my internship to start based on a strict, more regimented time, but after my first day and week I soon realized that that was not the case. 

A sneak peek behind the scenes of some of the beauty products in our stock room. 

My first day, I felt extremely overwhelmed and I was doubting myself a lot. I was thrown right into my tasks of media coverage and packaging samples for influencers, and I felt so stranded because my boss was in the process of creating an outline of my tasks and responsibilities, but then she had to attend a meeting so I was left without having a concrete set of responsibilities as I am used to. I found myself feeling reluctant to be proactive and assertive and ask how to do things in general or repeat explanations, and I left my first day doubting myself and thinking negative thoughts. 

Free goodies for being on the beauty team! 

Packaging products for an upcoming influencer gifting event. 

The second day of my internship, everything changed for the better. I kept an open mind and stopped being so harsh on myself after my first day, and most importantly allowed myself to take a step back and realize that I was doing the best that I could with the little knowledge I had. I shifted my mindset and stopped myself amongst the midst of my own tumultuous emotions to learn to be assertive, and not see asking questions as a weakness and instead as a strength. In this way, I would advise incoming interns to actively advocate for themselves and reach out to their coworkers/manager to make the most of their internship abroad to achieve the most fulfilling experience. 

Quick selfie in the showroom! 

Super cool pop-up from Eliza that me and my coworkers got to attend outside our building! 

Now, during the last week of my placement, I feel more confident and proud of my cultural competence and flexibility that I’ve acquired throughout my time here in London. I’ve created meaningful relationships with my coworkers and boss and I know I will miss them once I am back home. Although my study abroad experience had ups and downs, I would say that the highs I’ve experienced have truly shaped me to be more adaptable and self-assured in whatever I do. Don’t let the bumps in the road deter you from an invaluable study abroad experience that will be unforgettable and priceless!