Erasmus+ Intern Introduction: My Year Abroad Experience
Who am I?
My name is Sam Herring and I am entering my third year as a student in French, German and Arabic at the University of St Andrews, having completed a placement abroad in Germany last year. I am working alongside Catie this year as the Erasmus+ Intern at the Global Office!
What does my role involve?
In my position I am responsible for assisting both inbound and outbound St Andrews students and helping to promote Study Abroad opportunities. This encompasses a wide range of tasks, like helping the Global Office run its promotional events and maintaining its image on social media. I also manage the University’s buddy scheme, pairing inbound students with St Andrews students who’ve recently returned from abroad. I’d be happy to answer any queries at [email protected].
What did I do for my Year Abroad?
I spent last year undertaking a work placement at the Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. I worked as an intern in the translation department, translating a wide range of materials, from hefty legal documents to even tweets! It was my first ever experience of working full-time in an office environment and allowed me to gain an insight into the professional world. Sadly my time was cut short due to COVID-19, but I still had six months’ worth of fantastic memories.
What were the highlights?
Too many to mention! During the placement itself I gradually took on more responsibility as I got more accustomed to the role. By the time the pandemic struck, I was helping to translate confidential Board of Management documents, which was brilliant to be involved in. However, it was outside the office where I was really exposed to the classic “Year Abroad Experience.” Although I would see myself as someone who is rather reserved, I urged myself to get stuck in and make the most of the year (or so I thought) that I had. As a keen chess player, I joined the Wolfsburg chess club and represented them in the local league. It took me a while to get used to all the German chess terminology, but in any case chess is a universal language and I enjoyed many good battles over the chessboard there. Somewhat less conventionally, I ended up singing in a fire brigade choir! The Feuerwehr is a very German concept, with its volunteers belonging to it for life in a very tight-knit community. I was extremely grateful that they opened their door to me and allowed me to experience Germany at its authentic best. I don’t think my singing skills have improved at all, but I certainly now have some German songs in my locker to sing at Christmas time!
What did I find difficult?
While I could go on for days about my time in Germany, that’s not to say that there weren’t any challenges I had to overcome. I made the decision midway through my second year that I wanted to do a work placement, rather than studying at a university or teaching with the British Council, as I wanted to gain some professional experience. This meant that I had to search for positions myself and go through different application processes. I felt it was a lot more effort than choosing one of the other more orthodox routes, although in my experience it was certainly worth it. I was fortunate enough that the University has a good relationship with Volkswagen, with St Andrews students often going there to do a placement, which helped me in my application. It’s just worth bearing in mind that you’ll have to be especially proactive and independent if you decide to do this. Furthermore, as concern about Coronavirus spread during February and March, there was obviously a lot of uncertainty as to whether I should return to the UK or not. In this case, communication with the Global Office was key, and the decision was made in mid-March to return home.