Demi during her internship in Berlin

Hey! Where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

Hi! I’m Demi, 19 years old, from Ridderkerk and I study International Business and Languages at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. For my studies, I did a 5-month internship in Berlin.

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Berlin?

Wow, what a city! Berlin is so huge and fun, and the vibe is very relaxed. Everyone does whatever they want and you can wear whatever you like—no one gives you weird looks.

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Berlin?

Directness. I’m pretty direct myself, but Germans are not. I noticed they are quite careful with what they say to each other. The German hierarchy at work also stood out to me. The layers are very clear, and if you’re at the bottom of the ladder, you hardly have any say.

What does your typical workday look like?

Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy my internship. I worked five days a week from 9:00 to 18:00 and had very little to do. That made the days go very slowly. The fact that I didn’t get many tasks had to do with the hierarchy I mentioned earlier. As an intern, I was naturally at the very bottom of the ladder, and on top of that, I’m not German, so my language skills aren’t as good as someone with German as their native tongue.

How was the work atmosphere at your internship company?

Luckily, my colleagues were all nice and friendly! We often went out to lunch together, and sometimes on Fridays there were drinks to kick off the weekend.

Did you ever feel homesick? How did you deal with it?

I wouldn’t call it homesickness, but after four months I did start to feel like I wanted to go home. At times like that, I told myself: “Come on, Deem, you’ve already been here four months, that last month will fly by!” Looking back now, my time in Berlin really flew by!

Did you feel at home in Berlin? Why (not)?

Yes, Berlin is so great! The people are friendly, there are nice shops and restaurants everywhere, and there are plenty of things to do. Especially in summer, Berlin is really fun. Everyone goes outside, and you see people enjoying the sun in parks and on squares all over the city.

Give us tips on who to befriend abroad. The Russians? The Irish? The Chileans?

Locals! They can tell you all about the best spots in the city.

Describe the people of Berlin in three words.

Friendly, diverse, old-fashioned.

What did you learn from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community you liked? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience less than expected? Details, we want details!

You learn so much when you go abroad. It was a huge experience I will never forget. Of course, it’s a shame my internship was disappointing, but Berlin was amazing. What I especially love about Berlin is the diversity. Not only in the people but also in what you can do. You can have a fancy dinner and visit the most beautiful and expensive rooftop bars, but you can also get an Asian dish for 3 euros at one of Berlin’s many Asian restaurants.