Laura during her internship in London

Hey! Where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?
Hi! I’m Laura, I studied International Management and I’m from Nijmegen. Right now, I live in London where I’m doing an internship at an entertainment PR agency!

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in London?
Wow, here we go. It wasn’t my first time in London, but it was the first time I’d be living abroad alone for three months. So it was pretty exciting!

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and London?
Phew, that’s a tough one—it doesn’t actually feel all that different.

What does your typical workday look like?
My workday starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends around 6:00 p.m. As a PR intern, you do a bit of everything—lots of “cuttings,” as they call it, where you gather articles that mention artists and send them to the artist team. I also help out with all kinds of other tasks—sometimes it’s mailing out CDs, sometimes doing research, and sometimes following up with journalists. So it’s nicely varied!

What’s the work atmosphere like at your internship company?
Very informal, friendly, and busy. It’s a small company with an open-plan office, so it’s easy to chat with everyone. But because it’s such a small company, it does get quite hectic at times—there can definitely be some stressful moments.

Have you ever felt homesick? How did you deal with it?
Not really homesick, but there have been moments when I missed my family or friends. Luckily, I can always call them—and the time difference isn’t too bad, so that helps!

Do you feel at home in London? Why (or why not)?
Yes, I do feel quite at home in London. It’s a beautiful big city where there’s always something going on. Every weekend you can explore a different part of the city.

Give us some tips—who should you become friends with when abroad? The Russians? The Irish? The Chileans?
Well, I share my apartment with people from Spain, France, and a girl from Taiwan. They’re all really nice, and of course I also have British colleagues. I’d say: meet as many different people as possible—you learn something new from every culture!

Describe the people of London in three words.
Polite, diverse, and busy. It’s a city full of different nationalities!

What have you learned from your time abroad? Was it the lovely community you enjoyed? The cheap cocktails? The stunning nature? Or was your experience less than expected? We want details!
It’s been amazing—London is a beautiful and diverse city with way too much to see. Even nature-wise, the parks are stunning! The great thing is that there’s always something to do—you never get bored.
I originally came here for the music industry, and I’ve actually learned that being in a big city doesn’t necessarily make things easier. That said, I’ve gained valuable experience in the industry here that I can take back with me to the Netherlands. I’ve also met people I’ll definitely stay in touch with! It’s been such a valuable experience, and I’ll really miss London when I leave—but luckily it’s not too far away ;)