Internships: cultural reflections from students

Three students completed their internship in Palma de Mallorca during fall 2019. These are some of their comments:

"It was nice to experience the process as time went on and learn more and more. By the end of the semester I was able to do everything on my own and felt I had learned so much over the five months. Everyone treated me very well and I enjoyed meeting new people and learning more about the other employees and more about the hotel. All the knowledge I have gained from college has definitely benefited me in this  internship by giving me knowledge about the hotel industry, but nothing could have prepared me for the process and transition. This internship was a very positive experience for me and my future and I hope I had only positive impact on Hotel Caballero through my reliable and ambitious personality. This internship has taught me so much not just about the hospitality industry but also about adaptability, the Spanish culture, and a new part of the hotel I had never had experience in before. The experience I have gained from these past five months will stick with me through my entire future and have a huge impact. I could not be more Grateful for this opportunity and the lessons I have learned. I will use and keep these Skills for my future and look forward to the many doors this experience will open for me." (Zoe)

"I was often given tasks and then asked to complete them to the best of my abilities with my previous knowledge and the help of my colleagues. This was very hands on and proved to be extremely beneficial when it came to future tasks during the internship. By the end, it was extremely hard to say goodbye to some great friends I had made. Looking back on this internship, I would evaluate my experience as being one of the most important jobs I have ever done. Every task I worked on while at Moments was incredibly unique and important for my growth as a hopeful future event planner. I was lucky to work with not only the wedding planners but also the décor team, florist and even a little bit with the accountant. This helped me gain a wholistic understanding of the industry. For this, I am grateful as I will never forget this once in a lifetime experience. The time I spent at Moments has helped shape me into a better professional, leader and most of all specialist in event planning. I am eager to take everything I learned from this internship with me in all of my future endeavors." (Ellie)

"I learned that there is more than one way to solve issues and now can look at issues from multiple perspectives. Strengths: Positive work environment, Scheduling flexibility, Well- run hotel, Able to see the full product cycle, from ordering to inventory, to delivery notes and payment, Work in both human resources and finance; Weaknesses: Dated technology and business processes, Tasks do not often vary." (Sydney)