By Amelia Edwards, Fourth Year, English and French
An internship abroad probably evokes one of two images: Emily in Paris (2020) or The Devil Wears Prada (2006). The reality is a challenging, but rewarding mix of hard work, a full-time schedule, and close-up industry experience.
Last year, I chose to apply for an internship at a lifestyle magazine in Paris. I found the right contact in a clunky database of emails left behind by past Bristol students, sent off my CV, and hoped for the best.
Fast forward six months, and I was plunged into the surreal reality of being a student and intern all at once. At work, I helped to write and edit fashion, travel, and beauty articles for 50 international editions of ELLE magazine. In my one-bedroom apartment on the Left Bank, I worked on university assignments, phoned my friends, and watched English TV to remind me of home.
Many language students at university face the dilemma of applying for an internship or study abroad. When deciding between the two, a crucial factor is money. It takes a certain level of privilege to live in a city like Paris in the first place, and with salaried work mostly off the table for foreign students, internships might seem like the best way to pay rent.
However, it took me by surprise to learn that although most internships are paid, the standard compensation in France is less than half of minimum wage, at £10 an hour. Even with the occasional Burberry perfume freebie, living on €4.35 — enough to buy about three pains au chocolat — can be as much of a challenge as culture shock. As exchange students at the Paris Sorbonne scrape to survive the cost of living on slightly higher student loans, interns often find themselves leaning on an unpredictable mix of Turing funding, reduced loans, and canteen discounts.
Compared to internships, studying abroad can also give students more free time to immerse themselves in a new culture and have fun. Whilst other third-years took classes in World Literature and danced to French hits in Paris’ underground clubs, my 35-hour work week left me too drained most nights to even consider going out. For people accustomed to life at university, the adjustment to working full-time as an intern abroad is like going from Fresher’s Week to Paris Fashion Week.
That said, settling into a new work routine can also reap a few unexpected perks. Outside of ELLE’s offices, the Eiffel Tower replaced post-lecture walks to Clifton Suspension Bridge, Lidl bakery morphed into Parisian “boulangeries”, and Bristol parties were ditched in favour of cosy nights in. My temporary life in Paris came with upsides I never could have pictured two years ago, a million miles away from my student life back home.
'For many, study placements are worth it — for wide-open opportunities and cultural lessons — though the right internship can be even more transformative, career-wise.'
It’s also important to remember that internships abroad are designed to be a challenge, launching you into professional life in a foreign culture. Working at ELLE exposed me to an industry I had only seen on screen, a little less dramatic than the fashion-magazine film clichés. It sharpened my writing skills, improved my French through trial and error, and gave me a newfound sense of resilience.
Benjamin Salmon
So, internships abroad are sometimes worth the hype, especially if you can find one in your dream industry and are laser-focussed on your future. Though often exhausting and underpaid, the lessons you take away can last a lifetime. For many, study placements are worth it — for wide-open opportunities and cultural lessons — though the right internship can be even more transformative, career-wise. Just don’t expect Miranda Priestly’s front-row glamour.
Behind the scenes, my six-month internship in Paris may have been less glitzy than it looks on paper, but I’ve returned to Bristol a more adaptable, fluent-in-French version of myself. Plus, I now have a whole new level of appreciation for the work that goes into lifestyle magazines— and for fresh baguettes.
Featured Image: Epigram / Amelia Edwards
Are you deciding between an internship and studying abroad?
