Day in the Life of an Intern: Barcelona Edition

You can probably read about all the magnificent sights to see and places to be in Barcelona on a brochure…but what does the typical day look like for a summer intern?

Oh, I’m SO glad you asked! Every week has been different and full of surprises, but my weekday schedule Monday through Friday usually follows a certain rhythm:

• 8:00 a.m. Start my day off fresh with a small bowl of cereal, nutella with toast, an apple and orange juice my host mom has set out for me. Then I get ready to go in to the office.
• 8:30 a.m.  Walk five minutes down to the metro and easily catch a ride in toward the city center. This is actually one of my favorite parts of the day because I learn a lot about the culture here just by people watching.
• 9:00 a.m.  Still in my U.S. mindset, I like to arrive on time or early. Most everyone else rolls in sometime between eight and ten. Luckily, my internship supervisor has already given me a list of tasks so I can get to work right away. And no fetching coffee or filing papers here; the experience I am getting at my placement perfectly suits my career interests. The other people I work with in the office offer great advice when I need help and constructive criticism when I complete an assignment. The window into the work atmosphere as well as the practical learning process has already proven invaluable.
• 11:30 a.m. Snack break. I grab a cup of tea and meet one-on-one with my internship supervisor to talk about how I am doing, future projects and what we can focus on improving.
• 2:00 p.m. Lunch comes a little later in Spain. No one eats on the go either. Everyone enjoys meals together and takes their time relishing in relaxation.
• 2:30 p.m. This week, I will walk to a Spanish class a few blocks down from my internship. Otherwise, I have been using the free afternoons to go sightseeing, go for a run in one of the many gorgeous parks or take a siesta at the beach. Every now and then, I spoil myself with gelato or a find a friend for some pinxtos, tasty little appetizers.
• 9:00 p.m. I join my two roommates for dinner. Again, it takes place later than we do it in America but an easy adjustment. My host mom cooks amazing, authentic Catalan food.
• 10:00 p.m. With so many evening activities available, it seems a shame to waste a single night inside. Spaniards can be seen on the streets until the early morning hours and having policemen everywhere makes Barcelona a safe place to explore even after dark. Eventually, I head home to tuck in for the night, ready for the next day’s adventure to begin!

By Jessica Airey, Biola Unviersity