Behind the scenes of Nina's internship in an NGO in Barcelona!

"I came across the homepage through a search engine on the Internet. It all seemed super easy and I always wanted to travel to Kenya to provide development aid on site. At least until the Studentsgoabroad team gave me the internship in Barcelona I was immediately thrilled and signed up! ”

To support underdeveloped countries, she has now been involved in a non-profit organization for a total of 4 months, which provides educational opportunities for children in need in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Nepal who live on the streets. Together, the team organizes donations to build sustainable rural schools and promote the development of family businesses.

In a centrally located office in the city center, the 23-year-old works with an international team every day to raise funds for the organization - sometimes in a very imaginative way. In addition to the acquisition, in order to inspire German foundations in particular to help with the social project, Nina regularly helped organize events. From comedy nights to culinary evenings and sporting events - the entire proceeds go to the children and needy families. In the internship, Nina also learns a lot about organizing herself. Meetings are regularly scheduled and a fundraising plan is drawn up once a month.

“It's great to be involved in such a project. The team and the boss are especially great! ”

“We are always five to seven people in the office,” including interns from other countries who take care of their home market depending on their origin. Nina is very enthusiastic about the team spirit and her boss. “I always work from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., time flies by! We have a great working atmosphere - I like the relaxed atmosphere. We even have a team lunch on Wednesdays. ” The 23-year-old quickly found new friends there. The international team meets regularly in bars and pubs, and trips are also planned at weekends.

Even though Nina has heard from many that finding an apartment is not easy, she found a temporary home 4 months in advance on “WG-sucht”. The intern lives with a young mother and her daughter near the Sagrada Família. When she arrived she immediately felt welcome and it only takes 40 minutes to walk to work - "I love the walks through the city - there is so much to see." For a few days now she has had a small scooter, on loan from her boss. With this, she skips through the streets of Barcelona and makes it to the office in half the time. "Sometimes schoolchildren challenge me to a race," laughed the student.

The German receives regular visits from home. No one there? No problem! Nina often goes out with her colleagues, preferably to “El Born”. There are many small boutiques and great restaurants, e.g. Casa Lola, Nina's very personal tip. “There are four different sangrías in hip bottles and the tapas are great. It always reminds me of my childhood. As a little girl I always wanted to lick the bowl - that's what you want here too! ” Especially as a vegetarian, she has no problems in Barcelona. “You can find great alternatives everywhere, there are even vegan places!” When the sun is shining during the day, the beaches are often too full for her, but not far away in Badalona and Castelldefels, Nina likes to relax. "It is much more natural and quiet there, ideal for recovering from everyday office life."

“For me, Barcelona is above all a great starting point for many trips into nature”. The intern enthusiastically tells of her hike from Garraf to Sitges - a wonderful tour along the coast. She reported enthusiastically about her day tour to Montserrat and her road trip via Girona along the Costa Brava to Cadaqués. “The beaches are indescribably beautiful and you have to see the Dalí house in Cadaqués!”

Nina tells us that she is rather shy, but especially abroad you have to learn to actively approach others. "Regular leisure activities can help". The intern has so far not joined any clubs or groups, but reports that it is primarily a way to get to know locals. “Even if I don't need Spanish in my internship, it would certainly make sense! Maybe next time I would go to a language school ”.

"I have become much more confident and confident, both at work and personally," Nina said in an interview. “But I didn't lose my German mentality even after two months in Barcelona. I still have dinner at 7 p.m., even if you don't meet up for tapas and the like in Spain. ” The intern now also appreciates the German service. "Here you have to cry out for a new drink," she said with a smile. But eating and drinking together is much more lively!

Nina is planning a master’s degree in the long term. Your personal favorite: peace and conflict research. But now there is something else on the program: “I love traveling! I'm going to Nepal for a while in the new year. ” Together with her life partner, the 23-year-old plans to hike there and get to know the country and its culture. Because the student definitely took one thing from her stay abroad: the desire for something new: new countries and new experiences ....