Meet our interns: Shannen

In the following series of blog posts, we would like to introduce you to our squad. They are the once who shape the company, they work hard every day to help you get a job abroad. We have asked them to introduce themselves and we hope you will like their personal stories.

This is the story of how we got to work with our amazing dutch intern Shannen for 5 months

Hey People!

I’m Shannen, and I would like to share my story on how I ended up in the sunny Archipel of Malta. Although I am just here, there is a lot to tell!

Let’s start with the beginning. Since I was a child, my family would cross Europe during our holidays. My dad loved Italy, so this became a well-seen destination, amongst Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway and the UK. We used to go abroad every time my sister and I had a break from school. Winters were spent in the mountains, where I fell in love with snow and winter sports. The real shift came when we went to the USA when I was 14. That road trip was absolutely life-changing, and I totally fell in love with the beauty of The States. For me, it was the first time seeing New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco, and I was totally amazed by these huge cities. But nature in the south-west really stole my heart. After that trip, I knew I wanted to see the world.

At home, I was living in a small city called Breda. Although I really love this place, and it always will be home for a small part, I wanted to explore other places. When I was 16 I started to study in a larger city an hour away. Moving was too much of a step for me, so I decided I would take the train every day. After a few months of spending up and down between home and school, the decision was made to move to Eindhoven. I was done with the distance and wanted to explore what student life really was. Moving took a bit longer than expected due to a delay in the construction of the building, and in the meantime, I started to have the feeling that the science course wasn’t my passion. I wasn’t motivated anymore, and in consequence, I failed all my courses. That was the red flag for me, and I decided that I needed change. After a small mental breakdown, I decided that I would start with international business and management studies after the summer. I didn’t have the right papers to start this, but with a qualification test in economics, I was ready to start with my new life! 

International business hooked me up with a lot of different nationalities since this course was in English instead of Dutch. I realised that I love different cultures and wanted to hop on a plane and just go explore. A very important part of my education came after 2 years when the minor and internship would start. One of the reasons I chose this course was because of the opportunities to go abroad, so I was really excited to leave my town. I dreamed of going to New Zealand, and so it was my plan to move to the other side of the world. I planned everything for months and was totally ready to go and do my internship over there. Due to unforeseen circumstances, my trip didn’t take off. I needed to find an internship as soon as possible and there was a Job Squad. I got in contact with fellow Dutchie Tatiana and there I went, on my way to Malta!

Honestly, I was totally scared. I’ve never been on myself for such a long period. Although I really wanted to go abroad, I really wanted to chicken out when the last days before I left hit. I think I got homesick before I even left. Giving up my life at home, quitting my job and leave my friends and family was quite hard for me. I doubted if I was doing the right thing. Luckily I took that plane and there I went, off to Malta. Ever since I came here everything went very smooth. I found a room in only 2 days, and my roommates are really great. A few days later I would start my internship here at Job Squad, and I am very happy I came. Yes, I was scared but honestly, it all went away when I arrived here. 

Malta is absolutely beautiful. The streets are very charming, the ocean is always close by and the people are very friendly. For a small island, there are a lot of different nationalities which give the place a very international welcoming feel. Everyone should visit it once, the views are amazing here. 

What would I advise people who want to move abroad? Just go, even when you’re scared. I think everyone has some doubts when leaving what they are known with. But to be honest, you will have the time of your life abroad. Just take a chance. It’s the 21st century, if you really want to go back it is always possible. The world is so connected nowadays, you will just be one call away. And are you fearing missing events and parties at home? You will, and that is okay. Instead of thinking about that, wander around. Everyone at home is kind of jealous of you, I’m sure about that. And if you really miss your friends, just send them a lot of pictures of the amazing place you moved to. They want to visit, I promise! And when you’re abroad, be open-minded. Meet new people, do things you never had the courage for and really live your life. You will definitely look back on this time in your life with a huge smile. And when you’re old and grey, you will always have these stories to tell your grandchildren. I’m sure you will be their favourite grandparent with all these exciting stories!