The holiday season is in full swing -- and everyone’s favorite day of family, football, food, and giving thanks is almost here. At the Global Experiences’ headquarters, we asked ourselves, “what part of their international experience would our interns say they were most thankful for?” From experiencing a new culture, to making lifelong friends, and of course an amazing professional experience, there’s so much to choose from.

So, we asked them! It warmed our hearts to receive a wide range of amazing answers from past interns from different career fields and from our different host cities. Read on for 13 testimonials from some of our thankful alum.

 

Where to go when you don’t know what to do? Julia knew. Take a gap year and travel abroad. Julia S., now a student at Princeton University, found herself vying for an experience to supplement a year without a formal education. At the age of 18, she flew to the opposite side of the globe for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She would be spending her next twelve weeks interning abroad in a country, a continent she had never stepped foot in.

 

In today’s competitive job market, a college degree will teach you a lot of things, though most likely not all the skills you need to succeed in the workplace. With almost half of all 25 to 29 year olds having a bachelor’s degree, a college education is becoming the new normal. But even with an education, there are still skills employers say nearly all recent graduates lack.

1. Writing Skills

2. Verbal Skills

3. Critical Thinking 

4. Real-world Experience 

Many of these soft skills can’t be taught inside a classroom and don’t come with a degree.

 

As a college student or young professional, interning abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences. It’s your chance to see the world all while gaining valuable professional experience which will take you places in your career. Being abroad is thrilling, but the first week can be overwhelming. You are out of your comfort zone, navigating a new city, meeting lots of people from different backgrounds, and in a new work environment. Don’t worry, once you make it through those first few days, you can make it through anything. Here’s our top tips to surviving your first week abroad.   

It’s almost our favorite day of the year to eat, drink, and wear stretchy pants. Pre-food coma, there’s always that one family member that suggests for everyone to go around the table to share what they are most thankful for in the past year. Around our office we wondered, “what would our Global Experiences alumni say?”

So you’ve graduated, CONGRATS! That’s a big deal! In 2015, it was reported by the US Census, that 1 in 3 people, only about 33%, reported a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. So, like I said before, CONGRATS!!

Maybe you’ve heard it since you were three-years-old and wanted to be either a firefighter or a doctor when you grew up. Or maybe you just started hearing it as you counted down the last few months, weeks and days of high school. Soon you are asking yourself, “what should I do with my life?”

GE Intern Jenna Hecker caught up with Italy program alum Cassandra Santoro about how her past, present, and future, have been impacted by her international internship.

Michele St-Amant, who is our RA in Washington D.C, shares her experience about why recent college graduates should focus more on finding meaning work experience through an internship, than being upset about the state of the economy.

As a university graduate, you're entering a world where your future feels both endless and elusive. All of us at Global Experiences want you to know that you're not alone as you embark on your journey into adulthood. Below are 20 motivational quotes to inspire you to achieve your professional and personal dreams after college.