Our Internship Journey at Leiden International Centre: Vlada and Giulio
Five months have flown by, and our internship at the Leiden International Centre is already coming to an end. Over the past few months, we (Vlada on the right and Giulio on the left) have been behind the Centre’s social media and newsletters.
Before we wrap things up, we wanted to share a little about our experience, the work we’ve been involved in, and some of the things we’ve learned along the way.
Vlada’s experience
I moved to the Netherlands four years ago, shortly after turning 19. Even though I had already spent two years studying abroad during high school, it still took me almost a year of trial and error to truly find my place here. I studied International Communication and Management at De Haagse Hogeschool, and as part of my graduation project, I was required to complete an internship.
I first learned about Leiden International Centre at a career fair organised by my faculty, where I had the opportunity to speak with a former intern. I quickly realised that it could be the perfect place for me, not only because I had relevant experience, but also because I strongly connected with the work of Leiden International Centre. As an international myself, I understand how important it is to have a support system that guides you through the challenges of settling into a completely new environment.
During my internship, I worked on a wide range of tasks that helped me grow professionally while also expanding my creativity. One of my first major responsibilities was managing the newsletter, which taught me many valuable skills. I was responsible for collecting articles from partners, identifying relevant topics, writing my own articles, and ensuring everything was completed on time. This became especially challenging when I had to coordinate both the expat and corporate newsletters in the same month. Despite the complexity of the workload, I surprised myself with the level of discipline I developed, as well as my ability to manage my time effectively and prioritise tasks.
Another significant part of my internship was planning and creating social media content. This opened my eyes to how much work goes into consistently producing relevant and engaging content each week. During my studies, I also managed my faculty's social media platforms, so I initially thought this would come naturally to me. However, I quickly realised that creating weekly content across multiple platforms for different audiences is far more challenging than it seems.! Through this experience, I learned a great deal about efficiency, planning, and adapting content to different audiences.
Beyond the newsletter and social media, I had the opportunity to work on a lot of fun tasks, like organising activities for Meet&Mingles, representing the organisation at various events, creating design materials, website management, and much more. This internship has allowed me to develop not only professionally but also personally. I was given the freedom to be creative, be myself, and openly share my challenges, knowing I would be supported rather than judged. The team truly feels like a small family, and although I will miss my time here, I will always cherish the memories and everything I have learned.
A Partnership That Worked
One of the best parts of this internship was getting to work together. What started as a professional partnership quickly turned into a friendship, and that made our day-to-day work much more enjoyable. We discovered early on that we worked well as a team, and we often relied on each other's strengths to overcome challenges. This was especially true when creating content for social media, particularly our reels. Whether it was filming, editing, coming up with ideas, or stepping in when one of us felt less confident about a task, we always supported each other and found solutions together.
The Meet&Mingle events were another great opportunity for us to collaborate creatively. Planning activities for each event encouraged us to think outside the box and come up with ideas that were both fun and engaging for participants. Looking back, working together not only helped us create better content and events, but also made the entire internship experience more rewarding and memorable.
Giulio’s experience
Almost three years ago, I moved to the Netherlands to finish my studies. Once I graduated, I knew I wanted to gain some real work experience and start building a career here. My studies focused on management in the cultural sector, but my interests have always been quite broad. For this reason, during my master, I gained some experience in event planning, which turned out to be useful during my time at the Leiden International Centre, especially when helping organise some of the Meet&Mingles.
At the same time, I wanted to explore a different side of the sector and learn more about marketing and communication. That is what first attracted me to this internship. I was also drawn to the Leiden International Centre itself. As an international living in the Netherlands, I understood the value of an organisation that helps people feel connected and supported in a new environment. Being able to contribute to that community was something I found truly meaningful, so applying felt like a natural choice.
The first few weeks were definitely a challenge. I started by working on social media, and I quickly realised just how fast-paced that world can be. Creating content and constantly thinking ahead was not something I was used to. Still, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and before long I found myself genuinely enjoying it. Looking back, some of the content we created, especially the reels, ended up being some of the projects I had the most fun working on.
Later on, I also took over the newsletter, and that was where I really started to shine. I enjoyed having more space to develop ideas and work on content in a different way. The slower pace took some getting used to, as I usually work best with a very structured schedule, but it also allowed me to be more creative and experiment with new approaches. It soon became my favourite part of the internship.
When I look back on these past five months, what stands out most is how much I’ve learned, not just in terms of technical skills, but also about myself. This internship gave me the confidence to believe that I can build a career in the Netherlands. It taught me a lot about communication, content creation, and working in a professional environment, but it also taught me to trust my abilities and be proud of the work I produce. For that, I will always be grateful for my time at the Leiden International Centre.
Conclusion
It's strange to think that five months have already passed. Between newsletters, social media posts, Meet&Mingles, and everything in between, we've learned far more than we expected when we first started. We've grown professionally, gained confidence in our abilities, and made memories that we'll look back on fondly. Through the events and the content we created, we had the opportunity to connect with members of the international community and witness new friendships and connections being formed. As internationals ourselves, it was especially meaningful to contribute to a community that helps people feel welcome and connected in a new country. Meeting so many people with different backgrounds and stories was one of the most rewarding parts of our experience. As we say goodbye to the Leiden International Centre, we're grateful for the experience, everyone we've met, and everything we've learned along the way.
