Ever since I was a child, living in Japan and immersing in the culture that fascinated me like no other has been a dream of mine. In the summer of 2020 this dream was about to come true as I found Meiji Internships and applied for an in-house internship at its headquarters in Fukuoka. However, Corona had different plans for me. I ended up staying in my home country of Germany with a remote internship – and I don’t regret it the slightest.
Here is an insight into my virtual internship experience at Meiji Internships and the reason why I enjoyed every minute of it!
My way to Meiji Internships
For many students – myself included – going abroad is an indispensable part of their academic education. Instead of simply studying a semester abroad, I decided to challenge myself and aim for hands-on work experience in a foreign country.
Meiji Internships was a perfect match for me. With my background in East Asian studies and intercultural communication, I felt confident to take on the exciting opportunity to intern in Japan. My passion for intercultural exchange and cultural communication has always been a driving force in my life and with Meiji Internships, I found a company that suits my career ambitions.
Working with professionals from all across the world
Unfortunately, I was not able to go to Japan during the duration of my Internship, but I still got to enjoy a unique experience. I worked together with an amazing team that swiftly included me in the day to day work processes. I highly appreciate the internationality of Meiji Internships’ staff. It allowed me to virtually meet awesome people from Mexico, Vietnam, Croatia, Germany and of course Japan.
Thanks to modern technology, the communication between my team and me went perfectly despite the fact that we were thousands of miles apart (and in different time zones). All the people behind Meiji Internships quickly adapted to the corona regulations and paved the way to a fulfilling virtual internship experience for me.
The work I was given was easily done from home. Frequent feedback and constant exchange with colleagues further helped me to tackle my tasks under these unusual circumstances. I gained valuable insights into the field of social media marketing, copywriting and search engine optimization.
The involvement in different bigger projects and the overall creative environment at Meiji Internships further made it possible for me to showcase my various skills. I drafted comics, improved my creative writing and combined my cultural knowledge with various marketing strategies. The combination of challenging work and the appreciation of my team made it easy for me to stay motivated – even during a pandemic!
Internship from home
The best part: I was able to do everything flexibly from home while continuing my studies in Germany! My initial disappointment of not being able to go to Japan turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Even though I haven’t had the chance to visit Japan yet, I still made the first step into the right direction. With Meiji Internships, I was able to set foot into the business world in Japan and opened up opportunities to realize my future plans.
It was great to gather international work experience while still being able to attend classes at my home university. Plus, I saved myself the hassle of renting out my apartment! Always look at the bright side and take my example as a reminder to never lose your drive and motivation when something unexpected happens. Rather do your best and turn it into something great!
Interning from home at Meiji Internships was the best decision I could have made. I highly appreciate the work of Meiji Internships as it combines the immersion into foreign cultures with allowing you to make your important first work experiences. In my eyes, creating this unique opportunity for young people is a valuable service and it was a great honor to be part of the process, especially since it is my long-term goal to make intercultural experiences more accessible for people all around the world.
With that being said, I encourage you now to challenge yourself and kick-start your career with Meiji Internships. Apply at https://meijiinternships.com, step out of your comfort zone, and take on new adventures!
