After completing week two of my internship, I have finally become accustomed to my daily routine of working and exploring. I was very confident going into work on Monday morning because I knew what to expect, and I was excited to continue my tasks from the week prior. Every Monday at 10am we have a company meeting to discuss our topics for the week and any other current happenings at the company. The first half of the meeting was in German, so it was slightly more difficult for me to take part in the discussion, but I was still able to pick up key words in the conversation. The second half was in English and allowed me to participate more in the meeting. It was interesting to hear about what everyone was working on and give my insight into our current strategies.

During the week, I continued working on the SEO restructuring for the Gourmesso website. I also prepared a presentation for my supervisor regarding my ideas for improvement for the US and UK markets. My newest assignment has been to manage and update their inventory for the UK. For every product purchased from Amazon, the company must pay a Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fee. It’s my job to make sure these fees and other costs are accurate. This task of mine has allowed me to see all of the products the company is selling, what their profit margins are, and what new prices could be implemented to increase these margins. Our products are imported from the manufacturer and housed in our warehouse in Berlin. From the warehouse, the products are distributed to customers. At Gourmesso, our products are sold through our website, Amazon, and other affiliate networks. With Amazy, our products are sold primarily through Amazon. With using affiliate networks, we must be careful to keep in mind the commission fees and any other promotions we are offering to make sure our profit margins are where they need to be. This financial aspect of my work has allowed me to stay aware of all company operations.

We had our first monthly company meeting this week. The company provides all of the colleagues with lunch and our CEO talks about our successes for the month and our goals for the next. This week we had sushi on the terrace, and it was relaxing to catch up with everyone and enjoy lunch together. After work on Thursday, one of my colleagues invited me out to explore the neighborhood of Mitte. I’ve been craving a burrito since I’ve been in Berlin, and she showed me a restaurant close to the office that I’ll be sure to check out one of these days—stay tuned. We also went to some of the shops nearby, and I saw some pretty cool architecture along the way. The weekend was much needed after a long week at work. On Friday night, I went to an Italian restaurant for dinner and had a relaxing night in the city. On Saturday, I traveled to the Strandband Wannsee on the eastern shore of Großer Wannsee lake. This spot is home to one of the largest and most popular open-air lidos in Europe. Only about 40 minutes southwest of the city, the beach is convenient and a brilliant place to enjoy the sunshine and golden sands. The weather was amazing and made for a perfect day at the beach. There was a beautiful sunset Saturday night—a lovely end to a relaxing weekend in Berlin. I’m intrigued to see where I’ll end up next in this city full of surprises.