The past two weeks at Vireo seemed to have flown by. Despite being in Berlin for such a short time, I feel as though I know the city really well. My co-worker, Mischa, asked me how I was adjusting to German culture, and after an awkward pause, I realized that I was adjusting really well. I was fortunate enough to attend a study abroad program last summer in Italy. It offered an opportunity to learn more about Italian culture while also giving me a chance to really practice my language skills. It was an amazing experience; however, I definitely felt like an outsider. I was often stared at on public transportation and when I tried to speak Italian to the locals, they would answer me in English, knowing I was a foreigner. I do not blame them, as they see hundreds of thousands of tourists come and go, but I was really trying to get to know the culture of the country, and it was hard when I could feel a lot of eyes on me. In Berlin, the feeling is completely different. It is such a diverse city with people from all over the world. When I’m on public transport, no one is staring at me, and when I’m in a restaurant or in a store, people speak to me in German and reluctantly I answer in English. I recognize that this experience is not universal, but I feel like I can exist in Berlin without feeling constantly stared at, and it is really comforting knowing that I am not a complete outsider.
While getting to know Berlin, I have also had the opportunity to explore other cities outside of Germany. Last weekend, my IIP group took a weekend trip to Amsterdam! As we all were finishing up our first week at our internship, we realized we had Thursday and Friday off for a national holiday in Germany, Christi Himmelfahrt, or Ascension Day. As you can imagine, this trip was very last minute, and we were scrambling to find tickets and a place to stay, however, we were all determined to make the trip. Upon arriving in the city, we soon realized that it was very different from Berlin. What I loved most about the city is that the main mode of transportation is not cars, but bikes! The city was flowing with bike traffic, bells and whistles, and the occasional bike crash. I do not know whether the city uses bikes out of convenience, or for more environmentally sustainable practices, either way, I appreciate that they make sustainable choices when getting around the city.
Amsterdam is a very picturesque European city with colorful houses and sparkling canals. My favorite street in Amsterdam was a street decorated for Pride Month. The street was decorated in colorful flags and surrounded by businesses that support the community. There were restaurants and bars that celebrated Pride and it was just such a beautiful atmosphere. Right next to this street there was a floating flower market, where they sell famous tulips from Amsterdam and the occasional sweet treat. Speaking of sweet treats, I tried stroop waffles for the first time in Amsterdam, and it was AMAZING.
Week two of my internship at Vireo has been very confusing, but also informative. When I started at Vireo, I was given tasks to evaluate potential investments for our firm and parameters to determine if they are a good fit for us. I was often given pitch decks from various companies that I would have to interpret, however, there was a lot of language used that I didn’t understand. In order to combat this lack of knowledge, Google soon became my best friend. For example, Vireo invests in companies in the seed and pre-seed stage, meaning “round size” was an important term I needed to know. In addition to this, my co-worker, Matthias, was kind enough to give me a crash course lesson into the energy sector. We discussed important initiatives currently happening in Europe and how they affect the work we are doing at Vireo. He explained to me that humanity’s need for energy is going to skyrocket by 2030, and in order to adhere to this fast growing need, while also being environmentally conscious, the answer is to fund sustainable energy solutions. I genuinely enjoy learning more about the energy and tech sectors in Europe, and I am also learning more about green energy financing as I begin my deep dive into that sector.
Even though I have been enjoying my time at Vireo, it comes with some challenges. When I first started, there was never really a set start/end time to my day. My boss told me I could come and go as I please, but it seemed my co-workers schedule was much more rigid, and often they worked beyond my typical working hours. Because of this, it made me feel like I wasn’t working enough in comparison to my co-workers. In order to alleviate some of the pressure I was feeling, I asked my supervisor what the expectations were when I was working. She told me the normal 9-6 was perfectly normal working hours for an intern (this made me feel much better). I also asked her for some constructive feedback in case I needed to change how I was completing tasks; she did so, and now I am able to fix my mistakes and complete my work in a timely manner. I believe that communication is always key when dealing with ambiguity in an internship. It may be scary to ask questions and be confrontational, however, it is essential if you want to provide your employer with your best work and be the best you can be.
