I wrapped up another week at Vencon presenting my mid-point progress on my another project, a Prospective Client Scoring Model. My fellow intern and I have been pouring our energy into making this model as precise and insightful as possible, driven by the shared pressure of wanting to deliver something meaningful to the team. After a full week of refining metrics, balancing meetings, and late-night work sessions (one of which lasted overnight at a café), I was completely exhausted. Five hours of sleep per night didn’t help, especially after last weekend’s 48-hour no-sleep trip to Amsterdam. But I still knew I had to make the most of my time abroad.
There’s a constant tug-of-war between rest and the urge to explore while I’m here. By the time Friday came around, I was physically drained, but mentally itching to take advantage of another weekend abroad. I didn’t know where to go, but that never seems to stop me. Instead of planning, I went to the weekly Turkish market in Berlin with my roommates and grabbed drinks with another intern afterward. At midnight, staring at the train schedule, I realized I had only a few train options left. I picked a direction and committed: Poland.
Within an hour, I was packed and on a train to Warsaw. The sun rises so early here, and the sky was completely lit blue before I departed. I had chosen Poland because I figured it would be small and simple to explore. I was very wrong—in the best way.
Warsaw was sprawling, with modern architecture and upscale streets, juxtaposed with a historic, warm, fairy-tale-like Old Town. I visited palaces, walked through blooming gardens, and down streams, daydreaming about rowing down rivers in wooden canoes. It was so peaceful. And the food was the best I’ve had in Europe—wholesome, comforting, full of flavor and history. I fell in love with beet soup and anything involving cabbage.
Even on little sleep, I didn’t stop walking. I explored universities, small cafes, historic streets, and made my way back to Old Town late at night just to feel its radiance under the moonlight. Around 2 AM, I caught another train north to Gdańsk and arrived around 6 AM.
Quiet, peaceful, and beautiful—like an extension of Old Town, nestled on the Baltic coast. I picked up amber jewelry (the region being the world’s amber capital) and had another round of incredible Polish cuisine. That same day, I spontaneously visited Sopot and Gdynia, two other coastal cities nearby, and changed my departure city to leave from Gdynia instead. My last Polish stop was Szczecin before heading back to Berlin. Somewhere near the border, German police boarded the train and asked for passports. Thankfully, I had mine. Some unruly passengers were removed, and I made it back to Berlin close to 1:30 AM. Three days, no sleep, five cities—somehow, I was ready for work Monday.
This week’s journey—both professional and personal—really helped me reflect on the skills I’m building throughout this internship and international experience. On the technical side, I’m continuing to gain proficiency in data analysis, modeling, and business strategy. The scoring system I’m building requires a lot of thought: which metrics matter most? How do we translate abstract characteristics like “market potential” into quantifiable measures? It’s taught me to approach data with both structure and flexibility, to iterate often, and to keep the end-user in mind. I’ve also gained experience presenting progress to a senior team, organizing findings clearly, and responding thoughtfully to feedback.
More surprisingly, it’s been the transferable or “soft” skills that have grown the most. Time management has become essential—not just for project deadlines, but for making room for travel, rest, and exploration. I’ve gotten better at communicating clearly and efficiently, especially when collaborating with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds. Working in an international environment like Vencon has been a crash course in cross-cultural understanding. I’ve learned to adjust my words, read unspoken social cues, and ask intentional questions when navigating differences in communication style.
Living and working abroad has pushed me to strengthen my global competencies—especially adaptability, curiosity, and resilience. Whether I’m deciphering a train route in Polish, communicating in a professional setting where English isn’t everyone’s first language, or figuring out where to sleep on a spontaneous trip, I’ve learned to stay calm in ambiguity. My experiences at Vencon and on the road have taught me that flexibility is a strength—not a sign of poor planning. You can be spontaneous and intentional. You can take risks while still showing up for your responsibilities.
Ultimately, this internship is giving me more than work experience. It’s shaping how I approach life, challenges, and people. I’m learning how to think on my feet, lead myself, and connect with others across cultures—skills that will carry far beyond the borders of Berlin or any job title I may hold in the future.
This week reminded me that growth doesn’t always happen in neat, scheduled blocks. Sometimes it’s late nights at a café, passport checks at the border, and a bowl of beet soup that teaches you the most.
