This week felt like one of those weeks where every day was completely different from the last.
One day, I was standing at the DMZ looking across the border into North Korea. Seeing the two countries separated by just a few hundred meters was honestly surreal. It is something I’ve learned about for years, but actually standing there made history feel so much more real than anything I could have read in a textbook.
A few days later, Seoul officially kicked off summer with the opening of the outdoor pools. I quickly learned that if you think Americans love pools in the summer… Korea might love them even more. The pool was absolutely packed, and with temperatures getting hotter every day, I completely understood why. I don’t think I’ve ever sweated this much in my life.
This week was also my roommate’s birthday, so we spent time celebrating together, which has become one of my favorite parts of studying abroad. The people you meet end up becoming family so quickly.
To finish the week, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest palace in South Korea. The best part was finally getting to wear the hanbok my halmeoni bought me when she visited me in Seoul. Walking through the palace wearing something that connected both my family and Korean culture made the whole experience feel even more special.
Outside of exploring Korea, my internship has continued to challenge me in ways I never expected.
One of the biggest hard skills I’ve developed is research. JHSUSTAIN works on international sustainability and development projects worldwide, so no two assignments are ever the same. One day I’m reading about water governance in Laos, and the next I’m researching environmental safeguards or climate resilience projects in another country. I’ve learned how to take large reports and articles, find the information that actually matters, and turn it into something useful for the team.
Something I definitely wasn’t expecting to learn this summer was how much strategy goes into LinkedIn. Before this internship, I thought companies just posted updates and hoped people would read them. Now I know there’s so much more happening behind the scenes. I’ve learned about SEO, LinkedIn analytics, copywriting, graphic design, and even some UI and UX principles while helping create content. More importantly, I’ve learned how every post needs to reflect the company’s identity instead of just looking nice.
The soft skills I’ve developed have probably surprised me the most. Communication has become a huge part of my day. Working in a small team means asking questions, sharing ideas, and making sure everyone is on the same page. Since my fellow intern recently left the program, I’ve been working much more closely with my supervisor. While I miss having another intern around, it’s helped us build a stronger working relationship, and I’ve become much more confident speaking up.
I’ve also improved my time management and adaptability. Some days I’m researching technical reports, other days I’m brainstorming creative social media ideas, and sometimes I’m switching between five different projects before lunch. Learning how to manage all of those responsibilities while staying organized has been one of the biggest lessons of this internship.
One skill I never realized was actually problem-solving. Taking complicated research and turning it into something that someone scrolling through LinkedIn would actually stop and read is much harder than it sounds. It takes creativity, critical thinking, and a lot of revisions. Finding ways to make technical information engaging while still staying true to the company’s voice has become one of my favorite challenges.
Living and working in South Korea has also strengthened my global competencies in ways I didn’t expect. Every workplace has its own culture, and this experience has taught me to be more observant before jumping in. I’ve learned to pay attention to how people communicate, adapt to different expectations, and understand that there isn’t one “right” way to work. Outside the office, simply navigating daily life, traveling around Seoul, and experiencing Korean traditions have helped me become much more open-minded and comfortable in unfamiliar situations. Those experiences have made me more confident working with people from different cultures, and I know that will be valuable no matter where my career takes me.
Looking back, it’s funny how one week can include standing at one of the most politically significant borders in the world, celebrating a birthday with new friends, walking through a 600-year-old palace in a hanbok from my halmeoni, and then heading back to the office to research sustainability projects happening across the globe. That’s what has made this internship so special. Every week I’m learning something new, both professionally and personally, and I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks bring.
