Leadership Goes Both Ways

Before this internship, if someone had asked me to describe my leadership style I would have said something about leading by example. However, I am not sure what that would have looked like in practice. What I actually believed was that a leader is the person who knows that should happen next and tells everyone…

Determining Success in Stockholm

This past week was my last week in Stockholm, Sweden. It feels weird being back home in Pittsburgh, but it also feels as though I had never left, despite spending two months over four thousand miles away from home. I learned quite a lot about myself, the direction that I can follow with my career,…

Communication Differences in Stockholm

Throughout the course of my internship in Stockholm, I have noticed many similarities and differences between communication styles both in my internship and in day-to-day activities. Beginning with my internship, I began my first week with receiving information on the main project that I am working on throughout the summer. For some background context, MyTelescope…

A Different Perspective on Success

It doesn’t feel real that I am leaving Sweden. I have gotten so used to living here and adapting to their culture, I am not ready to go home. Living in Sweden the past two months has been the most amazing experience I could have asked for. I learned so much personally, professionally, and culturally….

Finding My Voice in the Workplace

It’s hard to believe I’ll be leaving Sweden so soon. This experience has been nothing but amazing. From the internship experience, to the wonderful people I have met, I wouldn’t wish it to be any other way. This week was very special to me because it was my 21st birthday. I was very lucky to…

Learning to be a Leader

Living in Stockholm has continued to be a great experience. The weather is perfect, it’s not too hot and cools down at night which I really enjoy. This week at my internship I helped prepare clothing for a photoshoot we had the next week. This usually involves unpacking the clothes and hanging them up, then…

Week 8 – Global Competency and Expectations

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned during my internship in Stockholm is that the definition of professional success can vary significantly between cultures. Before coming to Sweden, I viewed success in the workplace through a very American lens: working long hours, speaking up often, taking initiative, and consistently demonstrating productivity. While these…

Post-trip: Summaries of my time in Stockholm!

My time in Stockholm was just as impactful and exciting as I was expecting, while also bringing about a familiarity I wasn’t sure I would find. My first personal goal, and what I was hoping for when I pictured my time abroad, was to feel grounded and comfortable in a place so brand new and…

Week 8: Success in Sweden.

When thinking about success and professionalism in Stockholm, I often think of a conversation I had with my supervisor early on in my internship. He spent a lot of time explaining how innovation and creativity thrive in Sweden and within Swedish work culture. One of our first shifts was actually a delegation he hosted with…