Way back when (May 8th to be exact) I left my house in Washington Crossing Pennsylvania to begin the adventure of a lifetime. With 2 overweight suitcases, a chuffed duffel bag and a mind full of uncertainty I arrived in Berlin, Germany. The first week abroad I couldn’t help but marvel at how different everything…

Its hard to believe that I will be leaving Germany in 3 days. It feels like just yesterday that I arrived in Berlin and got settled into my workplace in Kleinmachnow. Looking back, I realize that I have learned so much during my short 11 weeks here. Before this internship, I had one other internship…

Last week three friends and I took a trip to Lucerne Switzerland. It was an incredible experience and probably the most beautiful place i’ve been to yet! Lucerne is a medieval town situated in the Swiss Alps on Lake Lucerne. It is located in in the german speaking portion of the country. Because of its…

It is crazy that yet another busy workweek is drawing to a close. With only 5 more weeks left in the program, I am starting to appreciate the early morning wake-up and 7-hour work-day just a little bit more! Soon I won’t have the luxury of traveling from the hip city of Berlin to the…

One aspect of the German work environment that has been especially interesting to observe is the use of “Sie” (formal you) and “du” (informal you). Before coming to Germany and immersing myself in a professional business atmosphere, I had only a basic understanding of how the relationship between the “you’s” operates. Through seven years of…

It’s hard to believe that it is already the midpoint of my internship here in Germany. So far I have had the opportunity to sit in on important business meetings with potential business clients and do work that I think will really contribute to the success of the company. Today I got an assignment that…

Birkholz International Industry Analysis:  After four weeks as an intern at Birkholz International, I finally have a firm understanding of the company’s business model as well as the diverse markets in which it operates. As the mid-point of this internship approaches, it is necessary to break down the knowledge that I have acquired thus far….

Organizational Culture: Work Update Although they are technically classified as a start up in the German market, Birkholz International definitely doesn’t feel like one. To start, they already have a firm understanding of the fragrance industry due to their successful beauty line marketed in Arab nations. They have international offices as well as an impressive…

While I’ve only been in Berlin for a week, I feel right at home. Britta and the Intrax team provided an outstanding orientation for us American interns. Some of my favorite moments of the orientation week were the 3-hour Berlin walking tour that we took through the city. I finally got the chance to see…