Mobility specification

Country:Luxembourg

Institution:Velvyslanectví České republiky v Lucemburku

City:Luxembourg

Program:Erasmus+ traineeship

Activity type:Traineeship

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of International Relations and European Studies

Study level abroad:Master

✅Check the boxes

How would you categorize your internship?Humanities

💼How-to: Interning abroad

How did you discover this internship opportunity?External website

External website - which one?https://www.dzs.cz/stazenazu

Can you describe the role you held during your internship?I did a "circle" - working with all the staff each period in all fields of the embassy. Especially in the ambassador's office.

What specific responsibilities and tasks did you do during your internship?At the Luxembourg Foreign Office they tried to show me what diplomacy is and how it works in practice. The main thing is that everybody does everything and the most important thing is to be versatile. I was put in charge of social media strategy - Instagram, putting together a plan, making graphics. I also worked with databases, creating invitations for events, which I then helped organize and set up. I attended several closed meetings and then created reports from those meetings. Among other things, it became my regular task to take minutes of the weekly meetings. I had the opportunity to contribute to the semi-annual foreign policy report, etc.

Did your tasks align with the pre-defined conditions?yes

Did the internship meet your expectations?yes

Did you apply any theory you learned at university during the internship?yes

If yes, can you provide a specific example?In specific cases, in the preparation of the foreign policy report, I could use my experience gained in the analysis of the foreign situation and, if necessary, in the interpretation of the situation within the limits of international relations theories, also certainly working with programs such as MS Word and Excel.

How well did you manage to communicate in a foreign language?almost no difficulties

Do you have tips on how to make a great impression on the institution?I think what is important is the willingness to engage in a variety of activities because everything ultimately contributes to the common goal being achieved. Then certainly an interest in diplomacy.

How competitive was the selection process? Did you have to go through an application procedure?I was promised an internship on the basis of a cover letter and since then everyone has counted on me. The internship only had to be approved by the MFA Headquarters.

Why would you recommend students do an internship?It is certainly the commitment with which the ambassador approaches the trainees - she is very interested in them. She herself taught at the DA MFA and was able to pass on a lot to me when I told her I was interested in the subject. She took the time to offer private lessons in this area. All the office staff were helpful, and I got to do real work and real closed meetings (where possible). The work environment and assistance was exemplary. There were many events that I had the opportunity to participate in, creating graphic materials, formatting texts - it was very comprehensive and of course Luxembourg and Luxembourg is beautiful.

💰And how to fund it?

What were your average monthly expenses during the internship?7000 CZK/month

Did the institution provide accommodation?yes

Did you have any unexpected expenses during the internship?no

Do you have any tips on how to save money during the internship?There are many ways to save money, which is why my internship has created a "Intern Manual" that will be sent to newcomers before they arrive. The biggest relief is definitely the free public transport that works in Luxembourg. The price of groceries in the store is not much more expensive than here.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How difficult was it for you to adjust to life abroad?absolutely flawless!

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?There is an app called Mobiliteit to connect, it works reliably and all public transport within the country is free - trains, buses, trams. You only have to pay extra if you want to travel 1st class.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?The centre of Luxembourg City is relatively small but historically packed. It is certainly the Adolphe pont and the view from it, the valley of the city, which offers quiet parks by the river and places to relax both in the busy centre and in the beautiful countryside. Overall, parks are everywhere in Luxembourg and are widely used for play and relaxation. The Romanian Orthodox church is also very nice and their churches in general. The Grand Ducal Palace is also open for tours over the summer and then perhaps Fort Thüngen.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?It is certainly Beaufort Castle or Vianden, the Clervaux area, where there is a working abbey and also a UNESCO exhibition, Schengen and many others - Petit Suisse nature park for example.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Flights direct to Luxembourg can be expensive, but if they are relatively cheap it is quite an experience to fly on a smaller plane with service. Otherwise, it's easy to fly to Brussels and from there there are Flibco buses that are in Luxembourg in 2.5 hours.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Hair dryer (for girls) and otherwise I would say everything needed is available :)

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?Great opportunity in a beautiful city.