Mobility specification

Country:Belgium

Institution:Representation of the Bratislava Region to the EU

City:Brussels

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:Bachelor

✅Check the boxes

How would you categorize your internship?Humanities
Social sciences

💼How-to: Interning abroad

How did you discover this internship opportunity?External website

External website - which one?https://euractiv.sk/pracovne-ponuky/

Can you describe the role you held during your internship?During my internship, I was part of a small team and therefore had the opportunity to hold a variety of roles. Making coffee was, nonetheless, not one of them. I have been participating at drafting strategic documents connected to our agenda, I have been preparing speaking points and presentations for discussions of our political representatives, I was also lucky to find myslef in Brussels when the biggest event of Regions and Cities in Europe took place and co-organize two sessions as part of this event, all that besides administrative tasks and networking events and much more. As one of my colleagues liked to express when asked about the responsibilities and agenda of our office: "If we were to express what we do in one sentence, we would need to say we do a bit of everything :)."

What specific responsibilities and tasks did you do during your internship?As I already partially described in the first question I have participated at the co-organisation of two sessions as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities, the biggest event for Regions and Cities in Europe. I have also had the pleasure of organizing a reception on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of our country joining the EU. There has been also a multitude of multilateral meetings I had the opportunity to figure out the logistics for, participate in content preparation, and then also take part in the meetings. I have had the opportunity to join a variety of networking events and seminars targeting also variety of issues connected to the agenda of our office. And much much more. It has been a ride for sure.

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?I have utilized the theoretical knowledge from variety of my courses as a necessary background information wether it be in preparation of the strategic documents, meeting and speaking-points preparation, as well as just day-to-day interaction with the administrative agenda and being able to identify what falls under the competence of which institution and what are the formal structures and so on.

How well did you manage to communicate in a foreign language?perfectly

Did the institution have any special requirements?Technical knowledge (e.g., specific software skills)
Specific language skills
Level of study

Do you have tips on how to make a great impression on the institution?I believe deep interest in the issues and agenda of the institution, passion and open mind were key.

How competitive was the selection process? Did you have to go through an application procedure?I believe the selection process was competitive, surely less then for a Schuman or Bluebook internship, yet I would not underestimate the selection procedure. People in smaller offices tend to have higher requirements on whom they will be working with as they oftentimes need a versatile person who can promptly become a member of the team and deliver quality results on variety of tasks and issues.

Why would you recommend students do an internship?Network, experience, application of theoretical knowledge, getting the sense of how the institutions work/the interactions/the Brussels bubble.

💰And how to fund it?

What were your average monthly expenses during the internship?31600 CZK/month

Did the institution provide accommodation?no

If not, how did you find it?I found the accommodation through a Facebook group, however, now I have a base of contacts and would definitely recommend that newcomers ask friends or friends of friends.

Did you have any unexpected expenses during the internship?no

Do you have any tips on how to save money during the internship?I believe a side job, help from parents, or major savings are needed before leaving for an internship in Brussels. Cannot speak for any other area.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How difficult was it for you to adjust to life abroad?no big deal

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Mobib card is available for students for a very symbolic price and you can find all the information on their website very nicely described.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?neutral

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Parks are generally a great spot in Brussels, Place Luxembourg on Thursday evening is a must to meet the new people - the atmosphere is nothing to be compared to an ordinary experience of a night out in Czechia. A Rooftop on De Brouckére is nice too. The further from the center you go, the better. I personally really liked the cafes, restaurants and the general vibe of Ixelles.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Go outside the city at any possible moment. Brussels is fine, but the real beauty lies around it. I have had a trip planned to the neighboring city every weekend almost as the position of a city is centralized and it is easy, cheap, and fast to get to very nice and interesting areas. I recommend Ghent, Bruges, Ostende, Antwerp, Lille, Paris, and I could go on. It is enough to go with basic tips on Google as those are quite good.

Share your best experience:My best experience were moments with my friends and colleagues at events in the Prague House (the best ones in Brussels) definitely try to get there :)

💅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?In case you are flying to Charleroi, note it is one hour far away from actual Brussels. The place where you arrive when you take the bus from the airport to Brussels center is terrible, definitely don't recommend arriving at night or when it's dark your first day.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Umbrella, it rains all the time.

🥳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?Undertaking this experience has been a really formative experience for me in all areas of life, not just the professional, but also personal and social. I have met some of the best and most inspiring people, have stepped outside of my comfort zone as I have never imagined prior and what was a trip I was counting days to end is now one that I am longing and doing everything to be able to take again.