Voices from Abroad: Giulia Maria Elisa Zana

Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Internship Abroad, Italian Chamber of Commerce

"You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and deions in the world." – William Hazlitt

Not feeling like running the risk to be caught off-guard when talking about international work experiences I decided to move to Amsterdam for the summer to do an internship at the Italian Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands or – as I soon learnt to call it- Italiaane Kamer van Koophandel.

There are countless reasons why this decision is one of the best I have ever taken.
First of all, the capital of the Netherlands is a cozy quirky city that has a vibrant and varied cultural scene. Amsterdammers are extremely laid back people who enjoy daily borrels (Dutch for "aperitivo") on the canals and ride their bikes in any (and I literally mean any) weather condition. Add to this that, according to the census, people with 176 different nationalities live in Amsterdam, making the city home to one of the widest varieties of nationalities of any city in the world, and you will understand why it's that easy to just fit in and feel at home in the city.

Giulia about to eat traditional Dutch herring

But what made this experience valuable and ultimately a major one is the work experience I had there. Working abroad always gives you a chance to learn something new and, personally, working in a European country different from Italy, was a great chance to gain a new prospective on the European market and on how it works.

The internship at the Italian Chamber of Commerce was an opportunity to enrich my international experience in a familiar environment, working on projects aimed at connecting Italian and Dutch businesses. It was somehow like being a bridge between my home country and the country that adopted me for the summer. It was interesting, challenging and in the end rewarding.

Bikes in Amsterdam

Working in the Netherlands also meant getting involved in the daily economic activity of a small yet very flourishing economy (you may not be aware of this, but the Netherlands have the highest level of foreign direct investment per capita in the world), that is home to some of the most renowned companies in the world: Shell, KLM, Philips, Unilever and of course Heineken.

Where my life and my career will take me from here, I am not sure, but I feel my internship at the Italian Chamber for the Netherlands was a great step heading down the right path.

My heart will always display a little orange spot saying Ik hou van Holland (I love Holland) and my suggestion to any student considering an international experience is to start packing now. Trust me, there's no way you'll regret having decided to leave the comfort of your home to challenge yourself to experience the world out there.