Personal & App Development during my IES Abroad Barcelona Internship

When I arrived in Barcelona for my first internship abroad, I worried about working in English, adapting to a new culture, and finding my place at an international startup. 

3 months later, I had helped shape a real app for study abroad students and presented the project to an entire team in English.

Beginning My First Internship Abroad

In Fall 2025, I traveled from Korea to participate in a full-time internship at the IES Abroad Center in Barcelona. Unlike a traditional study abroad program, an internship meant stepping into professional life in another country. I was excited, but I was also nervous. I didn't know anyone in Barcelona, and I wasn't sure my English would be strong enough for the workplace.

After orientation, an IES staff member accompanied me to my placement on my first day. I interned at Placenet, a startup developing location-based communication services. My program ran from early September through early December and required 330 working hours. 

The company followed a flexible schedule and we worked in the office on Mondays and Thursdays, remotely on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and could choose where to work on Fridays. On remote days, I worked from the IES Center, where staff regularly checked in and made it easy to ask for help.

Learning to Create My Own Opportunities

The beginning of my internship was not always comfortable. In Barcelona, workplace responsibilities can sometimes be less clearly defined than I was accustomed to, and I did not receive many specific assignments at first. I worried I wasn't contributing enough.

Instead of waiting, I began asking questions, speaking with my coworkers, and looking for ways to help. I analyzed the company’s social media activity and wrote a report with my findings. 

Around my third week, my supervisor was impressed by the report and trusted me with responsibility for the company’s business-to-consumer work. That was one of my happiest moments during the internship. It showed me that initiative could turn uncertainty into opportunity and many of my early fears began to fade.

Building AbroadIES: An App by Students, for Students

The most meaningful part of my internship was a collaboration between Placenet and IES Abroad. Because I was both a Placenet intern and an IES Abroad student, I thought to bridge the two organizations. I understood the project from the company’s perspective, but I could also think like the students who would eventually use the product.

The new app was named AbroadIES, combining “abroad” and “buddies.” Its goal was to help students who lived in the same building or attended classes in the same location communicate more easily, without first exchanging personal profile information.

Throughout the project, I identified problems with the existing experience and suggested features for the new app. As the company incorporated those ideas, I arranged the functions and worked on the overall design to create a more intuitive user experience. I also made promotional posters and an introductory video to help students understand the platform. 

Seeing ideas I had proposed become part of a real service was exciting. Knowing that future students could benefit from our work made the project especially rewarding.

Finding the Confidence to Present in English

I began to meet weekly with the IES Abroad Barcelona Center Director to discuss the project’s progress. Later in the semester, I was invited to introduce AbroadIES to the full IES Abroad Barcelona staff. Presenting in English to a large group felt intimidating, but I reminded myself that I had helped lead the project from the beginning and knew the work well.

My supervisor told me that if a difficult question came up, they would step in. That support gave me the courage to continue. When questions arose during the presentation, my supervisor helped me address them, and the session ended successfully. The IES Abroad team responded positively, especially to the idea of students developing an app for other students. Their enthusiasm and my supervisor’s respect for my ideas made it easier for me to speak with confidence.

Communication is More Important Than Perfection

Before applying, I worried that imperfect English would hold me back. Instead, Placenet’s international environment helped me feel more comfortable. I worked alongside interns from Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Greece, and Italy. English was not the first language for most of us, so people were patient and willing to help. If I wondered whether an email sounded too direct, for example, I could ask a colleague for advice.

I learned that effective cross-cultural communication is not about speaking perfectly. It is about making an effort, asking questions, and listening with an open mind. Even when people come from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, sincere collaboration can create meaningful results.

Experiencing Barcelona Beyond the Office

My growth did not happen only at work. Weekly internship seminars helped me understand Spanish and Catalan culture while giving students a place to discuss workplace challenges. 

I also attended an IES Abroad networking event where speakers openly shared professional failures and how they moved forward. Hearing those stories helped me see setbacks as a normal part of growth, not something to fear.

I also joined an IES Abroad excursion to Montserrat, took an optional beginner Spanish class, and experienced local traditions such as La Castanyada. 

After work, my colleagues and I sometimes watched FC Barcelona matches, ran along the beach, or explored the city together. These everyday moments helped me build friendships and find balance during a busy semester.