Reviews

David Costantini

My first international volunteer experience was through Connect123. I spent a month in Barcelona as a monitor at a children's summer camp. The first week was tough adjusting to the country and language, the schedule and the kids. But after that it was full steam ahead! During the entire month Connect-123 was there to provide support if necessary, fortunately the assignment they found for me was excellent! It was a great match! The other camp monitors and the camp coordinator, were very friendly and genuinely nice people. There was good team spirit at the camp and I was proud to be part of it!! Thanks to my volunteer work my Spanish is now more fluent, I am familiar with the Catalán culture and food and have many new friends! I recommend entrusting Connect-123 with your volunteer placement. It'll be an unforgettable growing experience!

Melissa Allan

I am really glad I came across Connect-123. I did not have any requirements to satisfy for university courses but was looking to expand my horizons with work experience overseas. Connect-123 made the process comfortable and easy. They were very contactable and responsive. Once in Barcelona too they were very accommodating. All of the staff members are very reliable and made me feel like I had a trustworthy point of contact, which is really nice when living in an unfamiliar city with different languages!!! Connect-123 take an individual interest in you and do their best to ensure you have a positive experience. The social events are well organized, super fun and a great way to meet new people. I did my placement with an organization who works to support LGBTQI+ migrants and refugees in Barcelona. The organization is predominantly volunteer run. Everyone there was warm and welcoming to me and I loved it. I was given a lot of flexibility and freedom in terms of the work I did for them which was intimidating but also fantastic experience. In addition, I have thoroughly enjoyed living independently in a city I do not know well and where the culture is so different to my own. I would absolutely recommend an experience like this.

Mackenzie Brecker

Spending my summer in Barcelona was one of the greatest experiences I could've asked for! Thanks to Connect-123, I was able to live in my dream city, and work there! I had always had a fascination with Barcelona, but I never had a reason to go before. I was very nervous to come to Barcelona without knowing anyone, but Connect-123 provided me with all the tools I needed. Through my program, I didn't have to worry about finding housing, which took a huge weight off of my shoulders. Also, Connect-123 had weekly social events to meet other people from the program! Even though I was able to meet a lot of my friends through living in my apartment, it was awesome to meet people who didn't live near you, and the events were always super fun! Barcelona is such a beautiful city and there are always things to do. When I wasn't at my internship I could go to the beach, go sight-seeing, or just walk around the city. It's sad that my time here in Barcelona is coming to an end. My internship was exactly what I was looking for, and I was able to gain a lot of experience for my field in journalism. If it wasn't for Connect 123, I would have never been able to find an internship like this. Looking back, I will never forget this experience, and I will forever cherish the memories and friendships I made here.

Fadzli Jani

If you are searching for a sign, this could be it. It has always been a dream for me to see the well-known Sagrada Familia in real life and before I know it, I was right at the foot of the history-in-the-making. My experience with Connect-123 has been nothing less than spectacular! The application process was really easy and fast. I was really impressed by the level of energy they have in initiating regular meet-ups and events for the group of Interns & Volunteers in Barcelona. I no longer need to depend on “Trip Advisor” or search for tourism suggestions as Connect-123 team is constantly suggesting various events and festivals that we can choose to go via a common Facebook Group. What is more heartening is that they will listen to your interest and henceforth look out for any related activities. I chose to intern at an architecture firm which was an eye-opening experience. Within just 2 months, I am closely involved in 4 projects and even a chance to manage the company’s portfolio website. One of the projects was a submission for local a competition and the adrenaline rush during that period was pretty unforgettable. It’s working hours are very flexible and as long as I am done with the work assigned, I can leave as early as 4pm. Hence, I was able to do a little bit of exploration around Barcelona on my own, discovering random places and people around. Every day is unpredictable and there is always something to look forward to. The only difficulty I faced was probably the language barrier, as I do not speak Spanish or Catalan. Hence, there are certain moments when I wished that I learned Spanish before coming over to Barcelona. However, the people there are really nice and always try to translate whatever they were saying in English. Overall, I am really glad that I signed up for this! My term break has never been so productive yet enjoyable at the same time. Barcelona has taught me many valuable lessons in balancing between work and life. I enjoyed every moment in the streets of Barcelona as I witnessed every details of the remarkable architecture! Hence, for those who are still considering, wait no further to click that sign up button because it will bring you to whole new adventure!

John Connolly

My experience with Connect-123 was great! I experienced life abroad, in the beautiful setting of Barcelona, where I could practice my Spanish and get practical work experience. I learned a lot about non-profit work and working in a different setting.

Katrine Pedersen

To experience a lot of firsts all at ones - such as traveling on my own, moving to a new city with another culture and starting a new job, I have been grateful to have had Connect-123 and their amazing staff as support both before and during my 4 month stay in Barcelona. Not only did they help me find an internship, they offered security and a safe environment in which it was easy to find friends in familiar situations as myself. I might have been doing the traveling on my own, but reaching the destination I was far from that. During my stay in Barcelona I have been working, traveling, meeting new people and experienced far more than I ever imagined. It has truly been a great experience all together. Moving here was a decision based on the possibility of gaining professional experience that can help me get accepted to my studies back home - but I leave with so much more! I leave with new friends, a backpack full of experiences, a travel-journal run out of blank pages and cultural insight, but most of all I leave with a better knowledge of who I am, I leave with an evolved version of me and the person I was before coming here.

Danny Goldman

Through Connect-123, I had the opportunity to work at a digital startup in Barcelona for 9 weeks--an experience in which I grew, learned, and pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. The idea of living in a foreign city completely independently is an intimidating one. Connect-123 helped me land an internship, find housing, and meet other interns living in Barcelona. In terms of the internship I was doing, I couldn't have asked for anything more. I worked with finance, marketing, and development teams on a variety of projects. The work I was doing was very meaningful to the company, and I left having gained a plethora of skills that I know will be valuable as I go forward. Additionally, I loved working with the very international team --about 25 young, motivated people from all over the globe. Outside of work, I had the opportunity to travel around Europe and meet friends that I will stay in touch with for many years to come. On weekends, I visited Amsterdam, London, Berlin, and Madrid. I spent a lot of time (in Barcelona and traveling around) with a few other Connect-123 interns in particular, but also spent a fair amount of time with my flatmates in my apartment through Barcelona Design Flats. All the while, I greatly improved my spoken Spanish and absorbed the wonderful Catalan culture. I'd say that the two biggest takeaways from my time in Barcelona for me are the independence and confidence I gained from living and working in a foreign city and the skills I took away from my internship. This would not have been possible without the support and guidance from the Connect-123 team. I can't recommend this experience enough.

Daniel Rutkowski

Finding Connect-123 was truly a blessing. I always dreamed of going to Spain and shortly after discovering this program I was standing in the streets of Barcelona. The whole application process was super easy and the program is very accommodating. They were able to find me an internship, unpaid unfortunately, that matched my desired interests. All the details of my internship were clearly laid out. I really liked that Connect-123 basically advertised me so that there were lots of flexibility in the locations I could choose from. I did my internship just after I graduated undergrad, so this process was much easier since I didn’t need to receive credit for it. I interned at a Basketball Camp. More specifically I was brought on for my expertise as a strength and conditioning coach. My job entailed heading strength and conditioning stations, planning and orchestrating dynamic warm up and static cool down stretches, and teaching moves, correct shooting forms and proper positioning to Spanish-speaking athletes. My boss also hooked me up with other various events like an NBA tournament and a beach basketball tournament. Overall I had a blast doing my internship and working with such wonderful people. Barcelona is a magical place. My Spanish is mediocre, but I quickly picked up the slang necessary to thrive in everyday society. Once I was able to do this it was such an eye-opening experience to be immersed in such a different culture. I loved trying new foods, meeting new people and experiencing the magnificent nightlife that Barcelona has to offer. Other than that I spent a lot of time just exploring around and seeing what the city had to offer. Many days I would just take off with a map, hop on the metro and just pick a new place to see. It wasn’t until I returned home that I really began to reflect on my journey. At the time I was living in the moment and didn’t feel like I had changed all that much. However, once I got back I quickly realized the effects that my experience had on me. I really liked becoming self-reliant. All my life I had my parents, friends, professors, etc. to lean on for guidance. Here I was thrown into a brand new environment by myself and emerged a more confident and autonomous man. Yet the biggest takeaway I had was what I learned about people as a whole. While in a Spanish-speaking country, I had to develop my non-verbal communication skills. And that I found has helped me become a better person. I now realize the importance of something as simple as a friendly smile or the inflection of my voice. These are skills that I use everyday to help build better relationships with people all around me. I can’t say that you will have my same experience, but I will guarantee that this will be a journey you will never forget.

Natalie Eidson

After I graduated, I wanted to volunteer in a hospital in Spain. I researched several organizations until I came across Connect-123. I am very glad I went with Connect-123 and would recommend them to anyone. They were able to provide me with exactly what I was looking for and were with me every step of the way. After arriving alone in Barcelona, it was very comforting to know that I had people here who cared about my safety, people I could reach out to. From the beginning to the end of my stay in Barcelona, I could not have asked for a better experience. The pediatric hospital I worked at for two months was just what I was hoping it would be. Every day I was there had an impact on me and I was able to meet some amazing people along the way. Not only that, but I also gained valuable cultural experience and was able to improve my Spanish a lot. The group events hosted by the program coordinators were fun to attend and a great way to make friends. I’ve made many lasting memories and owe it to the trip that was made possible by Connect-123.

Edith Muleiro

My experience with Connect-123 in Barcelona was more incredible than anything I could have ever imagined. I had no expectations upon arriving in Barcelona, and soon found myself falling in love with this city and its people. Connect-123 made sure I was comfortable, taking the time to find the right internship that would fit my interests and making sure everything went well from the beginning to the end! I felt that I had a constant support network while exploring the city. I learned so much during my internship and developed long lasting relationships with my coworkers. I really recommend this program to anyone who is exploring their interests, or looking to forward those they already know! As for Barcelona, there is no better city to be young and curious! It's beautiful in its architecture, nature, people, and culture. Thank you so much Connect-123!

Daniela Silvas

From dealing with the culture shock to making lifelong friends, I don't regret choosing Barcelona at all. This city gave me an opportunity to learn more about myself and to grow both personally and professionally. The city has it all: beautiful architecture, famous attractions, nightlife, and all different types of food! You will find people from all over the world, share different stories and be able to travel with them. My best friend referred me to Connect-123, and they are there with you every step of the way. From the first interview, they are able to get to know you and find the internship/volunteer program that best fits your interests. Connect-123 also offers their students meet-up events that allow us to make new friends with similar stories and common hobbies. This was my first time traveling to Europe and Connect-123 has made it so easy and comfortable, they are there for guidance and assistance whenever you need it.

Olivia Tornelli

"We are a constant experiment with unpredictable results". This sentence is from the design agency where I did my internship and describes exactly how my six months in Barcelona was. I was given a lot of responsibilities, attended meetings with clients, events outside the city and was able to improve my Spanish. Barcelona is amazing! I enjoyed the museums, beautiful buildings and streets, beaches, restaurants, bars, parties and very good public transportation (you can go walking everywhere!). Barcelona is truly a city that never sleeps, especially during the summer. In one day you can meet people from all over the world! I can definitely recommend Connect-123's internship program and I don't have any complaints about it! It's not easy to find a job in Spain, but they found me some nice opportunities in my area in a short period of time. I had the best six months of my life, and the most unpredictable ones too! A huge thank you to Connect-123 and my program coordinator for this amazing experience. Hasta pronto, Barcelona!

Nicholas Hadjimichael

I took part in the Connect-123 Barcelona Internship Program for two months in order to have an immersive internship experience that would inform my career path, give me a true work experience, and allow me to practice my Spanish in a city that I love dearly — and let me say that I had the most amazing time! My internship was serving as a first year business analyst at a Management Consultancy. Although I was only there for two months, I was warmly received and was given the training and responsibility provided to any first year business analyst. I was initially worried about the commitment i had taken on, especially considering my very rusty Castilian and lack of real experience, I found the work to be incredibly worthwhile and useful. In addition to strengthening my use of the language, I learned much about business consulting, business tools and methods, strategic planning, and market research. These skills became incredibly valuable to me in my following internship in Lima doing consulting and strategic planning work for a NGO. In addition, I had the privilege of working occasionally in the headquarters, located in Casa de les Punxes, which is a breathtaking Modernist building — castle, really. Outside of work, I had the opportunity to truly get to know Barcelona and the surrounding area, having my fair share of Iberian Ham (great food is cheap there), boarding down to the beach, experiencing the awesome night-life, and exploring neighborhoods I had never been to during previous visits. The program perfectly walked the line between providing great programming and being overly structured (as many organized programs tend to be); I had the freedom to live on my own and schedule my own time outside of work, but also the ability to hang out with some of the other interns and to attend the superchulo events that my program coordinator planned. I would definitely do it again!

Roshni Bhat

This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern abroad in Barcelona at a pediatric hospital. Working at the hospital and living in Barcelona for two months has taught me so much about myself, my future goals, and life in general. I learned to live on my own in a breathtakingly beautiful, lively country while gaining first-hand clinical experience. While at the hospital, I would keep the patients occupied while they awaited their chemotherapy treatments, and during these times I was able to interact with the children and their families. Through our conversations, I learned so much about the European healthcare system, life in Barcelona, and beyond that, I learned what coping with cancer is like for these families.

During the internship, I improved my Spanish greatly. Due to the nature of the internship, my day-to-day schedule was entirely based around communicating and socializing with others, so Spanish was key. This experience has reinvigorated my drive and passion to become a pediatric doctor. Outside of the internship, I was able to travel on the weekends with friends from the program. I travelled to Milan, Genoa, Marrakech, Cinque Terre, Sevilla, Madrid, and Toledo. The experiences, the sights, the food, and the great company made for the best summer of my life. I will definitely be returning to Barcelona in the future!

Nicholas Portales

From start to finish, Connect-123 helped to make my internship more than enjoyable. I felt very comfortable throughout the entire process, and the placement process was smooth and controlled! I ended up finding two great internships to keep me busy for my two months in Barcelona. I have no doubt that they will both be very valuable experience to back up my CV in the future, and I learned a lot about the world of NGOs throughout my time with both of them.

I was also able to practice my Spanish extensively, and am now completely comfortable speaking in it after having studied it for so many years. If you want to gain the experience of an internship abroad and immerse yourself in Spanish (and Catalan, of course), you should definitely participate! On the social side, there was no lack of fun things to do… the first place I went upon my arrival was to a meet-up that our program coordinator had arranged! There is definitely a good feeling of community amongst all of the program participants, and you’ll never need to worry about feeling bored, especially in a place like Barcelona where there is always something different going on.

On the whole, I 100% recommend participation if you want to have a fun but constructive few months abroad as an intern!

Alexandra Fong

This past summer I was a social media and marketing intern at a shoe company that produces hand-made espadrilles. We were a small team of 3, but it was a great way for me to get some hands-on experience and really connect with my two bosses. They were the most supportive and understanding bosses I could’ve asked for, and they were always there to help me when I needed it. I definitely learned a lot from this internship, such as how to set up online store accounts, how to plan events, and most importantly, how to run a small fashion company. One thing that was especially fun was being able to attend so many special fashion events around the city. For instance, my bosses gave me tickets to go to a Barcelona Fashion Week show, which was totally unexpected but so much fun!

Phillip Jenkins

I had a great experience with Connect-123 in Barcelona. My time working at a technology startup gave me a lot of insight into the way a growing international business operates. It was also a good opportunity to meet a lot of new people with different international backgrounds and expertise in different areas. Living and working in Barcelona for the summer was a really cool experience, the city is full of life and different cultures coming together and it was awesome to be a part of it. I also had the chance to make a bunch of new friends and we all bonded over this great experience. I'm definitely glad I did the summer internship with Connect-123 and grateful for the opportunity they provided!

Jade Murray

I seriously had the best summer ever this year and it’s all down to these guys! When the idea of an internship in Barcelona appears in your mind, it’s crazy but so overwhelming trying to figure out where to start – especially when your Spanish is no bueno. Not only did the staff at Connect-123 find me a great internship, they were always on hand with advice on housing, expenses and of course some pretty cool things to do with my time in Barcelona! My main piece of advice is to go for as long as you possibly can. Originally I planned only 3 weeks, then decided on almost two months – but now looking back on things I really wish I had spent some more time there. I definitely had a case of culture shock when I arrived, so really don’t worry too much to begin with as it took me around three weeks to really settle in to the way of life and truly enjoy myself. Connect-123 managed to find me a marketing internship at a travel company, where I met and worked with the best people. Marketing wasn’t really an area I had ever considered before as a psychology student, but I still managed to learn so much in my short time there. Barcelona is an amazing place, I visited on a day trip last year and by the time I left I had said to myself “I need to move here”. It’s much more than just the tourist areas, there’s so much going on and it’s the sort of place you could just happily walk around all day getting lost down side streets. All the neighbourhoods have their own style and it really is a unique sort of place. Also if Barcelona beach isn’t doing it for you, the beautiful Sitges is just a 30 minute train ride away – a quiet little seaside town if you ever need to escape for a day. Typing this from Edinburgh, Scotland where the current temperature is really cold, I wish to be back in Barcelona where I had the best time of my life!

Sanam Ghaneeian

I had a great experience with Connect-123! I was initially hesitant upon embarking on a working summer in Spain, especially coming off of a study abroad experiencing in Amsterdam, but this experience is now the main talking point throughout all of my interviews! My Connect-123 program coordinator was helpful in bringing this all to fruition from the initial interview until the final placement – patiently answering every question along the way. I had the opportunity to work at a reputable digital marketing firm that represented recognizable companies! My supervisors were very helpful and allowed me to contribute to several international companies’ social platforms!

As a rising graduate going through multiple interviews for post-grad, this experience is my main focal point when describing my skill set. International work experience is highly respected among prospective employers, as the exposure you’ll receive is unlike anything you can compare and truly sets you apart in the candidate pool. Professionalism aside, Barcelona is an incredible city rich with food, culture and nightlife! There is never a dull moment in this city! If we’re not traveling to nearby cities on the weekends, our program coordinator would organize fun intern events like dinners, a Montserrat visit, and beach events! My summer was incredible and I would recommend Connect-123 to anyone!”

Christina Daniel

Coming to Spain for two and a half months was a dream come true. I always had it in mind to improve my Spanish and was very drawn to the history and culture of the country. I also wanted to gain more experience in the tech industry. Connect-123 helped me every step of the way and allowed me to work with a non-profit organization based in Barcelona.

I worked under very dedicated people who are actively involved in projects with Amnesty International, Fair Trade España, and many other non-profit organizations, as well as small businesses. I spent time mostly on front-end projects, updating websites in order to make them responsive to mobile and tablets. I was a little nervous about the language barrier I would experience, due to Catalan being the official dialect of this part of the country. However, my internship supervisors were very friendly and accommodating. I could not have done it without Connect-123's guidance!

Getting to live here for a short time is something I will never forget. I met so many wonderful people through the program and elsewhere.

Espero volver pronto!