Reviews

Andy Mitchell

My time spent in Barcelona this summer has been one of the best experiences of my life. I was pleased with the organization of Connect 123 and their commitment to securing an internship for me. Arriving in a new city with a different culture can be overwhelming, but Connect 123 was there from day one to make the transition easy. Organizing events, and updating me on latest festivals to attend are ways they made this summer a blast. I also had the pleasure of meeting new people, who are now close friends and I will be able to keep in touch with for a very long time. As for my internship, I was lucky to land an internship with a Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona. While it was difficult to adjust at first, talking out problems and possible solutions with Connect 123 really helped me get the most out of my internship. I was really impressed with their devotion to making sure my work experience was everything I had hoped for. During my time here, I was able to attend special events that I helped organize at my work. These helped me develop crucial networking skills that I will be able to use in the future. Overall, I had an amazing time exploring Barcelona while also gaining great work experience and would highly recommend Connect 123 for anyone wishing to do an international internship.  

Michelle Lizcano

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to work as an intern for a non-governmental organization with the primary goal of improving the quality of life of people affected with HIV/AIDS. Because my future professional goals are set within the medical field, this internship was the perfect fit to help me gain more of an understanding of the field I am so interested in. It helped me understand the differences between the health care system within the United States as well as Spain. It also helped me gain a better understanding of Spain's HIV community and commonalities when working with the group affected by the disease. Interning abroad has always been one of my dreams in life, and when I heard of this program I immediately decided to investigate to find out more information. Working with Connect-123 was a great experience and I would recommend them in a heartbeat! They were always there to help and always found ways to make our living in a new country as easy as possible. I enjoyed the weekly events planned by Connect-123, which made it easier to become immersed in this new culture. Connect-123 is definitely the way to go!

Sarah Shefferly

The experience I have gained through this internship is beyond amazing, monumentally amazing one could say. Connect-123 was able to find me the perfect internship in Barcelona, Spain, which was just the cherry on top of my life in Barcelona. I worked for a company that promoted the underground music, art, and culture scene of Barcelona and was able to first hand experience the inside life of Barcelona. Through Connect and my internship, I not only learned a great amount about the Barcelona scene, but also met friends that I will never forget. My biggest take from my three month life in Barcelona was all the connections I made and all the people I had met, and how each one of them helped me realize and learn something new about this world. In school we aren't necessarily taught how to live on our own. The biggest life lessons are learned through experience, and that is exactly what I felt I recieved through this life in Barcelona. Knowledge gained from experiences; experiences with friends, strangers, work, parties, travels, and so much more. Its sad to go and return to reality, but I don't leave with a frown, I leave with a smile on my face because I know that the reality waiting for me back at home will be much easier to face with the experience I have gained through the Connect-123 program.

Josh Kohler

Connect-123 takes the laborious process of finding a job in a foreign country and places it nicely in your lap. That´s why I decided to use the program not once, but twice. From the airport pickup to the great response time regarding any location-specific questions, Connect-123 offers a seamless transition into other cultures. I was paired with a research-based banking job and worked with great people in Barcelona. The work experience I gained was unique and enlightening and will be a highlight on my resume. My weekends were paired with constant adventures. I checked off all of the "must-see" sites early on and found it easy to integrate into the culture of tapas, clubs, beaches, heat, public transportation and a severely enjoyable lack of sleep. My apartment had an entertainingly high turnover rate of foreigners, which further contributed to my successful experience. Overall, I would recommend Connect-123 and may have to plan a third adventure (Buenos Aires) with them in the near future.

Amanda Schultz

I have spent the past 3 months with an internship/study abroad program in Barcelona, and I have loved every minute of it! My internship experience fit exactly into my expectations, and I enjoyed meeting and working with all of my coworkers at my organization throughout the summer. Connect-123 understood my internship goals and found a perfect match for me at my Social Media Organization, and I feel like I learned a lot and am taking many great experiences home with me now. Not only was everything well organized, but the program was all very personal and friendly as well. Connect-123 offers helpful support if needed, as well as many recommendations for things to do to get to know your new city. I especially think they did a great job of ensuring well-roundedness during the program through trying new things, cultural experiences, and meeting new friends. I have learned so much from this summer abroad, and if I have the opportunity to use the program again then I definitely will!

Kaitlyn West

From the moment I arrived in Barcelona, as I remember it well, I was enamored with the city, the language, and the culture. I knew this was a good place to further my Spanish language growth, work experience, cultural knowledge, and my person as a whole. What made the transition from my fairly small town in the US to a the second largest city in Spain even more seamless was the friendly and tireless staff at Connect 123. From the airport pick up to the checking-in emails to the weekly group events Connect 123 truly became my second family for my three months in Barcelona. Thanks, Lea, Eli and Steven! As far as Barcelona goes, the city is beautiful and you will never be bored! It literally has everything, the beach, the mountains, a water park, an amusement park, countless bars and restaurants, and easy travel access to any other major city in Spain. Not to forget the public transportation is definitely a high point for the city, as well. Barcelona is a place where everyone can find something to do. My internship working in first the primary school and then in the kid's summer camp was a great learning experience! I was able to put to use my Spanish language skills everyday, all day, and put forth the skills I've learned in my Teacher's Education courses at MSU. From practicing my future profession I also gained knowledge of how to be an effective teacher and that is something invaluable to me. Overall, I spent the best summer of my life thus far in Barcelona and I gained experiences, memories, and friends that I will never forget. Thanks Connect 123 for making this possible!

Linda Monetta

As a career changer I was looking for an internship to update my marketing skills and develop new work skills to aid in my future job search. Connect 123 took the time to help me define what experience I was looking for a found the right company for my goals. While in Barcelona, the Connect 123 team kept in constant contact to make sure everything was going well and to arrange events and get togethers for the all the interns in town. It was a great experience and I would recommend using Connect 123 to arrange your international internship.

Janice Isidro

Discovering Connect -123 was the best thing that could have happened to me! I wanted to come to Barcelona for 3 months and gain some cool abroad work experiences in advertising and copywriting that I could add to my resume and portfolio. I did that and so much more. I was really picky with what type of internship I wanted to do but the staff and program director were always readily available and willing to go beyond their call of duty to make sure I was satisfied and happy. Finally, I landed the job of my dreams! I did SO much more than what I could have asked for and now my portfolio looks amazing with real life work that the company uses. I came to Spain by myself (and 0 spanish speaking skills), and I can now get by on conversations and can't count the number of foreign friends I now have! The Connect team (and other interns who come to the same city around the same time) are wonderful! We went out for dinners and events and built great bonds. Wish I had more time to see them! I'm so sad that I have to be leaving. Barcelona is so amazing and so different than back home. I had a blast with all their little random festivals. The fire festival in Valencia, paint fight, carnival in sitges, and so much more) Life is so calm here but at the same time, the work load for my internship I had was heavy (which I asked for), and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Irving Salazar

Elizabeth Stack

My time in Barcelona was life changing. Through their personally tailored process, Connect-123 found me a dream volunteer position at a center for underprivileged/at risk children. There I had the opportunity to work with the kids at many levels. I attended staff meetings where my input was always welcome, assisted with workshops and English lessons, and during free time I was simply able to enjoy playing with the kids acting as a positive role model. Everyday presented something new, and “work” was something I looked forward to. I will never forget the amazing people I worked with or the children who made a lasting impression on my life. My weekend activities consisted of a two day trek in the Pyrenees, a trip to Madrid, attending festivals, and so much more. The great thing about Barcelona is you can simply walk out your door and find something to do. The culture is fantastic, and the people are open and warm. Making friends is not a difficult task. I was there for over two months but I can’t wait to go back to do everything I didn’t have time for, and see the amazing people from around the world who I formed lasting bonds with. Through all of this, Connect-123 was there making sure everything was running smoothly and that I was getting the most possible out of my Barcelona experience. Lea was lovely to work with, always supportive, positive, and helpful. She organized creative group outings, and made great weekend activity suggestions. I truly believe without the help of Connect-123 my time abroad would not have been as impactful or unbelievably fun. Not only would I recommend them but if I ever look to intern or volunteer abroad in the future I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.

Christine Cifelli

Connect-123 has provided me with a unique and valuable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.  After researching several international internship programs, I felt that Connect-123 was the only program with a specific one-on-one placement process, which provided me with a position based on my individual preferences and background.   I was able to find exactly what I wanted, for that reason I really enjoyed going to work every day.  I had the opportunity to work with great people from all over the world.  Working and traveling abroad helped me to better understand people from other cultures on a professional and personal level. Connect-123 provided me with many social opportunities in Barcelona that really enhanced my experience.  Barcelona is a vibrant, multicultural city with great food, culture, nightlife, and people.   I highly recommend the program for anyone who wants to develop their professional skills, learn about a different culture, and explore an amazing city.

Breanna Lujan

Knowing only that I wanted to pursue an internship in environmental sustainability in Barcelona, I turned to Connect-123 to make this goal possible. From the beginning of the internship placement process, Connect-123 was very perceptive and responsive to my needs, questions, and concerns so as to ensure that I received the most out of my experience. Thanks to the efforts of Connect-123, I was able to work for an amazing environmental NGO based in Barcelona that focuses its efforts on many of the environmental issues I consider most pertinent. As a third year environmental studies major and a native Spanish speaker, Connect-123 allowed me to not only gain professional experience working abroad, but also to further explore my career goals and to further develop my interests. I now know that if I were ever to return to Barcelona, I would have a position waiting for me with the environmental NGO that I worked for on account of Connect-123. Barcelona is an absolutely incredible city. The people, food, language, and culture create an atmosphere that is as eclectic as it is beautiful. Connect-123 helped me to really appreciate my time in Barcelona, providing ample opportunities to do things in the city that I ordinarily would not have done. To those considering interning in Barcelona, I highly recommend it!

June O’Connor

When I decided to spend a few months in Barcelona my main concern was how was I going to find voluntary work there when I could hardly speak any Spanish. Thank goodness I came across Connect-123. They made everything so easy for me. Even though I only gave them a couple of weeks notice of coming here, they went all out to help me to find the right accomodation and to match me with suitable voluntary placements. They also recommended a really good Spanish school which gives you 25% discount if you are registered with Connect-123. My first 2 weeks here were spent at the school doing an intensive Spanish course which I really enjoyed. On the day I arrived Lea met with me to talk through all sorts of useful information that would help me to settle in quickly. She gave me her mobile number and assured me that I could contact her with any queries or concerns, no matter what the time. She continued to suggest several options of voluntary work that I could do and I soon found myself with 3 different placements, working with children in various capacities, all of which I am loving. I have now been here for 10 weeks and it has been an amazing experience. Barcelona is a beautiful city and Lea is always sending e-mails to us to suggest things to do and places to go and to arrange regular get togethers with the other volunteers and interns. I am very happy with the help and support that I have received from Connect-123. To have done this on my own would have been very difficult, if not impossible. I can't thank them enough and would not hesitate to recommend them to others.

Imran Kidwai

After deciding that an international internship in consulting would make me more competitive in the global market and as a MBA applicant, I stumbled upon Connect-123. The unique characteristic I found about the program they offer was that they find you an internship catered directly to your career aspirations. Thus, I was absolutely ecstatic that Connect-123 was able to find me an internship aligned directly with my career goals. From the first day of my internship, I was involved with my company's client. I was assigned a project, and worked with their client every day to get the project completed according to their needs. The internship was challenging, inspiring, and incredible. The skills that I gained from the internship were unrivaled. The city of Barcelona is nothing short of amazing! It has a unique culture, the people are extremely friendly, and the beaches are gorgeous. The friends and memories I made in Barcelona are truly unforgettable. My internship and experience in Barcelona were life-changing and it was all made possible by Connect-123.

Melisa Bak

I did my internship in a social organization that works as a link or network between civil society organizations in Argentina and international donors. My work has been diverse, since the number of volunteers and interns is high and there is a variety of tasks to be done. I have translated documents, created presentations and articles for the organization´s website. I have also reviewed reports on Argentina´s current situation (economy, society, environment, health), and worked with statistics and graphs for the Directory of partners of the organization. My experience has allowed me to meet and interact with people from Argentina and other countries. The people that work there have been very kind and attentive, and made me feel very comfortable.

Erin Miller

My time spent in Barcelona was nothing short of incredible, and this is largely due to the attentiveness and effort from Connect-123. I received round-the-clock advice and assitance during the application and placement process, and ended up with a fantastic internship that was professional, interesting and perfectly relevant to my field of study. I decided to pursue an international internship the summer after I graduated from my university and chose to go through Connect-123 due to their extensive program offerings. Gaining experience working in a foreign country was an invaluable addition to my professional career goals and has provided expansive amounts of knowledge and networking opportunities. Now that I have experience working abroad, I feel I definitely have a leg up in today's competetive job market. Barcelona is such a beautiful and exciting place and Connect-123 was available to provide heaps of information about the city; covering everything from housing suggestions to restaurant recommendations. My advice to those considering an internship in Spain would be to do it! It will without a doubt be an unforgettable experience!

Trevor Larson

Having the opportunity to live and work in Barcelona during the summer of 2012 has provided me with indispensible life skills as well as many lasting connections with people from all over the world. Connect-123 found me an internship almost immediately after signing up. I was very surprised seeing that my request to work with entrepreneurs in an Internet tech-based firm was very obscure. However, Connect-123 worked diligently finding me a handful of options right away. Needless to say, I got the opportunity to work with some really intelligent and hard-working entrepreneurs in a real-life environment. This opportunity gave me the experience I needed to go back home and be successful in my own business ventures as well as provided me with beneficial business contacts for me in Europe in the event that I ever want to work in the overseas market. My only piece of advice for someone who is debating whether or not to intern in Barcelona is to simply just do it. Connect-123 is very professional and makes the transition to a foreign country very enjoyable. Not only that, but Barcelona is an amazing city and you will undoubtedly find that you will not want to return home!

Vanessa Cox

My time in Buenos Aires has been an experience I'll never forget. During the two months of living here, I have learned a great deal about myself, the culture, and skills pertaining to my profession–Graphic Design. Before this trip, I had never lived in a big city; I discovered not only could I survive by myself, but also how much I love city life. The first few weeks were a little challenging being over 4000 miles from home, but I soon found a lovely church that made me feel at home.  Transportation was easier to use than other countries I’ve visited, and strangers were kind and helpful during times of uncertainty. Upon arriving, the language was hard to understand due to the accent. Though I still have difficulty, I can understand more now, and have picked up the porteño “sh” sound. I am very happy with everything Connect-123 has done during my stay in Buenos Aires. They found me a wonderful internship with a web development company that helps non-profits thrive via the Internet. Everyone with whom I worked was wonderful, friendly, and willing to help when I needed it. My Connect-123 representitives were also very helpful and responded quickly to any and all concerns/problems/questions I had. They also found me a lovely porteña to live with in her apartment, which was safe, clean, and where my privacy was respected. I am very pleased with the job Connect-123 did, and highly recommend their services!

Rana El Naggar

I grew up in the Middle East, and finished my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, in Dubai. I decided to change my career path to International Relations, and now planning to study a postgraduate degree in the UK. I decided to intern in an NGO in a different country to learn a new language, and I chose Barcelona. Spain is among the most important countries in Europe with international development entities. Connect-123 gave me a great placement in which I was able to expand my knowledge and skills in the field in a very friendly environment. I chose to find an internship with Connect-123 because of the variety of services they provide throughout the duration of the internship. Connect-123 helped in finding the appropriate internship, list of housing options and language courses that were tailored to fit my needs. I got a discount in almost all services provided through Connect-123. Most importantly for me, living alone in a foreign country was a difficult decision. Knowing I had someone to contact was very comforting! I would advise graduates in any field of work to intern in Barcelona. It is a beautiful city, lovely weather, and very student- friendly. It is great to be able to learn a new language, meet new people as well as get a head start on your career!