Are you considering an internship in France during your year abroad but unsure what to expect?
You’re not alone. Many university students have the same questions:
Will I gain valuable experience?
How do I balance work with cultural immersion?
What’s it really like to live and work in France?
To help answer these questions, we sat down with Ella, our Legal & Pedagogical Development Intern at My English Sister, as she reflects on her year abroad internship experience in Lyon.
From professional growth to cultural discoveries, Ella shares the highs, challenges, and best advice for students looking to gain work experience in France.
Read on to discover:
Q1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m from Manchester in the UK, I go to Durham University and am studying Liberal Arts. I was a little indecisive when choosing what degree I wanted to do, so I chose Liberal Arts so I could follow my interests, you can choose from any humanities subjects, so I study History, English Literature, and of course French!
Outside of work/studies, I enjoy playing lacrosse, going to concerts with friends, reading, and travelling with my family.
Q2. What made you decide to do an internship during your year abroad?
Originally, I planned to study for a semester and do a student internship abroad in the second half of my year abroad. However, after speaking with other students, I realised studying wasn’t for me. I’d heard that interning in France immerses you in the language more than studying, where you often spend time with English-speaking students.
An internship in France also seemed like a great way to gain valuable work experience and explore potential career paths. Looking back, I’m confident I made the right choice—working at My English Sister has improved my French language skills and given me a deeper connection to the culture.
Q3. Why did you choose My English Sister?
I found the MES internship in Lyon on my university’s website and, after some research, realised it was the perfect fit since I already had experience in childcare.
I had been considering a career in law, but without a law degree, gaining experience in the field was challenging.
MES stood out because they offered an internship in legal compliance, giving me the chance to develop professional skills while also working with children. Interning in Lyon has been an incredible way to develop my language skills while making a meaningful impact on the children’s English learning.
Q4. What have you learned during your internship?
During my internship, I’ve gained so many new skills. My role as Legal Compliance and Pedagogical Intern has allowed me to get involved in a range of tasks, I have developed skills in design using Canva to create the monthly newsletter and teaching programmes for the children. Also, I have learned all about French employment law and got to develop existing policies as well as create my own for example the Child Behaviour Policy and IT Policy.
The MES team encourages interns to get involved in what they’re interested in, which makes the opportunity to work here very unique and rewarding. The main thing that has stuck with me, is that your year abroad internship is all about learning and it’s okay to make mistakes. The important thing is to reach out for help and be confident in what you’re doing.
Q5. What has been the highlight of your internship?
In terms of memorable moments, during the teaching sessions there is never a dull moment. The best thing about working with children is that it is all about having fun and making learning English a good experience. If I had to pick one memory, it would be during my first Wednesday session (which is a full childcare day), as I was sitting with the child whilst they were having breakfast, out of the blue he started talking to me about World War 2! I was surprised because it was our very first conversation and I had no idea where he had learned about it as he was only young, but it turns out he had a history book that he was obsessed with, all about World War 2. It still makes me laugh now!
Another highlight of my year abroad internship has been working with the other interns/apprentices, I have met people from across the world and the small team made living and working in another country a lot less scary.
Q6. Do you have any advice for students considering doing an internship for their year abroad?
If I were to give some advice to someone planning their year abroad, I would say try not to stress too much, although it feels really overwhelming at first, everything will click into place and once you’re abroad you just have to take it day by day.
When choosing an internship, I would think about what transferable skills you can bring and also what do you want to gain from it? I knew that when I was planning my year abroad internship, I didn’t want to be teaching English in a classroom, but I did want to gain some more professional experience in France. So start your search with clear ideas of what you want to accomplish.
When settling into a new country, try and say yes to as much as you can, don’t wait for things to happen, invite others to explore the city with you. Or if there aren’t other interns where you work, try and join clubs, e.g. running clubs, where you can meet new people. You could even try Facebook groups, for example before I came to Lyon I joined the Expats in Lyon Facebook group, there were always people on there asking to go out for coffee (although be cautious of suspicious people).
Ella’s experience shows that saying yes to new opportunities, immersing yourself in the local culture, and stepping outside your comfort zone can make all the difference in your year abroad internship. Whether it’s through work, social groups, or simply exploring a new city, an internship in France is an incredible way to develop both personally and professionally.
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