Mikaela Amundson, DMSB/CAMD'20, is taking over our Instagram account this week to show us her experience at Glamping Hub in Sevilla, Spain. Follow along for an inside look at her global co-op experience!
Q: What is your major and when are you graduating?
I'm a combined marketing and design major at Northeastern and I'm graduating in the spring of 2020.
Q: Tell us about your current co-op at Glamping Hub. What does a day in your life look like there?
I'm at my second co-op at Glamping Hub, a start-up in Sevilla, Spain. I love to bike, hike, swim, and just be outside, so I was very happy to find a company that's so focused on outdoor experiences! Travelling is a huge passion of mine, so I feel so fortunate to be here in Spain. My days are super varied, I do everything from working on social media campaigns and designing graphics, to implementing search engine optimization (SEO) strategy across the website, to writing for the Glamping Hub blog. Our office is tightknit and everyone is really friendly, which makes for great days!
Q: What are some major projects you have been a part of on this co-op?
I've been working on several projects with the SEO team, including optimizing our pages, social media activities, and developing blog content. I'm really enjoying this project because SEO is a new topic for me and I've learned a lot already! I've also been working with the social team to develop a new style of infographics that work well for our blog and are optimized for social media sharing.
Q: How has this co-op prepared you for the future of work?
I chose a co-op abroad because I wanted to become more of a global citizen. I wanted to be someone who was connected, aware, and conscious of the world as a whole and experience the rise of a global working economy. I think I'm accomplishing that here by working with our offices back in the states, interacting with our Glamping Hosts from all over the globe, and working with my team in Sevilla. There's just so much to experience.
Q: What was it like doing a co-op abroad? What was the application experience like and how did people at D'Amore-McKim help you?
Living abroad is such an adventure! I am so lucky to get the chance to explore a new city, a new country, and a new continent, I am really loving it. The co-op piece of being abroad is what really makes this a unique experience, I have the opportunity to integrate myself into a company and get a feel for the working culture of the city. I'm meeting so many people from all over Europe and the globe, as well as local Sevillanos!
The application process was very similar to my domestic co-op search. I utilized NUCareers and worked closely with my co-op counselor. The only difference I found from domestic co-op interviewing was waking up early or staying up late for Skype interviews because of the time difference. Both my regular and global D'Amore-McKim Co-op Counselors were incredible and helped me immensely in navigating the application, interview, and visa process. I can't thank them enough!
Q: Would you recommend a co-op abroad?
I would absolutely recommend a co-op abroad. It's such an incredible opportunity to really integrate yourself into a city and feel what it's like to be a contributing member of that community. The global connections and opportunity for travel are just icing on the cake.
Q: What advice would you give to your fellow Huskies hoping to co-op abroad?
I would say the biggest hurdle is taking on the application process, but once you do that, you can do anything! Being organized and staying on top of the paperwork and general administrative tasks is daunting, but definitely worth it in the end. Then once you get there, just live your life! Make friends, travel whenever you can, and jump into every cultural experience head first.
Q: What have you been doing in Spain besides co-op? Have you had the chance to travel elsewhere? What has been your favorite experience there and why?
I've had the opportunity to travel quite a bit around Andalucía, Cordoba, Cadiz, Matalascañas, and Granada and I plan to continue traveling. I have travel plans for Barcelona, Scandinavia, and Italy once I finish up my co-op here in June. Granada has been my favorite city so far, the architecture and culture there is absolutely incredible.
Q: Where else have you had co-op? What did you do there and what was the experience like?
I did my first co-op at the Boston Consulting Group last spring. It's a large company with over 90 offices and more than 12,000 employees. After having a great experience working in Boston at a really large organization, I wanted to go abroad and experience a different work environment, which I've found at Glamping Hub! The change from a large established company to a small, more start-up focused company has been very interesting.
Q: How did you stay in touch with Northeastern and your friends back home while you were abroad?
We have had many late-night FaceTime sessions and text when we can! I actually have FaceTime dates scheduled on my calendar with my mom so we can make sure to connect! Instagram and Snapchat have been great for sending and sharing pictures with everyone back home too.
Q: What have you been involved with on campus?
At Northeastern I work at The Avenue fashion magazine as a designer, I'm in Distilled Harmony and I'm in the a cappella group (we have an album coming out soon that's going to be amazing!). After working at the D'Amore-McKim co-op office for a semester as their social media/peer mentor, I've recently become more involved with the Women in Finance group as their designer and brand manager. I love working with Women in Finance and I'm so excited to see where they go next!
Q: What are you most looking forward to returning to campus for during your senior year?
I'm really excited to get back to campus and back into the rhythm of classes and campus life. I can't wait to get back to my a capella group for my senior season as well! Looking for my last co-op will also be exciting, I'm trying to figure out how to make the most of my past experience and connections to find the perfect position to cap off my time at Northeastern.
Q: How did this experience enhance your cultural agility and global outlook?
I think being completely immersed in the culture here has given me the chance to learn so much and see the world from a totally different cultural perspective. My goal of coming here was to become more of a global citizen, something I hope continues my whole life with travel and lifelong adventures, and I really feel like I've had the opportunity to do that.
I'm meeting and working with people from all over the world, and learning what it means to be Spanish and Sevillano, plus I'm learning a lot about myself in the process. I think this experience has given me the confidence and ability to jump into any place in the world and do the same. I know that this time abroad has cultivated my desire to continue my travels, my education, and my global adventures.
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