As the end of my first few weeks has passed I am called to reflect on my thoughts and perceptions of my internship thus far. I am working just outside of Seoul, South Korea at Born2Global, B2G for short. It is a partially government-funded accelerator that offers several different programs to South Korean startups so they can get consulting, funding, networking, patents, marketing, etc. My job as an intern here is to manage their digital marketing efforts, and I have already begun to dip into the numerous facets of this role.
My initial impression of B2G was a small combination of surprise and relief. It?s well known that the Korean work culture can be intense, with long hours and a tendency to overwork. However, it?s very much a different atmosphere here at B2G. Korean culture places a large emphasis on traditional values and hierarchies but at B2G I think they have a more globalized version of this.
My supervisor Felipe has taken great care to welcome me and make sure I am comfortable with the work to be done. My ??? Sera has also done a lot to make me feel welcome, get settled, and help me get all of the best opportunities to learn while I am here. My coworkers are incredibly kind and friendly. Even though my Korean is seriously lacking, and not everyone speaks perfect English, we get on very well. I really appreciate their interest in getting to know me and showing me the best food Korea has to offer, even though I have only a short time here.
I can either work 9 to 6 or 8 to 5, and we get about an hour and a half lunch break. The atmosphere here is great, people can take breaks whenever they need to, unlimited free coffee (no sugar though, which is hard), a coffee shop, a 7-Eleven, plenty of outdoor space, a hiking trail, and nap pods. The only downside of my internship so far is the commute, it?s a 50-minute bus ride to the office and it?s an hour plus on the way back to my hotel. It did take some time, but I finally figured out the perfect bus stop, so at least I get to sit the whole way.
I am very excited about the work I get to do here, there are a lot of things I have learned about in class that I get to implement in real situations. It feels like a lot of responsibility, which can be stressful in certain moments. It won?t be easy but I am positive this internship is going to grow and stretch me in many ways.
Outside of the internship itself, I am learning to be grateful for the very, very little things. Living in a country where people do not speak the same language as you, and it sometimes feels like the cultural barriers are too high to conquer is undoubtedly an incredible feat. I have so much more compassion and respect for people and families that have gone through this, sometimes with much more dire constraints. I am even more grateful for my parents when they championed moving our family to London and Shanghai. Despite the relentless and berating struggles, every moment I am reminded of the tenderness in those around me, and I am encouraged to venture out again and struggle some more.
