Krystyna Kolisnichenko, a student from Ukraine, shares her experience.

Krystyna Kolisnichenko, a student at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University from Ukraine, came to Bratislava for her internship as a Partner Hub Support Trainee at a big international company.

Before she came to Slovakia for the internship, she had familiar worries that many people share when starting something new abroad, about adapting to a new work environment and integrating into a new team:

“Before starting the internship, I was concerned about adapting to a new work environment, managing the language differences, and balancing my responsibilities effectively. I also wondered how I would adjust to living in a different country and whether I could quickly integrate into the team.”

Those concerns didn't last long, though. Krystyna shared how great the support from her mentor and colleagues turned out to be:

“The overall support from my mentor and colleagues has been exceptional throughout my internship. My team lead provided clear guidance, regular feedback, and was always approachable whenever I had questions or needed clarification.”

Additionally, one common problem students have is gaining hands-on experience with professional tools and workflows. Internships are helpful in this situation, as they let students build real, applicable expertise. Krystyna shared the same experience here:

“I gained hands-on experience with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) and other CMS platforms, which enhanced my ability to structure, publish, and maintain multilingual digital content effectively.”

The most important part is that our interns gain experience in working on real projects and take on real responsibility. Krystyna described her tasks as following:

“Creating and publishing web-pages on LPH, uploading assets, communicating with content managers, reporting created pages and announcements.”

Besides work, there is a wonderful opportunity to explore Slovakia and experience new culture. For Krystyna, the country's connection to nature and active lifestyle stood out the most:

“The country has a slower pace of life compared to other European countries, which helped me relax and focus during my internship… I was pleasantly surprised by how active people are in Slovakia - it's common to see adults regularly hiking, cycling, or running.”

At the same time, the most pleasant experience was growing in a supportive and inspiring environment, while exploring Slovakia's nature and culture alongside flatmates from different walks of life. 

“The most pleasant part of my Erasmus+ internship experience in Slovakia was the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally in a supportive and inspiring environment. I truly enjoyed working with my colleagues and mentor, who were always approachable and encouraging. Beyond work, I loved exploring Slovakia’s beautiful nature and experiencing its culture firsthand, which made my stay memorable and enriching. Living with flatmates from different backgrounds also added a fun and social dimension to my time abroad.“

Placement Slovakia knows how important the accommodation is for a comfortable stay. Therefore we provide our interns with the flats, so thay do not have to worry about where to stay in Slovakia. Krystyna shared her experience with us: 

“I really enjoyed my time living with my flatmates. We got along very well, and there was always a positive, respectful atmosphere at home. It felt more like a shared experience than just a place to live. The location of the accommodation was convenient, with good access to public transport and shops, which made daily life much easier. The flat itself was well-equipped with everything we needed, and we managed to keep it cozy and organized. The combination of a comfortable living space and great people made it a very enjoyable and memorable part of my internship experience.”

For her plans, Krystyna wants to continue building on the skills she gained, seeking opportunities preferably in an international and tech environment:

“After finishing this internship, I plan to continue building on the skills and experience I gained by seeking opportunities in digital content management and localisation. I aim to apply the knowledge I acquired, possibly in an international and tech environment. Additionally, I’m excited to travel more and meet new people, as this experience showed me how enriching it is to connect with different cultures.”

As advice for interns, Krystyna shared that newcomers should stay open-minded and proactive, not hesitate to ask questions, and balance work with exploring their surroundings and building connections:

“I would recommend new trainees to stay open-minded and proactive throughout their internship. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and seek help whenever you need it—mentors and colleagues are there to support you. Embrace the opportunity to learn not only about your field but also about the local culture and people.

Also, try to balance work with exploring your surroundings and making connections. Building a good network and enjoying the cultural experiences will make your internship much richer and more rewarding.”

We are glad to have had Krystyna as an intern through our program and wish her success in her further plans.