Thuong sharing her Erasmus+ traineeship experience in Slovakia

Thuong is a student of Economics in Jena, Germany and she came to Slovakia to undergone her Erasmus+ traineeship as a Marketing coordinator soon before Christmas. Since she finished her traineeship experience a few weeks ago, Thuong is now working on her final thesis to finish her Master studies. We are happy that Thuong chose Slovakia as her traineeship destination and we would like you to meet this smart, kind and energetic young lady at least through our interview as well.

1. How did your story first begin and why did you decide to take an Erasmus+ internship in Slovakia?

Well, when I was searching for internships abroad then in one time talking to the Coordinator of Erasmus+, I was recommended this internship program in Slovakia. By that time, I also received an offer for an internship in Barcelona, Spain. But after considering carefully, I decided to choose Slovakia as my next destination because it has a lot of good offer and valuable support.
 
2. Can you tell what responsibilities the company gave you at work?

In the company I was doing the internship as a Marketing Coordinator. I took charge of preparing the internal documents, managing customers‘ accounts and contacting the third parties. Besides, I help training newer colleagues to get acquaintance with the company’s system and sometimes do some market research.
 
3. What skills did you improve the most during your traineeship?

I think that must be interpersonal communication and time management.
 
4. What were your expectations and were they met?

I expected to experience how marketing process in a foreign SME is carried out. More or less my expectation were met.
 
5. Were there any tasks given to you that you had no idea how to complete? If so, how did you solve it?

Yeah, there was a time my supervisor asked me to find out and try to design a basic responsive outlook for the website in mobile version. Actually I had no idea about it before. So I asked the other colleagues and also my supervisor for help and suggestions. And finnaly I could complete that task.
 
6. How did you find out about our programme and how would you evaluate our assistance provided during your period here?

It was recommended by the coordinator of Eramsus+ and I was immediately impressed by so many good offers and support from your program as well as strict and serious applying procedures.

About your assistance during my time in Slovakia, I just can say that it makes me feel like home and we are just close friends from my very first days till the last days. Thank you very much again.

7. Do you have any suggestions or improvements to our placement programme?

Probably no.
 
8. What do you think of the life-style in Slovakia?

Actually I have to say that it matches my life-style very much. I love it. Cause you know, I reallize that Slovak people in general are very friendly, generous and helpful. I feel home as if I were in my home country Vietnam.

Also, I love the safe and peaceful feelings that Bratislava brings to me. The food here in Slovakia is so so great I have to say.
 
9. What did you find as the most different from your usual environment, country? Was there any culture shock?

The most different thing from my usual environment (here I take Germany as I have been living there for 2 years) probably is the people. Germans and Slovaks are both nice and helpful. But I find Slovak people more open and easier to make friend with.

Therefore, I can say that I have a culture shock, but in positive way. :D
 
10. What did you like the best here in Slovakia?

Well, as I already mentioned before, I love Slovak people, food and peaceful atmosphere here.
 
11. Did you have any work or social difficulties during your stay in Slovakia? If so, how did you solve them?

Actually no. Sometimes when I cannot communicate in Slovak, my colleague would help me to translate. So it’s fine in general.
 
12. Did you have enough time to travel and explore Slovakia and neighbouring countries? Which places did you visit and what left the biggest impact on you?

I had to spend the first 3 months for self-studying for my last exam in my master course in Germany. So I could just travel around after the exam was finished. In Bratislava, I did visit Bratislava Castle, Slavin and outside Bratislava, I travelled to Hallstatt village in Austria. As Prague, Vienna and Budapest I already visited before.

It is really difficult to choose which one left the biggest impact on me, cause I love all of them. ^^
 
13. Which moment of your stay in Slovakia has been the most memorable for you?
Yes, it might be the lunch time hanging out and talking to my colleagues. They treated me so well.

14. What are your future plans after finishing the internship?
 
Very first is writing my master thesis then applying for jobs in Germany or any other European countries.

15. Is there anything you would like to say to students still deciding whether or not to do an internship in Slovakia?

Just come and enjoy, you will not regret or be disappointed.