5 Ways of Overcoming Nerves for an Internship Abroad

You’ve settled on your destination. 

You’ve secured your firm. 

And, you’ve organized your accommodation and travel. 

In other words, you’re all set for your internship abroad.

Yet somehow there’s a sinking feeling in your stomach. Even a sense of fear and uneasiness.

You’re nervous. 

It doesn’t matter whether it’s about the flight, a new country, starting a new job, or even just the food – nerves can get the better of all of us. 

They’re nothing to be ashamed of. More importantly, they’re something that can be overcome. 

While everybody is different, there are some universal ways to calm your nerves. Here are five ways to help you  overcome your fears and ensure that your internship abroad is as good as it can possibly be.

The first thing we suggest you do is research – and lots of it. 

You’ve likely done some already while picking your destination. Or you might have already visited your city and fallen in love with it. Either way, you’ll want to do as much research as you possibly can.

Research is your way to prepare. Trawl through the internet and travel guides as you pick up everything to know about your host city. This doesn’t just mean the landmarks and the tourist traps – you’ll also want to discover the culture and customs of your destination. These will be vital when navigating somewhere new, especially if you’re nervous. 

So look through forums and note comments. These will help you build up a picture of what it’s like to live and work in your new city. 

If you know what’s awaiting you, half your battle with nerves is won.

After doing your research, the next step is to plan out as much as you can.

If you’re a natural planner, this will come easily to you. If you prefer to improvise, you might need to work a little harder. Consider it as a chance to hone your organizational skills.

The amount you plan, of course, is up to you. The whole purpose of this exercise is to make yourself feel comfortable for the weeks ahead, so plan an appropriate amount. You might want to set out every step of the way; or you could prefer to paint the broad strokes, and fill in the gaps later.

Either way, planning out your internship can help you get your head around it before you land.

Of course, everything is available online. You can even use Google Street View to get a sense of the area around your accommodation. From there, you can scope out local shops, bars, restaurants and other amenities. As well as nearby leisure activities and green spaces.

If you get it right, you can be as familiar with your prospective working routine as you are with your home life. Imagine yourself as you stroll through the streets of your new city; that way, it will feel second nature when you’re there.

There will be a few uncontrolled variables as you dive into your work and community life – but that’s to be expected. Life will always throw something new at you; the best way to prepare is to have a stable grounding around you. Plan ahead, and that’s exactly what you’ll have.

Bring a slice of home with you to help you stay connected.

It could be a childhood toy, favorite CD, or a photograph of your pet. Or it could be a scrapbook of memories from your life so far. 

It might be a small gesture, but it can make a world of difference to ward off homesickness – and with that, the nerves.

Display your memento prominently in your room. This will remind you of your connection to your family and friends – wherever you are in the world. 

This way, whatever challenges you face while abroad, you’ll always feel like a part of home is facing those challenges with you.

The meaning of this is two-fold: draw on the support of your friends and family both before and during your internship.

Before your internship, you’ll want to find out about the experiences your friends and family have had. You might have relatives who have experience in your chosen city, or friends who’ve studied abroad. Pump them for as much information as you can; they can tailor their tips to your personality and preferences, ensuring that you get the right kind of advice. 

This way, you can learn from those who’ve lived through it all and boost your confidence for your internship.

When you arrive in your chosen city, you’ll soon make friends through work and community events. There’s a structure in place around you to ensure that you have a good time; and that you’re supported throughout.

But you might well feel overwhelmed by your surroundings – and the sheer newness of everything around you.

So it’s key to keep in regular contact with friends and family. 

With video calling more popular than ever, practically everyone knows how to do it. So organize a virtual meet-up, have drinks, or watch a film together; whatever you need to make yourself feel comfortable.

It’s a good way to keep yourself connected with home; which will help you overcome any nerves you have while in your chosen city.

Paradoxically, one of the best ways of making yourself less nervous is to throw yourself head-first into the things you fear the most.

Even the most accomplished public speakers will have struggled with it initially. You wouldn’t know to look at them; it’s the experience they’ve had, warts and all, that has allowed them to achieve such a high level of skill.

Everyone has to start somewhere. 

So whether it’s public speaking, meeting new people, or exploring a new city, get out there and do it. The hardest part is always that first step. Once you’re there, you’ll soon adapt. And before you know it, it’ll be the easiest thing in the world. 

Get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself; it’s the best recipe for growth.

There’s no one easy fix for overcoming pre-internship nerves. No two people are the same, and so no two solutions should be the same.

Broadly speaking, it’s a great idea to do your research and plan ahead. Getting acquainted with your destination will help you acclimatize more quickly; and it’ll help you get yourself in the right mindset. So go online, read testimonials, tips and travel blogs; draw together all the information you possibly can as you assemble a mind map of your new city. The better prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be.

You’ll also want to draw on connections to your family and friends. This can be as simple as bringing a memento to remind you of home; and wherever you are in the world, your loved ones are only ever a phone or video call away. We’re more interconnected than ever, and that means feeling alone is a thing of the past. 

And make sure to ask your friends and family whether they’ve got any tips and tricks for travelling; they might even have visited or lived in your chosen city. Hearing the stories from their experiences abroad will give you a confidence boost, too; if they’ve done it, why can’t you?

Lastly, get out of your comfort zone. We change and grow through new experiences, and we can only overcome our fears by facing them. Force yourself to try something different and it’ll soon become second nature.

One final thought: go easy on yourself. Overcoming nerves can be difficult, and things are liable to go wrong if you overexert yourself.

Take things easy, go with the flow, and you’ll go far.