Eveline Moor completed her internship abroad in a socio-cultural center in Aix-en-Provence, where she not only gained valuable practical experience in working with children, but also overcame cultural differences and language challenges. Her time in France strengthened her independence, flexibility and her conviction of the importance of participation and empowerment in social pedagogy.
An internship abroad is a unique opportunity not only to expand your professional skills, but also to grow personally and change your own perspective. This was also the case for Eveline Moor, who opted for a field practice in France, more precisely in Aix-en-Provence. In a socio-cultural center that organizes vacation activities for children, she was able to expand her knowledge and experience from social pedagogy with the perspective of socio-culture. Eveline Moor reports.
First steps and a surprising phone call
The path to my internship was rocky at first. As early as the application process, I realized that the procedure was different from what I was used to. In the end, I was lucky with one center and it was surprisingly straightforward. I called the center and asked if they were looking for interns - the answer was immediately positive: "Yes, we always need people!" That was the start of an exciting journey that I embarked on with mixed feelings. I was excited about what awaited me, but I also knew that it would be a great opportunity to develop personally and professionally.
Cultural differences: an exciting learning process
Although France is our neighboring country, there were many cultural differences that surprised me. The temperament and emotionality of the people were particularly striking. The team meetings were often lively and chaotic - everyone spoke at the same time, there was a lot of laughter and sometimes I had the feeling that no one was really listening. For someone like me, who is used to working in orderly and structured environments, this was a real challenge. But at the same time, I realized how much energy and liveliness this type of communication brought with it.
Over time, I became more relaxed and was able to adapt better. I learned that it doesn’t always take detailed planning to make things work. And although the organization sometimes seemed chaotic, I was confident that everything would work out somehow. It was a valuable experience that changed my own way of working. I became more flexible and open to unforeseen situations.
Linguistic challenges and personal insight
One important aspect of my internship was using my French language skills. At the beginning, I still had language inhibitions, which made me feel insecure. But over time, I lost these inhibitions because I realized that no language course could have prepared me for this experience. It was a valuable experience to work in an environment where I was not perfect in the language. I was able to better put myself in the shoes of the children and participants, who are often in a similar situation when they learn a foreign language with us or have difficulties expressing themselves linguistically due to developmental delays or impairments.
Overcoming the language barrier was not only important for communicating with the children, but also for my personal development. I learned to be more patient with myself and to develop more empathy for others. I was suddenly on the other side - the one who had to find her way in a new environment. This experience taught me a lot about the feeling of being a "stranger", and it changed my view of social work and my attitude towards it.
Creativity and participation in working with children
It was new for me not to have to fulfill any clear requirements, but to be encouraged to look for what I wanted to contribute. What I particularly appreciated was the creative freedom I was given at the socio-cultural center. I was allowed to try out lots of things with the children, had scope for my own ideas and was able to get actively involved in the vacation activities. The principle of participation was particularly important to me: the children should have the opportunity to decide for themselves what they want to do, what they want to organize and plan. This attitude is very important to me as a social pedagogue, as it corresponds to the concept of empowerment - not just listening to the children, but actively involving them in shaping their environment.
It was fascinating to see how, on the one hand, the staff and, on the other, the children are quite capable of organizing themselves and getting creative without a strict structure. Less structure, more initiative - that was the principle that impressed me. I realized that it is not always necessary to specify everything exactly. The children were able to activate themselves very well when they were given the opportunity and the animators aroused enthusiasm when they conveyed their passions.
New connections and personal development
My last day at work was a particularly nice moment of my internship. The children said goodbye to me warmly and I could feel the positive connections that had grown between us in such a short time. It was confirmation that relationships can develop even in a short period of time if you engage with people and communicate with them as equals.
Another important aspect of my internship was living in a shared flat. This helped me a lot to find my bearings in the new city, make contacts, organize my everyday life and build up my own network. I found another home there.
Tips for future field practice students
I would like to give the following tips to anyone who decides to do an internship abroad in the social sector:
- Be aware of what you want: think in advance about why you are doing the internship and what you hope to gain from it. What are your goals and what do you hope to gain from the experience?
- Self-organization is important: You will have to gather a lot of new impressions and organize yourself. Think about how you will structure your day and how you will deal with loneliness or uncertainty.
- Keep at it: It’s worth taking on the organizational effort and the hurdles of looking for a job abroad. The unique experience is worth it!
- Be open to new things: You will be working in a different culture, so be flexible and ready to learn new approaches and ways of working.
My internship abroad in Aix-en-Provence was an incredibly valuable experience for me, both professionally and personally. I learned a lot about myself, working with children and the importance of participation and empowerment. It showed me how important it is to understand the perspectives of others and to embrace new challenges.
