Following my previous Erasmus experiences in the Netherlands and Albania, I spent an incredible month in Biarritz, a beautiful coastal town in the French Basque region. Finding accommodation in July was challenging and expensive, but securing an Airbnb allowed me to fully immerse myself in the city. Since my long-term goal is to live and work in France for some time, this stay was the perfect opportunity to experience the local culture firsthand. The work-life balance was phenomenal, seamlessly blending focused workdays with evenings spent surfing or enjoying sunset dinners at the beach.

I completed my internship at L’heritage, a small concept store where I played a central role in elevating their digital presence. Operating in a French business environment, I managed their social media strategy with a strong focus on Instagram, curated high-quality professional photography, and assisted with conceptual website updates. This hands-on experience not only enhanced my cross-cultural communication skills but also provided me with practical digital marketing and visual storytelling expertise that I could never have fully acquired in my home country.

Navigating through a foreign professional landscape definitely pushed me further out of my comfort zone and improved my language skills. Most importantly, this internship directly benefits my future career as a teacher. I can now bring real-world, international industry experience into the classroom, teaching modern subjects like web design and social media strategy with the confidence of someone who has successfully applied them in practice.

I can highly recommend this experience – it was truly amazing.

Text & Images: Celina Köppel