A New Beginning in Copenhagen
Hello there! My name is Diana, and I am currently doing a four-month internship here at Chukster.
Being in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, adapting to a completely different work environment, and basically living another life feels strange and somewhat surreal. It can be a lot to take in at first. I am really lucky to be doing my internship amongst people who understand that without me having to say anything.
 

My First Week - and Pink Dinosaurs!
The first week, I felt a little odd starting my internship. Everyone has their ongoing projects and knows exactly what, where, and how they’re supposed to do them. I was nervous about doing something wrong or asking the wrong questions.
I did some small things here and there and helped with easier tasks, like retouching images in photoshop or finish editing a video that needs some final touches, just so I could adjust and find my way into this new day-to-day life, and by the end of the week, I kind of understood what was going on. I helped a lot with creating and editing social media content, which is new to me. I also got the chance to spray paint toy dinosaurs pink, which is a pretty cool intern task if you ask me.
 

Growing Responsibilities
I was surprised by how fast I got used to it, I didn’t expect to feel so comfortable so quickly, and soon enough, I started to understand the workflow. I started to work on projects that felt a little bigger, and I was part of meetings with clients, which was surprising to me.
 

After I have only been here for a few weeks, I already feel like I have a voice and that I am being asked for my opinion (and it matters!), which feels a little strange to be honest. In a good way. Being eye to eye with people who have years of more experience and knowledge, getting to work on something that matters and having it taken into consideration, and being trusted with files and projects for actual clients - all of this are big things that I didn’t expect to experience so early on.

Connecting with the Team
Trying to get to know the team is kind of hard when the only time you really can is during lunch. However, I was lucky that I started my internship at the end of April, because the monthly Friday bar fell on that week. Sitting in the warming sun with a beer in your hand and a snack in the other really makes a difference in your, or maybe just my, ability to talk and connect. It gave me the opportunity to talk about my application process, why I wanted to do my internship in Copenhagen, and my expectations. Since I had visited Copenhagen a year ago for a little vacation, I knew what to expect from the city, and that short visit gave me something to look forward to: to learn design from a new perspective.

A Swiss Mind in the Danish World
Learning design in Switzerland gives you a sense of strictness, simplicity, and organization; putting it in a famous term, “Swiss style” is kind of all I’ve been learning these past few years. There is no better place to experience a different approach than right here in Copenhagen, and I made the right choice by learning it at Chukster. Since I haven’t been here for that long, I can’t truly confirm it yet, but the first impression that I’ve got has been quite convincing.

Independence
It’s not just my first time being out of school, it’s also my first time living on my own without having anyone I know by my side. I’ve been enjoying it. Of course, it’s not the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s been a fun challenge. Meeting new people, figuring out how to unclog the drain, and taking my time exploring new parts in and outside of the city is exciting. The friends I made so far are from all over the world and come with stories and different backgrounds, which makes experiencing new things with them special. At the same time, spending time by myself has been great too, knowing that this internship is temporary makes it easier to not be scared of it and value the time I have here even more.