My time at Optimal Ways has been an experience like no other. From my extensive training in the fundamentals of digital analytics solutions such as Google Analytics and Piano Analytics, to the various culturally immersive experiences throughout the six months, I have gained invaluable experiences and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. As I approach the end of my internship and my Masters, I can confidently say that my experience at Optimal Ways has prepared me to pursue a career in digital analytics in France.

Before I started, I was intimidated by the idea of working in a new position in a completely different cultural environment. I wasn’t very confident in speaking French and I wasn’t very familiar with the specifics of working in France. Maybe what I considered a normal gesture in the United States would be interpreted badly here in France? Or perhaps I would struggle to overcome the language barrier.

During my first week at Optimal Ways, these fears quickly disappeared as I got to know the other team members. From the start, I was met with warmth and curiosity from the team to get to know me. It was reassuring to know that I was surrounded by a very open-minded team with a more worldly perspective.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how well I was supported in my personal professional interests. At the start of my internship, I was interested in working on Piano Analytics and Looker Studio. After mentioning this to my team, I was immediately assigned to projects related to these topics. This support throughout my internship has been key in allowing me to embrace my curiosity and absorb as much information as possible during my time here.

In addition to the enriching work on some of the projects I was able to contribute to, Optimal Ways organises seasonal seminars where we work together as a team on a specific organisational project.

Along with the work during these seminars came fun team-building activities. I think the most fun was an indoor sports competition against other team members. I did not expect the seminar to be so physically intense! But it was still a lot of fun and a great activity to get to know my other colleagues better.

By far my favourite memory from this experience was our little beach party on the 4th of July during our summer seminar in Nieuwpoort. At a time when I was particularly homesick, I found it a very heartwarming experience and it definitely helped me feel more comfortable at the beginning of my internship.

Having these fun experiences in between all the hard work during the week made the experience all the more enjoyable and definitely helped me form stronger bonds with my team members. Working in such an experienced agency as Optimal Ways meant that there were a variety of different client projects to learn about and work on. No month felt like the last.

As I reflect on the past 6 months, I know I will look back on this time with fondness. I’ve grown a lot professionally, but also in my understanding of sustainability and cultural issues.I am confident that as I continue my professional journey, I will have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with whoever I work with next.