Ghita Mandri is a second year student at the Lyon campus. As part of her international internship, she chose New York to live her American dream for a few months in an agency specialized in wedding planning. Discover her experience as a wedding planner in the USA!
WHERE DID YOU DO YOUR INTERNSHIP?
As part of my second year of study, I had to do a three-month internship in a company. In order to validate my semester, I realized this internship in an event agency named Sarah Christine Productions, located in New York. I chose an event management agency because, as I like contact and human relations, this was a perfect match.
I wanted to do an internship in an event management company in order to develop my passion for event planning while joining the team of an important company. And finally, why New York? To discover this city that makes you dream!
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO FIND THE INTERNSHIP AND TO ANTICIPATE YOUR ARRIVAL IN THE USA?
At first, I had a lot of trouble finding an internship, I sent my resume and cover letter to at least 40 companies and no response. I was losing hope until my sister Assia gave me the contact of a client who worked in the field of wedding planning. It was based in New York, which was exactly what I was looking for. Moreover, my childhood friend was studying in New York, so she took me in while she found an apartment.
WHAT WERE YOUR MISSIONS DURING THIS INTERNSHIP?
During the three months of my assignment at Sarah Christine Productions, I carried out various missions:
– Design a system to display our missions.
– Plan my work.
– Promote the agency by taking control of social networks, by registering our weddings in different magazines to be highlighted.
– Accomplish the multiple tasks related to our work while respecting the needs of my boss.
– Track my time by projects and assignments and submit them at the end of each week in order to be paid.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CHARACTERIZES THE AMERICAN WAY OF WORKING COMPARED TO FRANCE?
The differences are minor and don’t pose any problems, there is just a feeling of haste that I didn’t experience in France as an intern, but which was very present in New York. Americans are rather empirical, unlike the French: they rely only on experience and little on theory. But what I really appreciated was the diversity and openness of the people.
AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR FREE TIME?
You can do anything in New York!
WERE YOU APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GOING TO THE USA? HAVE THEY BEEN CONFIRMED OR HAVE THEY DISAPPEARED?
I was not apprehensive about going to the US because I had already lived in the US for 2 years and I have a friend there who welcomed me. To reassure you before such a departure, know that the Americans are very nice and welcoming, we always find to lodge (attention, the rents are expensive) and to eat (we pay a part of pizza in NY 99 cents!).
DO YOU HAVE AN ANECDOTE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE?
I was lucky enough to be invited to Fashion Week, and in the front row at that! I was also invited to the birthday party of a Colombian actor, who is very famous there. A private party, jet set, in a big apartment in Time Square!
Updated 24 February 2022