Following an eventful two months, my internship at Rice Communications is quickly coming to an end in a few weeks time. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that this internship has been a life-changing experience, but it has been a positive and beneficial learning experience for me.

I began my internship sometime in early June – a hectic time for Rice – as the team was busy preparing for CommunicAsia 2010. At a time when I was still putting faces to names, I found myself struggling to also familiarise myself with the background information of different clients and projects. Immense workload and tight deadlines seemed to set the tone for the rest of the week but fortunately the team was kind enough to make me feel at home and orientate me. The team is always there to lend a helping hand and is very supportive when any help is needed. The occasional chatter, jokes and jolly laughter in the office kept my spirits and energy at the highest level, and they will probably be my fondest memories of my time here.

Weekly meetings and team lunches are also a common practice here at Rice. These sessions provide a perfect (and legitimate) way for the team to get out of the office, reconnect and spend some quality time together. They are also a great way for new additions, like me, to become familiar with the rest of the team.

My second week of internship saw me helping to translate for two Chinese journalists during an interview session with a client spokesperson. It was a nerve-wracking experience and I remembered myself thinking hard to come up with the most appropriate translation in the shortest possible time frame. Fortunately, the feedback has been positive and barring a few occasional awkward moments, I really enjoyed the translation session and the rapport I struck up with the journalists.

At Rice, I have had the opportunity to meet up with clients and sit in on client meetings. It’s been a great experience being able to talk to the clients and provide input and suggestions to them. I must say, it is a lot of responsibility resting on my shoulders, but that is what makes it real!

All in all, the responsibilities and trust given to me during my time here made me really feel like I made a difference to the team, something not always the case in other places. I learned an immense amount, but also was able to contribute what I have studied but have  never before been able to apply in the real world.