My Last Blog Ever

We have had some fun this summer folks. I have shared a few stories, laughs, insights, and useless facts; but there is more to Brendan Cherry then just that stuff. I am also an incredible dancer, which unfortunately I can not share with you via blog. Believe me I would like to, but to express how I express myself through expressive movements would just be too hard to express in words. In all actuality though I do not take myself very seriously and I like it that way. Taking yourself or anything too seriously sets you up for stress and bad relationships with people. Think about it, don’t you like being around people who are down to earth and pleasant. The key is to not take your self seriously but take others seriously. Make people feel important and wanted, that is after all what most people are looking for. You can become more successful by praising people for their successes. People remember people who make them feel good. Try finding creative ways to compliment people that are not awkward. For example if someone does something pretty uniqe you be better served by saying, “Whoa, you're really creative. How did you come up with this?” rather then saying, “That’s pretty good, reminds me of the time I yada yada yada.” The key here is people like to feel important and here about themselves so give it to them and you will get the same in return. A conversation flows much better when its you talking about them and them talking about you rather than you talking about you and them talking about them. Those conversations are always very forced and flat and usually leave both parties feeling like they didn’t really click. Its like my favorite comedian Brian Regan says when there is a dinner party there is always the me monster, you know the type that’s like, “And then me, and I, myself, this one time I, and me me me ME ME!!” Don’t be that guy/gal!

Other then that stuff this is the last post you will be able to read from me. My stretch in Boston has been footloose and fancy free. I have loved it and will cherish the memories. Turning 21 on the day the Celtics became champs, interning for experience, bus boying at cheers, going to media premiers of movies, seeing Batman a whole buch of times, and a whole lot of other things I wish I could write. Ultimately it has been a great experience and one I would recommend for people in similar shoes as me. If you can intern in a city it is a great time. You have the chance to make some great connections and network as well as meet new people and hear new stories. Ciao Folks!



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Profezza Chezza

Top 5 Advice

I absolutely love the movie High Fidelity, starring John Cusack, not only for its satire of music snobs but also for its top 5 lists. I'm a sucker for rating things: movies, music, snack foods, catch phrases. I also have way too many mental countdowns: 9 days until the Olympics!; 5 weeks until school!; 3 hours until Project Runway! Today I'm giving you a taste of both rating and counting down. Since I only have three more days left in the office, it's time for some Top 5s.

I've been thinking about the top gems of advice I've learned this summer about internships and work. While each piece of information I've gathered this summer sparkles, I've outlined the top five - they come from my experience, from interviews with other interns, and from other people in the office. Here they are:

5. Be persistent. This applies to all areas of internships - finding one, having one, leaving one. When you're in the middle of an internship search, it's easy to get discouraged. But try not to. Use a lot of different resources to keep the search fresh: your career center, eRecruiting through Experience (ask your career center about it!), even internet booleans. Once you've secured your internship, being persistent (but not annoying) towards your superiors shows that you're motivated and eager to learn. Once your internship ends, being persistent and staying in contact can lead to a formal job offer down the road.

4. Establish contacts. Even if you don't think you want to pursue the field you interned in, chances are that people in your company know other people in other companies, or have worked in other companies, or have a passion for the field you want to go into...the possibilities are endless. For example, when we went to interview intern Erin Welch at Nokia Mobile Advertising last week, I discovered that they have an office in Paris...where I want to live in the future. So chat it up during your lunch break - you'll be surprised what you can glean.

3. Internships aren't just resume builders. Besides the obvious boost of "having experience in the field" that internships give you, which you can then play up on your resume, the real heart of an internship lies in what you learn. You're doing your internship to TRY OUT something you think you could love, and maybe over the course of the internship you become infatuated with the work or you come to dread it. Either way, internships are like the walkway leading up to a house - looking forward, you assess the house and see if the architecture is your style. By the time you get inside, you'll have a better idea if it's a place you could see yourself living.

2. Employers WANT to hire you! This is eRecruiting's stand (the software powered by Experience.com that your career center uses to connect you with targeted jobs and employers), and I am happy to relay this information. Entry-level jobs do not have to be dreaded, because employers want to add us young folk, with all the new skills, to their mix! Also, jobs right out of college, thanks to these employers who seek us out, are the first steps to a great career.

1. You CAN love your job! Experience's slogan is "Extraordinary Careers Start Here," and I fully believe that with a little preparation we can find jobs we love. We just have to have faith in our employers, try out internships, be persistent, and most of all, believe in the validity of our dreams.

In High Fidelity, Rob (Cusack) writes down his Top 5 jobs, if money and time period don't matter. I suggest doing the same, just to get your ambition juices going. If you know what you'd love to do, it's easier to make it a reality. Idealism and optimism are my faithful sidekicks, so I hope they've become yours too, after reading our blog and watching our videos. Pessimism gets you nowhere, so don't be afraid to DREAM, like Rob. You can make your dream happen.

Early to Bed, Early to Work!

I've been going to sleep at 10 PM every night. I feel a little lame admitting this, but I just get so tired! When I'm in the office all day, undoubtedly working hard, when I get home I can't even will myself to call some friends to hang out. I am, however, a bit reassured when I hear that my friends, and fellow interns, are also falling asleep in front of the TV at 9:30. This brings me to the question: how do we integrate our social lives into our work lives? The two always seem dichotomous - "all work and no play"; "oh no, college is over, now I have to say goodbye to fun" - but this summer I'm finding that my job IS when I get to socialize. We pass around CDs we've discovered, talk about funny blogs, and discuss the weekend, just like we did in high school!

We don't realize how social our work environment is. Though my mom is right when she says, "there will always be people you can't stand, and people you never agree with," for the most part we pass our days surrounded by fun individuals! It's no coincidence that we end up becoming friends with the people we work with because we have similar interests, and more importantly, similar career goals and skills. Also, it makes sense that many people start dating other people in the office...What I'm getting at is a notion that we shouldn't overlook the fun potential at a job, taking it SOO seriously that we stay glued to our desks with our headphones on. Our days should be enjoyable, if not for the work itself, for the people.

That said, I'm going to miss the people in this office. This summer has been an exciting learning experience, and a great preview of my future to come. I've learned - and poked fun at in our videos - a lot about office professionalism, finding an internship, and having a job overall. Experience is a young company with entrepreneurial ideals that I believe in, and I shall take those beliefs with me back to school, and on to my professional life. Check out the homepage of Experience.com to take a look at what Experience can do for your professional life.

Winding Down

I bought a delicious breakfast this morning as I approached work. A chicken and bacon melt with southwestern chipotle sauce on a whole wheat bagel with a splash of melted cheese and a vine ripened tomato to top it all off. The drawback- it cost 8 beans and I didn’t bring my toothbrush or gum to work. My speech is going to smell like a weird combination of chipotle and wheat bread all day. I’m not happy about it. I suppose every decision comes with its pros and cons. I have come to the decision that I am going home for the month of August. The first week in August is my last week as an intern and why pay 600 a month when I can be a bus boy and live for free in good old Leicester MA. I am happy to be going home but less thrilled to be leaving Boston. It has been fun in the city. Always something to do no matter what night and if nothing else the police blotter is a bit more interesting in the city then back home. What can I say though; I miss my family, friends, woods, and free food. Then of course it will not be too long until I move back to Amherst to finish college!

It is weird to think that I am just a year shy of being done with college. What a great three years it has been. I would really like to think that the rest of my days will be just as exciting as college. Most people will tell you college is the time of your life and in more or less words will hint at the fact that life’s excitement sort of tapers off with each year separating the year you graduate to now in whatever year this is. I do not believe that has to be the case at all. Life is full of excitement; you just may have to look in different places. Having said that it still feels weird knowing that this awesome chapter of my life is in its twilight stages. I remember junior prom like it was yesterday! As for what I want to do after graduation I am not sure just yet. I know the direction I want to go and I know I want to get PAID for doing whatever it is I do. Some people say money is not important, but it is if you want nice things and early retirement; money is paramount. I would say that is my number 1 goal is to retire early and walk away from whatever I do with enough money to do some great living. Again how am I going to achieve this? That’s a good question. I have thought of making a banana jelly, Jungle Juice Packs, and starting various websites that would be funded through advertisements and I could tell you what they are but then you would steal them! Anyway the point is I have ideas and with a little action they could equal cash money. Like I said previously, don’t neglect your creative side!

Also if anyone reading this blog is well versed with the economy and knows about the American economy I would like to know your take on the federal income tax. I saw this very crazy political conspiracy video called Zeitgeist which claims the federal income tax is unconstitutional. I would like to know the validity of that statement. As far as conspiracy movies go I find them fascinating and many of the issues mentioned worth exploring, but like I said in previous posts I never more then half commit to beliefs. Anyways if you have free time it’s probably worth watching and if nothing else is an entertaining story.

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See-Hezzy

My Thoughts

Well we are coming down to the wire folks, the swan song for this internship is not too far from being sung. That being said, Kate and I have been given a tremendous opportunity to create a commercial for Experience’s champion software and a little do-hickey that I owe so much thanks to, e-Recruiting. Of course receiving an opportunity is no different than receiving a burden. We now carry the burden of coming up with something original, tasteful, and eye catching to give to career centers to give to you all. You may be thinking to yourself, how do I deal with this burden and any burden that may come in life? Well you could do any number of things. Some people stress out and their manic work sense takes over and sees to it that they complete what ever it is they are working on. Some people become paralyzed by fear and can not bring themselves to even start their project or finish it. The thought of rejection and poor work takes them out of the game immediately. I have a completely different approach. I just sort of do things and let the results handle themselves. I look at it this way, if it comes out well and everyone likes it then great! I can play the hero shake hands and have something out there that’s done and done well. That is a great feeling. I also know there is a chance things can go wrong and people will not like what I have done. That’s fine with me too. In those instances you walk away feeling sort of down and incapable of doing things well, but at least you have a good story. Then you also have to look at it like this, what ever you did wrong or not up par is done and over with thus making it unchangeable history and not worth worrying about and maybe it was not meant to work out the first time. Maybe you are meant to struggle with your project until you get it perfect or maybe you were cut out for something else all together. I don’t know, all I do know is I never worry about results. Anyways hopefully this commercial will come out well and we get like a $10,000 dollar bonus and a new car.

In other work related news we have an interview with a nokia person in about an hour. It should be fun to go to the nokia building and I want to subtly ask the managers what kind of big plans and new technology they have coming out in the year to come. I bet they know of something that will blow my mind. My mind is blown by cell phones as it is heck the fact that I can even write this and you can read it blows my mind.

Speaking of mind blowing I have been researching the whole 12-21-2012 thing. Not because I believe in conspiracies, but they are fun stories just as fiction. If the whole 12-21-2012 conspiracy were a fictional movie I would watch it, but the fact that there are thousands of people who believe make it a little more fascinating. I am not saying I believe it or not, I will say some of the best advice I have ever read was by a guy named Fontenelle who said he never over commits to any of his beliefs. He half commits to everything so if proven to be wrong his world view is not so shattered. Anyways to those who are unaware as to what the 12-21-2012 thing is it has to do with the Mayan long count calendar. Through astrological findings and studies of the universe they created a calendar that was 5,125 years long. When converted to the Gregorian calendar we use their calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Some people see this as the end of the world and others see it as a potential shift in consciousness. Now there are two facts about this that makes the Mayan prediction some what credible. One is that day is winter solstice and two that day marks the day the sun and the center of the galaxy will be aligned for the first time in thousands and thousands of years. You can read more about it from people who study it on this website. http://www.adishakti.org/mayan_end_times_prophecy_12-21-2012.htm

It is an interesting story if nothing else. That is all for today though, I am going to NY this weekend on the Fung-Wah bus so wish me luck for those who get the reference.

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Chez-sta from Les-ta

The Effect of Pop Culture on Happiness

Students and recent college grads have a lot to think about, even without figuring out how to turn our interests into a career. Our brains spend all day in a state of hyper-activity - desires, cravings, longings, and random thoughts flood our consciousness. Not to mention that we're bombarded by outside stimuli like advertising, music, and conversation. No wonder we're all so scatter-brained. With all this intermixing of others' thoughts on top of our own, it's easy to feel a bit lost and misguided. What particularly bombards and overwhelms me is the multitude of messages targeted at young people ages 18-25, and what we "should" be thinking about. If you tune into MTV (which I do way too often), it won't take you long to realize that their programming tells you to seek popularity, beauty, and relationships, disregarding such values as intelligence, curiosity, and creativity. So my question is, where do our minds spend the most time at our age, and is it worth it? I'd say I spend about 35% of my day daydreaming about social stuff - friendships, dating, the hidden meanings in conversations past, and the other 65% about practical stuff - food, money, my job. Scarce are the deeper thoughts - happiness, life philosophies, and long-term dreams. I feel as if the entertainment that I surround myself with is dictating how I should act, and what I should think about.

Is MTV correct when they put forward the idea that 18-25 year-olds are inherently social beings, legitimate in our preoccupations with the networks of people around us? Are all the pop songs about love and the movies about high school so popular because they speak the truth about this 7-year period? Or is pop culture indeed selling young people short, stressing the superficial stuff and disregarding what's essential, like where we're going with our lives?

I guess that happiness, one of those terms I've just used to describe "the essential parts of life," is a combination of our social and financial and intellectual desires. We have to gauge each part of our life, and what we want out of it, and figure out a harmonious integration of the three. Gosh, that's so cheesy, but that's my temporary conclusion.

Pressure

Creativity is an under rated skill in today’s office environment. I feel as though there is so much pressure to learn hard sciences and curriculum that creativity often just gets left to the side as something you either have or do not. It could be a problem of the times. My parents have let me know time and time again that it’s not like when they were growing up; everyone wants to go to college now-a-days. What does that mean for you?

Back in the 60’s and 70’s there were a good number of high school students that made the jump from high school to college but the percentage is not the same as today. They were a little rarer back in that day which made them more valuable. Today it is pretty much understood that if you want a future with big pay checks you either have to take up a trade or go to college and many students have decided to go to college, making us much less rare. It takes more to distinguish your self today which is why many of us college students, myself included chase after the dream internships, but what does it take to get all of this? You need a good to great GPA which comes mainly after hours of studying or some really impressive BSing, you need extra curriculars to show your involved, volunteer work to show you care, SAT prep, LSATS, interview coaching, and resume writing. Where is the time to just be you and tap into your creative side or explore your passions and see what you would like to do? Anyway my point is this, don’t let the high pressure society we live in today get to you. Free up your schedules and maybe drink a few less red bulls per week, plus it feels really good to both relax and create something. Even if what you create has no real merit, it is still something that was born in your mind and you translated that to something someone else can sense or something you can sense. Kate and I created a little 30 second mini clip in our latest video that poked fun at office jargon. It was sort of tedious work but at the end we found it worth it and hope you enjoy.

I went to the midnight showing of the Dark Knight and if I can sound slightly lamer I also went the next day. Talk about creativity. The actors, screen writers, and directors came together to create a cinematic masterpiece. Heath Ledger is not in heaven; heaven is in Heath Ledger’s performance. Also much praise to his make-up person, I ain’t ever seen the Joker done so well. I have always liked batman because he is a regular guy who does heroic things. Like a police officer only with a cooler costume and better gadgets. I hope all who view it like it as much as I did. Anyway that is all for today. “Heres a haiku As we all wear pants We can't help but wonder if Pants can wear us, too.”

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Chezzington Bear

Intern Interviews at Mullen Advertising

Transportation Entertainment

So when you're riding the subway/metro/T to work, what do you do to occupy your time? Whether it's a 15-minute or 1-hour commute, time passes slowly if you're just staring into space (which I've seen people do, regardless). Today I'm giving you a breakdown of what I think you're like, based on your transportation entertainment (please note, my first impression readings of people are usually totally off, and these "judgments" shouldn't be taken too seriously). After this breakdown, I'll reveal which one of these types I am.

iPod: You're probably not a morning person. You rolled out of bed, threw on the cleanest work clothes you could find on your floor, and ran out the door carrying your heels. You probably stopped for a breakfast sandwich at Dunkin, if the line wasn't too long, and now on the subway you're listening to U2 to wake up while you take gulps of your large coffee.

Free newspaper: You like to keep up with the news, but more from a pop culture standpoint. You know a lot about abandoned puppies and the new Death Cab album, but all you know about Ted Kennedy is that his surgery went well. You're a fun, social person who takes your job for what it is: a job, neither good or bad. I wouldn't be surpised to see you updating Facebook from your cell phone.

National newspaper: Your job is your life. Politics, world events, and having opinions help you gain respect with your coworkers, because you can rattle off Obama's speech last night verbatim today. You're probably wearing a suit, and I like to guess you'll get off at the Financial District for your lucrative job.

Book: You're trying to postpone the "work mindset" for as long as possible by reading some exciting new fiction. Either that or you're trying to be more intellectual by tackling those "important" books you somehow missed: Siddhartha, Paradise Lost, Madame Bovary, etc. You probably listen to indie music and periodically drag your friends to see low-budget documentaries.

Work briefs: either you're a very normal person who just has a big PowerPoint presentation to give today, or you're the resident office overachiever. You know everything about the company, including the mission statement, by heart, and you'll rave about your job in-depth to anyone who will listen, even fellow subway riders.

iPod AND literary item: One word (though hyphenated): multi-tasker. Somehow you manage to sift through much visual and audio stimuli simultaneously to max yourself out on information in your daily life. You're always busy, with little free time, and you have a lot of ambition, aspiring to be a CEO. Or maybe you can't stand the other people crowding around you on the T, so you blast your music to drown out their conversations while trying to immerse yourself in David Sedaris essays.

To be completely honest, I'm a combination of these people. On the days when I grab a free news tabloid, I flip immediately to the entertainment section. I always have a book with me (usually it's someone like Ian McEwan, Michael Cunningham, or Alice Monro: emotional, romantic, beautifully written stuff that takes me away from my boring commute), but I only read it sometimes, depending on if I get a seat or not. When I pop in my headphones, it's usually so I can wake up a little more, or if I need to cheer up. Sometimes I'll try to read while listening to music, but my ears are a little less ADD than my eyes, so the music always wins. I hardly ever look over work stuff, but only because all of my work stuff is at work.

So I guess these impressions are misleading, because I come across differently to people, depending on the day. What do YOU do, and how do you perceive others? Let us know at interns@experience.com!

Video #7 - Relocating for Work

Nostalgia

I've been thinking a lot lately about nostalgia. I'd even say I AM nostalgic. Here are some of the reasons: My dad's vacationing on the coast of Maine right now, where we went when I was growing up. It's also summer, which recalls speedy dinners of hot dogs and hamburgers while neighbors called for my sister and me to come play Sardines. Then, there's the feeling that I'm growing up so fast and my friendships aren't what they used to be - just different. All of this gets me nostalgic.

So my question is, how can nostalgia be positive, even helpful? Usually nostalgia connotes either "the irreplaceable glory days" or melancholy accompanied by Coldplay. But, I'm daring to say that when harnessed right, nostalgia can remind you to get back to the things you really love. If you're sitting at home looking through old pictures and getting teary-eyed about a road trip, think about the bond you created with people during the long car rides, and try rejuvenate bonds with friends in your present life. If you miss the carefree days before you had a 9-5 job, try to free up weekends to mimic the leisure of endless days instead of cramming all of your social life into Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes just putting on some 90s music does the trick.

I know we can't change what's past, and that some memories are best left in nostalgic mental scrapbooks, but sometimes simply pinpointing why you're nostalgic about something can prevent you from being vaguely discontent with your life. If you figure out what exactly you miss, it's easier to recreate. I know nothing will ever feel the same as the first time I stayed up with summer friends to watch the sunrise, but you can surround yourself with people who would theoretically be up for watching the sunrise.

What does this have to do with having a job, however? I'd like to believe that it's possible to find a job that feels like childhood. Remember your childhood dreams - what you wanted to be when you grew up. Our dreams may have changed since then, but I think we all had a little streak of that hopeful, idealistic mentality for the future. Finding a job that makes you feel like a kid again is definitely productive nostalgia. Being childlike (not childish) in your career has its advantages - creativity, teamwork, selfless dedication, imagination. Many times, employers are looking for just those qualities. So think about what made you happiest as a kid, what games you loved to play, what dynamic you had with your friends, what you did to have fun. And try to do that in your career!

If I'm being too vague, take my personal case study: when I was sixteen I traveled out west with 18 other counselors-in-training, and we all worked at an inner city YMCA camp. When we weren't working, we got a chance to explore Zion National Park and backpack to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was the best month of my life because of the bond the group created - we were 20 people working towards the common goal of enriching kids' lives, and we had fun doing it. We all went through the same ups and downs, the same sleepless nights, the same 100 degree days. We became stronger as a group and stronger individually. Now, 5 years later, I've realized that working in film production can give me the same opportunity to work on a tight-knit team who wants, as a whole, to create a compelling film. SO while I'm nostalgic for our "West Coast WHAT" chant, I'm hopeful that my future holds similar group bonding possibilities.

Traveling and Science

To continue with the theme of this week I would like to talk a little bit more about traveling. I am not as well internationally traveled as my partner Kate; however, I have had some unique experiences through traveling. One of my fondest adventures and only time I have ever left America (other than Canada) was my high school trip to Jamaica. I went with my family and for the most part it was a pretty standard touristy trip as we didn’t ever really leave the guarded resort which was really populated by American tourists, but I was able to win a free trip in the resort game show to the Jamaican canopy tour. If you have never seen or heard of a canopy tour it starts off with a long bus ride up the hills and mountain side of Jamaica and is followed by a short hike in the woods. Eventually you reach a spot were you strap into a harness and ride a zip line from tree top to tree top in order to keep exploring the Jamaican highlands. It was during this trip that my father, brother, and I were able to meet a local working Jamaican man, namely our bus driver. In talking with him I learned more about Jamaican customs, family life, and history then I had all week. Granted the other stuff was fun but so was talking to him. I learned that Jamaica’s inhabitants were originally sugar slaves working for the English. Many of those slaves ran away to the mountains and they were known as “maroons”. Jamaica had one of the highest rates of runaway slaves and they all sought refuge in the mountain tops. Eventually the maroons revolted and killed many of their slave owners, thus freeing themselves and becoming the country they are today. This is why they speak their own dialect of English. Also many people believe it is legal to grow and sell marijuana and this might shock you as it did me but it is illegal. The driver told me though that the police are corrupt and look the other way for profit but he did not want to be a part of that shady scheme because he was a family man. Tourism is their number one revenue, and in one place in particular tourists could jump off of cliffs into a lagoon. Local Jamaicans performed diving shows there for money where they would dive from heights of 90 feet! Anyways I have found their people interesting and while in the resort I even met a British family and they were informative as well.

Other then that my travels have all been American based which can be informative as well. I love hearing different accents and the Virginian accent really gets me. A Virginian woman at a gas station referred to my home state of Massachusetts as (Mass-er’-chu-serts) which almost made me think that Southerners play up their accent as much as I play up my Bostonian accent when I travel. Like maybe its an inside joke amongst them, when they see some yankees roll into town they say “Watch this, I’ll give them a thrill.” One unique travel experience I had was sleeping in central park. A friend of mine and I decided after a long series of build ups and let downs we should just sleep in central park and I tell you after that I can really appreciate why homeless do not get jobs because it is impossible to hit the refreshing REM sleep at the base of a statue in NY because it gets cold and traffic does not stop. My friend and I became friends with one transient for the evening and we pretended that we were vagabonds from Boston. At about 5 in the morning I woke up and his face completely encompassed my field of vision which sort of freaked me out. As it happened he just wanted to tell me that foot traffic around this time makes sleep difficult so it’s best to move from the outskirts of the park to the middle. As I woke up I noticed all the bums were making the move, it was as if a bum blew a conch shell in the middle of the park to summons his tired brothers and sisters. After what was the worst nights sleep possible we went to the today show with Matt Lauer. During the commercial break I put my friend on my shoulder and told him to start a chant. He exclaimed, “Hey it’s Matt Lauer’s birthday.” The audience was surprisingly receptive and a good portion of us began to sing happy birthday to Matt until he turned and made a disgusted look at my friend. Anyway the point is this, travel, meet people, and have fun with it. As Kurt Vonnegut put it, “We (humans) were meant to fart around this planet.”

Another thing that has fascinated me this summer is how far humans have advanced technologically. If you think about the chances of earth existing, then the chances of earth being able to host life, then the chances of human life developing, and finally the chances of humans being able to put together a comprehensive alphabet and language system you get a realization of a strange sense of humility as to how lucky we are to be were we are. Maybe it is because technology baffles me but the large hadron particle collider has really captured my imagination. It is a huge track 300 feet below ground that is going to smash atoms in august to better understand physics. They are trying to recreate the big bang. The countdown to the first firing of this collider is at http://www.lhcountdown.com/. Definitely check it out and let me know what you think of this scientific advancement. Also as a sort of opinion question, if you could travel to outer space for free would you do it? Hit us back at interns@experience.com.

Check back next week,

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Chez-wick

Going Abroad

This morning, on the T, I was squashed into a corner on a full train when three gorgeous, brunette girls squeezed in next to me. From the minute I saw them, I could tell that they were very well dressed, and they had a sort of European air about them. "Possibly French," I said to myself, using my limited knowledge of fashion from my year in Paris, which told me that the pastel layers and boots they were wearing were euro-inspired looks. And sure enough, right after my clothing evaluation, I hear, "On descend où, là? On va à Park Street, non?" YESSSS, I thought, proud of my detective skills and my comprehension of the garbled teenage Parisian French. I got a little France-sick for a minute, which got me to thinking about my plans after graduation. As I'd LOVE to return to France immediately after college, I've been looking into some fellowship options as well as teaching English positions.

Timely enough, this week Brendan and I bring you a topic that overlaps with my aspirations: relocating to study and/or work. While most students leave home to attend college, whether it be another town, state, or country (for most of us, moving abroad is temporary, during our junior year), it's a bit more daunting for young graduates to decide to move abroad to pursue graduate study and work. In case our readers are toying with the idea, I've done a little research to find out what to do when our study abroad experience leads to a desire to once again jet-set away from America.

Although I'm pretty certain that each country has its own set of rules and regulations regarding work permits--and if you're thinking long-term, acquiring citizenship--many of the people I've talked to, both in the office and out, have told me that the easiest way to get work abroad, especially in Europe and Asia, is by teaching English. I would suggest starting at your school's career center to see if they have any affiliated programs with specific countries. Another great program is Peace Corps, which gives you a stipend to teach English (among other work opportunities) in a foreign country for two years. I would imagine that teaching English in another country would give you worthy insight into another culture as well as your own.

If you're toying with the idea of moving abroad, but you aren't sure how long you'd like to stay, I would recommend going as a student, as student visas are generally easier to come by than work visas. If you enroll in a graduate program, either taught in English or the native language, you will most likely be able to obtain all the required documentation to apply for a visa while still in the US. Also, most European countries allow visitors to stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa, and these travelers are considered tourists. The visa I needed for my year abroad was called a carte de séjour, basically a long stay visa that's good for a year. If I had wanted to stay longer, I would have needed to show documentation to the government saying that I needed a renewal. With a student visa, many countries allow you to work a certain number of hours without having to apply for a work visa (in France you can work a maximum of 964 hours a year).

If you think you're in it for the long haul, there are ways to get a work visa if you find someone in the country who will sponsor you at a company. This can be tricky, since many times you can't get a visa without a sponsor, but you can't find a sponsor without a work visa. Catch-22, right? My thinking is that if you go abroad as a student or as a tourist and simply search for work while you're there, you can try to make that work long-term. For example, in France, if you hold a degree equivalent to a Masters, you can get a temporary residence permit valid for 6 months , during which you can work almost full time. If you're recruited by a company during this time, or while you're still a student, a legal procedure may let you change your status from student to employee. And the path towards citizenship widens.

Some of you out there may also be in luck, if you have European relatives. Take a look at Obtaining an EU Passport to find out more about if you're eligible.


If you're jones-ing for more specific advice on a particular country, or if I haven't been helpful enough, here are some more sites to look at:

Jobs Abroad is pretty general, but it has links to opportunities to get a degree abroad, and also to volunteer.
The Transitions Abroad website has some great testimonials and some student to student advice about studying and working abroad.

Job Monkey has a working abroad guide with great tips, especially if you want to teach English.

And there's always the Ventures Abroad page on Experience.com! Check out Lydia's blog - she's currently working in Milan!

Good luck, residents of the world! Maybe I'll see you across the pond.

-Kate

Halfway Point

I know I am a little late with this statement, but increments of time do not really exist but in our own minds anyway so Happy 4th of July. It was a pretty good 4th of July for the Chez Man. I completed a good deal of work at my other job which was tip city and I got to pal around with some UMassers which was exhilarating. I also won 300 dollars on a good underdog bet at UFC 86 and My favorite athlete also won at UFC 86 so I have to say congratulations to Josh Koscheck and thank you Patrick Cote. Winning 300 dollars that I can not really say I earned was quite a good feeling. I can see why people become addicted to gambling. It is quite a thrilling process, in my case I had to take a good chunk of money that I had earned while of course working and give it to a website and hope that I made a good decision. If I lose it is essentially as though I worked all of those hours for nothing and that for me is especially painful because I hate working. I am not talking about the kind of work I do here, but I hate mindless work such as what I do as a busser. I wasn't cut out for work so much I was cut out for jet skiing and lounging. Never the less I gave the money to the website and hoped for the best. I was at work during the UFC so I did not get a chance to watch it. I imagine that fight would have been very entertaining for me had I been watching it live but instead I had to check the results when I got out. When I saw Cote had won I was ecstatic because instead of working for nothing I got 300 for nothing. That is basically what gambling comes down to, working for nothing vs. getting something for nothing.

Many people look down on gambling but I think there is some value to it. Not the gambling that I took part in but gambling in general. A gamble doesn't have to be a bet on something but it could be something you do or how you invest your time. People that go through life without taking any chances go through life without also gaining any big rewards. I think too many people are ready to cash in their chips too early and settle as oppose to trying to do something big. The real joy in life is finding something you enjoy doing or something your passionate about and going for it. I love to travel and that is why I plan to travel after I graduate from college. At first I want to travel America and see old glory up close and personal. Then I would like to travel around Europe and see where my ancestors came from. Cherrys from hundreds and thousands of years past wandered that land and by gum I would like to too. When all is said and done I figure I will have spent a good portion of my early to mid 20s traveling and learning. I think of that plan as a gamble of sorts because it could go horribly wrong and that is of course all time I could have spent getting started with my career but the way I see it is I am only in my 20s once. I would rather travel the earth when I am young, single, and unhinged from debt and family obligations than when I am old and retired. Plus the education you can receive from meeting other people and traveling is far greater then anything you can get in the classroom. Of course my travels could go horribly wrong and I could end up a transient lost in indo-china or wander europe broke and unshaven but I imagine I will return from my travels wiser, with greater knowledge of myself and the world, and full with good ideas. Is it a gamble? Sure in a sense, but at least I know I will have a good time.

In other news we are on week five of eight here at experience and so far this has been a great experience. Kate has been a great partner, Sam and Ally have been the best bosses a guy could ask for, and we have had some fun while learning what it is like to be under pressure of deadlines and scrutiny of viewers. Speaking of criticisms, yes Lisa I am a journalism major and if you read closely I was refering to the Santa Clause starring Tim Allen. I should have made that more clear though so my apologies to viewers who missed the reference and my thanks to the viewers keeping me honest. The video we are working on today is pretty open for us to have some fun with and I think we will have fun. I will post within the next few days about this video and about something that has fascinated me this summer and about to make some pretty big news, the large hadron particle collider. Stay tuned!

------------<3---------------

Chezzy Moto

4th of July!

As I write, a Bundt cake is in the works next to me, prepared in a sand castle pan. The cake will eventually sport a moat of whipped cream and the obligatory American flags for the 4th of July which will wave gloriously from the castle's towers. My friend Alex says it's the best cake he's ever made, one good enough to celebrate our nation's birthday. I can't wait to dig in. 

Brendan and I finished our video in record time yesterday! Check it out below. As the weeks roll on towards the halfway point of the summer, I think it might be time for us interns to reflect on the summer so far. What have we learned at our internships? Are we acquiring skills that will help us after school? Is this a field we'd like to pursue in the future? Are there things we'd like to change about our jobs? I love thinking about the past and future at the same time - it's sort of meta to think that your past self has given rise to your present self, which will then morph into your future self. What's interesting is that you're still the same person, but always with changing skill sets based on your environment. For example, when I was eight I HAD to know all the rules to four-square, but they're now tucked in the back of my head somewhere. The funny thing is, as soon as the kids want to play four square at the day camp where I lifeguard, I can instantly explain all the rules, like I learned them yesterday. On that same train, the skills I'm learning at Experience - conducting interviews, learning to edit video, etc - have immediate use, but they'll probably go dormant when I go back to college this fall. But they'll probably pop up again if I score a job with, say, a documentary film company. All these facets of ourselves seem at once fragmented and unified, like the individual shots of a movie that make up the final story on film. 

Hopefully at the end of this summer, those who have read our blog and watched our videos since June will see how these fragmented posts add up to an overall story of our adventure as interns! So, here's the next installment in the saga. 

Office Politics

Hello!

Last night I had a dream that I was in high school again, and that I had a math test I hadn't studied for, or even gone to class for. EEK! Made me thankful to be in college, where I've traded in problem sets for papers, and to have a job this summer instead of studying! Who woudda thought?

In our "first day" video, Brendan and I expressed our hopes for this internship. Brendan hoped I didn't raise the bar too high; I hoped for great coworkers. Now we're almost halfway through the summer, and luckily, we got our wishes in that he and I get along with each other and with everyone else in the office. But one of our readers hasn't been so lucky - she expressed in an email (which we love getting, btw) that she's previously had internships where she's fallen in love with everyone in the office, but for this one, she sincerely misses the fun "office banter." She poses a troublesome albeit common question: what if you don't like the people in your office?

Now, I stick by my words when I say that one of the most important things to look for when you're applying for a job is the office environment, even if it is a little difficult to tell from just an interview. Even if you love the work you're doing, your happiness can quickly plummet when you're either bored or annoyed with people in the office. Unfortunately, we don't often have the luxury of choosing a job just for the people, since there are other factors (income and experience, to name a few). But I would still suggest trying to gauge what it feels like in a possible future office by asking the interviewer or others in the office what it's like to work there. Their answers should tell you something.

But once you're there, stuck in stifling ennui, here's what meager advice I have: try your patience. Push yourself a bit to see if you can find common ground with your coworkers, even if it means putting yourself in a slightly uncomfortable position. Ask them about their jobs and what they like about them, see if they can grab lunch one day, etc. If you're still not finding anything worthwhile, I'd say that there's little wrong with throwing yourself into your work. I'm not saying be actively antisocial, but eating your lunch at your desk while you complete a A+ report could be more fulfilling for you than rolling your eyes during a lunch trip to Au Bon Pain. You'll get ahead in your work, and maybe the others will come to admire your work ethic, and by extension, you. I've had some luck with working with good people, but I also know the feeling of not clicking with people, so my advice comes from both sides. Readers, please contribute your opinions and advice!

Office politics can be tricky. I have a friend who's interning at a real estate agency this summer, and I was quite taken-aback when she told me what it's like in her office: since every agent is working for commissions, there's really no office unity. In fact, it's the opposite. Everyone's competing to get the top sales, to sell the most, to make the most money. Those who achieve this yearly become the top executives, who get their own corner offices and the comfy chairs at company meetings. I can understand how competition is driving and exciting, but I prefer camaraderie. So, I hope all you interns out there aren't suffering at the office!

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July!

Take care,
Kate

PS - The ABC News Nightline has aired the segment about Experience! It was on last night - here's the link. Check it out!

Answers and CEOIntern.Com

After sifting through the thousands...and thousands of emails you readers and viewers have sent in from all over the country, I have decided I would post some answers to your questions on this weeks blog and I will also try to get back to you all personally. I will start off by letting Ryan from MTV know that if you are able to kill me, you will not in fact become me. The theory from the Santa Clause does not apply to Brendan T Cherry. If you kill me chances are you will go to jail, and when you strike me down I will become more powerful then you could ever be.

The second question I would like to address is the question relating to magazine writing. I am a journalism major myself and although I have yet to take a magazine writing class I can see the appeal to it. My advice to any aspiring writer is quite simple and probably something you have heard before, but keep writing. Write everyday and it doesn't have to be serious. I like to write as I am waking up and before I go to bed. In both instances I just like to let my consciousness stream from pen to paper. It is a good way to start your day and a great way to develop your own voice. Another piece of advice I can give is you should always carry a small pocket sized notebook in which you can record anything you've heard that you like or a thought that struck you and you would like to record. You never know where you are going to find inspiration. As far as breaking into the magazine business is concerned you just have to be open to opportunities and get your clips, whether it be at a school paper, starting your own publication, or an internship. Do anything you can to stand out and show your creativity. I hope this helps!

A few of you asked about finding internships in your local cities. My advice to this is do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed by the internship process. It is easy to get caught up in the hype of finding the perfect internship, career fairs, application process, deadlines, and what-ifs. All those factors can lead to inaction. The key thing to remember is to apply to whatever strikes you as interesting and let the rest take care of itself. Talk to career services on campus and take whatever wisdom you can from them and of course search your school database as well as experience.com!

Those were the two major questions that we received that we felt as though everyone could gain a bit of knowledge from. We also received an interesting email from the people of http://www.ceointern.com/. It appears as though we are in the position to exchange a little publicity for publicity. It is important in the world of business to scratch backs and then in turn have your back scratched. This website will bring you to the homepage of 5 college interns who are being followed as they become CEOs of a company for 8 weeks. They are making a reality show out of the experience which I assume will come out after their 8 weeks are up, so check out their website. Beyond the fact that what they are doing is at the very least unique and I find it to be very interesting, these students are also working with one of the coolest substances, liquid nitrogen. I have always found liquid nitrogen to be an intriguing chemical. If I had three wishes one would be for an abundant supply of liquid nitrogen, two would be for the abolishment of liquid nitrogen laws, and three would be for chemicals to talk so I could figure out what it was like to be that miraculous substance. I once saw it sweep up the floor of my 8th grade science room, shatter apples, and lets not forget its heroics in Terminator 2. I suppose everyone wants to be powerful and Liquid NO2 is certainly that. I mean that is why we are putting in the time as interns now, so we can boss interns later! At least I know I am in it for the right reasons. Anyways if I had a ton of liquid NO2 I suppose I would just use it to freeze apples and throw them like fruity little balls of glass. If you guys down at 300below can hook that up let me know! Anyways back to topic; I was reading those students' bios and hot dog do those guys have some credentials. All of them seem to know other languages and have previous experience in major firms so this experiment ought to be very interesting, and also the back scratching they give us in their blog should be oh so sweet seeing as they have some big time endorsement, but do not let myself and Kate look bad, drive up their traffic from this site so we exchange equal scratching.

Anyways, that all for today. I will get back to you all on Thursday where I will explain to you the trials and tribulations of this week's video and I am sure I will have something else to say, but I suppose I will have a better idea of what that something is when Thursday comes around. Same Chez time (on Thursday) same Chez Channel.

Love your friend in time and emotion,

The Chez Dispenser

P.S. --- Upon further investigation it appears as though they do not really do anything with liquid NO2, but my beliefs on the subject still stand with the slight change of I would rather be able to switch from human to some sort of Liquid NO2 hero and use the other two wishes for something better like Jafar's snake staff and the ability to print money from my mouth. However, having revealed that, their internship is still sweet and worth checking out especially if you are a business guy or gal. Also I noticed comments on my FOX news blog and I wanted to say I was only kidding as I know they are a little biased in favor of democrats, if you want real unslanted news we all know to watch Colbert. Thanks for reading and I will post again this week!

Interns and the City...continued

Interns and the City! Part 2.