A Week in the Life of an IES Abroad Intern in Vienna

Monday

My second week in Vienna kicked off with my 25-minute commute: a quick ride on the U2 line followed by a peaceful 10-minute walk. I’m interning at a full-service YouTube agency that sits at the intersection of tech, marketing, design, and storytelling. At first, I handled the standard intern tasks (data collection, basic research). But recently, I’ve started getting more strategic, creative assignments.

Today, I focused on redesigning a Google Slides onboarding deck for new hires. My job was to refresh the layout with the company’s new branding, remove outdated information, and clean up the English. It’s been a rewarding challenge, especially when translating jargon-heavy documents into something clearer and more approachable. I even feel like I, myself was onboarded into the company when I was editing the slides.

Bonus perk: on Mondays, the office has lunch delivered for everyone. This week was Mexican food, and I devoured a massive burrito with zero regrets.

One thing I really appreciate about my company is how global it feels. My colleagues come from Austria, the U.S., England, Serbia, Russia, and beyond. Every lunch break feels like a mini cultural exchange. 

After work, around 3 P.M., I treated myself to apfelstrudel and an iced caffè latte at Vollpension, a charming, vintage-style café where all the bakers are grandmas that serve homemade cakes. The cafe is incredibly unique as it creates such a heartwarming intergenerational space that blends social impact—hiring retired people to work in the kitchen and share their homemade recipes with customers—with nostalgic charm.

After my café stop, I wandered around Stephansplatz, which is basically the center of Vienna, and popped into St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Since I love walking, I decided to just walk back to my hotel. Vienna’s super walkable; it makes getting around feel easy and fun.

Reflection of the day: 

Austrian work culture feels more balanced than what I’ve experienced in the U.S. Breaks are not only allowed, they’re encouraged. The pace is steady, and quality of life is valued just as much as productivity.

Tuesday

My morning looked similar to Monday—more design tweaks and copy edits on the onboarding deck. Midday, our team held its monthly Town Hall, my first full company meeting. Because the team is small, these meetings feel more like collaborative brainstorming than stiff presentations. Today’s topic was strategic goals for the next few years in the company. It was a fascinating peek into how startups pivot, adapt, and plan in the fast-moving world of tech and content creation.

Later that afternoon, I headed to my weekly IES Internship Seminar, which meets in rotating locations across Vienna. This time, we explored Wienflussportal, a beautiful space built over a hidden canal. Our instructor shared compelling stories about Vienna’s historical “Strotter”: a population of people who, at some point in Viennese history, lived underground, in the sewers. We wrapped up at Café Frauenhuber, the oldest coffee house in Vienna, with a group discussion about accessibility and inclusive city planning—something Vienna really excels at.

That night, I rushed to the Vienna State Opera for a standing-room ticket to Carmen. As a violinist, I’ve always loved the different Carmen Fantasies by Sarasate and Waxman, and I wanted to see the original source material. 

The opera was incredible, and I was astounded by the sheer musical excellence that the singers produced. In a surprise twist, however, the performance paused midway due to a technical issue—apparently, the room got too hot, and we were temporarily evacuated into the building’s halls. But, the show resumed, and I even got a better viewing spot after some audience members left.

Reflection of the day: 

Even in the most historic, buttoned-up spaces, surprises happen. What matters is how gracefully people respond—and how the show always goes on.

Wednesday

The morning was fairly routine: more progress on the slide deck and a quick walk down Mariahilfer Straße, Vienna’s main shopping boulevard, during lunch. A little window browsing turned into actual browsing, which somehow turned into shopping. Oops.

But the real plot twist came after work. I boarded the subway at Karlsplatz, only to realize... I was completely alone. Then the train stopped in total darkness. No announcements in English. Just eerie silence. For a moment, I genuinely considered calling the IES Abroad emergency line. Eventually, the train restarted, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I switched platforms—only for the same thing to happen again. At that point, all I could do was laugh. Turns out, there had been an accident near Karlsplatz, and the announcements (all in German) had gone completely over my head.

To shake off that weird subway experience, I met a friend at Blockfabrik, a bouldering gym. Climbing, moving, and laughing was the perfect way to reset. 

Reflection of the day: 

Language barriers are real, and sometimes disorienting, but shared confusion often leads to stronger community. IES Abroad has made me feel supported through the chaos and discovery alike.

Thursday

Thursdays are quieter at work. Most of my colleagues work remotely, so only about five of us were in the office. I wrapped up the onboarding deck and started helping with a white paper project: an in-depth, design-forward research document on trends in digital visibility. It’s a mix of writing and visual storytelling, which I love.

My highlight of the day was a team ropes course outing that I helped plan. I’d reached out to the venue, Waldseilpark & BogenSportPark, via email (with a little help from a German-speaking colleague). The staff had no idea they were corresponding with an American intern pretending to sound ultra-professional in German.

The experience itself was amazing. Between tree climbing, ziplining, and archery, I got to know my coworkers in a new, more relaxed light. We capped the evening with food, drinks, and good conversation.

Later, I met some friends at Caya Coco, a rooftop bar. Beautiful view, but overpriced drinks. Not all recs are winners, but the company made it worth it.

Reflection of the day:

Work culture isn’t just about meetings and deadlines, it’s also about who you are when you’re off the clock. And ziplining through trees is a pretty great way to connect with your team.

Friday

Fridays are internship-free, but I start the day with IES Abroad German class. We covered new vocabulary, built sentences, and had a short quiz. Slowly but surely, I’m picking up more of the language, enough to read menus, signs, and catch bits of overheard conversation.

Right after class, I met up with friends for a weekend trip to Lake Bled, Slovenia. We went to the VIB, Vienna Central Bus Station, together to catch our FlixBus, a long-distance bus and train operator that offers convenient travel. On the bus, I watched the scenery change and felt my brain transition from “work mode” to “adventure mode.”

Reflection of the day: 

My intern abroad experience has shown me that I love the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle, and it’s very achievable when abroad. The structure of my internship (and Austria’s commitment to balance) makes it easy to explore, unwind, and live fully.

Final Thoughts

As I close out my second week as an intern in Vienna, there’s one thing I feel that stands out: the sheer fullness of each day. Not in a chaotic way, but in a rich way.

Every morning, I learn something new about startup life: branding through onboarding decks, business strategy through Town Halls, or thought leadership through white papers. But once I step outside the office, I’m learning just as much. Through opera mishaps, German announcements I don’t understand, elderly-run cafés, and conversations with friends from all over the world, I’m building a greater sense of the world and the people around me.

If you're wondering whether you can balance work experience and cultural exploration, the answer is absolutely yes, especially in Vienna. Austrian work culture respects your time, and the IES internship program is designed to support both your career growth and personal adventures.

So if you're on the fence about doing an internship abroad, definitely go for it. You won’t just be building your resume, you’ll be building stories you’ll want to tell for years.

TL;DR Takeaways

• Vienna’s work culture is relaxed, respectful, and refreshingly balanced
• Public transport is great (except when it’s not—but even when it’s not, it’s still great)
  Standing tickets at the opera are totally worth it (my ticket was 13 euros for 3/4 view of the stage)
• Cafés in the city are must-visits, and visiting spaces like them help you get a sense of the people in your city
• Don’t worry if you’re not fluent in German, but do expect some lost-in-translation moments
• Weekend trips are absolutely possible, and encouraged!