La vie de stagiaire: my Paris internship at MyFrenchLife – Briony Kemp-Griffin

I remember clearly the first moment I heard about MyFrenchLife. I knew straight away it was something I wanted to be a part of…

I was catching up with my mother in a café in Paris, and she mentioned her recent membership to MaVieFrançaise.

She explained what the magazine was, which immediately caught my attention and I suddenly had the urge to learn more about it. That night, I logged onto my computer and explored the magazine inside and out.

After finishing my year at the University of Edinburgh, I was looking for an internship in which I would be faced with many opportunities and challenges. So, I wrote a spontaneous email asking if there was any possibility for me to be a part of this French-loving community. Before I knew it, I got an internship!

What did I do as an intern?

The first half of my internship involved helping to organize the May 2013 Paris event series. Since I was the only team-member based in Paris, I was responsible for introducing our magazine to different venues in Paris in the means to find the best fit to host our events.

I also had an important role in creating the invitations, advertising the events through social media, as well as preparing thorough email response drafts for our members. This certainly improved my organization and communication skills!

“After finishing my year at the University of Edinburgh, I was looking for an internship in which I would be faced with many opportunities and challenges.”

I also had the opportunity to write an article on three events I had the pleasure to attend, which required me to complete some training as an editor beforehand. This training has greatly improved my writing confidence and abilities. I always received constructive feedback, which underlined my strengths and allowed me to improve.

What was the most rewarding part of this internship?

The second half of my internship was the most challenging, however the most rewarding. I was responsible for interviewing concierges face-to-face in the most luxurious hotels in Paris for our magazine.

I was amazed by my conversations with these concierges: the interview and the personal discussions around the interview about how they worked their way up into these roles. This project allowed me to explore my creative abilities and tested my communication skills. This is the part of the internship, which I enjoyed most.

Where has the internship taken me?

This project was more than just good fun – it’s even helped me find a career path!

I decided to work at a Fairmont hotel in Alberta, Canada over the summer as a Front Desk Assistant, in the hopes of working my way up in the hospitality business. Interviewing the concierges has opened up a new field of interest for me and I have my internship at MaVieFrançaise to thank.

What was your favourite thing about being a MyFrenchLife intern?

I enjoyed every single second of this internship. What I appreciated the most was the fact that I never felt alone despite the fact that I was the only team member in Paris.

I was entrusted with a great deal of responsibility and I was always well guided throughout each task. I was able to share my ideas and opinions, which made me feel greatly appreciated.

“I enjoyed every single second of this internship. What I appreciated the most was the fact that I never felt alone despite the fact that I was the only team member in Paris.”

I am always astonished to see how much I have evolved throughout this experience! It was a complete pleasure working with such a wonderful and caring team and I definitely recommend anyone to take on this internship – it was the best decision I have ever made.

Even though I am no longer an intern, I still feel part of the MyFrenchLife community. I browse the magazine often and I very much enjoy seeing how much it is evolving! It’s an experience I will never forget. I cannot wait to see the growth of the magazine.

Are you our next Paris intern? Click here to kickstart your dream career, and learn more about working with us…