Text | Mikael Pentinen, Satu Uronen (translation)
I’m studying for a business degree at Mercuria, and during my second year of studies, I decided to go to another country for an internship. Mercuria offers internship opportunities in various locations abroad, and I eventually went to Malta to work at Bortex Fine Tailoring, a men’s clothing store located in Sliema near The Point shopping centre.
My workdays started at 10:30 AM and lasted until 6 PM. I had various tasks right from the morning, usually involving stock management or arranging products in the store. I also assisted customers, did sales work, and handled transactions at the cashpoint. The work was versatile, and I got to use English in my work a lot. I feel that my language skills improved significantly during the internship.
In my free time, I explored the island, visiting different small towns and attractions. I also saw many castles and hiked in forests and mountains. The landscapes were beautiful, and the sights were amazing—I had never seen anything quite like it before. Despite some differences from Finland, I adapted well to living in Malta. For instance, tap water isn’t drinkable; you must buy drinking water from the store. The houses are old and humid, but I enjoyed cooking at home and spending time playing games and hanging out with friends.
Mercuria provided excellent assistance in planning my internship. The staff helped me to find the internship position and accommodation, and in general they helped me with almost everything. I arranged my flight tickets and insurance online. Overall, the internship experience in Malta was fantastic. Adapting to life there was easy, and the best part was that I improved my English significantly. I highly recommend international internships to anyone who wants to try working abroad and experience independent living.
