02/07/2026
In summer semester 2026 IB student Marleen did an internship in Amsterdam.
📍 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺? | My first choice was actually Spain, but I didn’t get an internship there. Looking back, I couldn’t be happier that I ended up in Amsterdam. The mix of city life, nature, beaches, and being close to Germany made it the perfect place for my first internship abroad. 🌊🌷
🏠 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 | This was definitely the hardest part. Rent is very expensive, and many rooms are only offered for short-term stays, which makes finding long-term accommodation difficult. In the end, I was lucky enough to find a private studio through a Facebook group. My biggest piece of advice: stay patient and don’t give up. 🙏🏽
💻 𝗠𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 | I did my internship in the German Sales Team at Loopper. You get responsibility very quickly and work towards goals. The best part, though, was the team. Everyone got along really well and it felt more like working with friends than just colleagues, which made going to work every day a lot of fun. 🫶🏼
🌞 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 |After work I spent a lot of time cycling around the city, trying new food spots, visiting the beaches, going to the gym, taking Hot Pilates classes, and exploring as much of the Netherlands as possible. 🚴🍽️
🤝 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀 | Most of my time was spent with the German and French Sales Team, but I also worked with Dutch colleagues. Outside of work, I mostly had short conversations in cafés, bars, or at the gym. 🫂
💸 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 | Amsterdam is definitely more expensive than Germany, especially when it comes to rent. Groceries and restaurants also cost a bit more. However, outside of the city center it gets cheaper.
💫 𝗠𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | It’s hard to choose just one moment. My highlight was the whole experience. Meeting new people, growing professionally and personally, and living in a city that I genuinely enjoyed every single day. One of the things I’ll miss the most is the relaxed lifestyle and the positive, easy-going attitude of the Dutch. It made living here even more special. 🇳🇱🩷
