You might have seen my face on one of the previous blog posts. I’m Marie, 20, and I’m working with Baltic Club for the whole summer!
I’m currently studying graphic design in Paris. When I told my teachers I wanted to find an internship in Montreal for the summer, I was astonished by their lack of enthusiasm and help. I didn’t know anyone in Montreal, or Quebec, or even North America for that matter, so finding an internship from halfway across the world seemed like a pretty impossible task. But I threw myself in, called up every agency I could find, asked every person I knew if they knew anyone who knew anyone who knew anyone…
I saw Brice and Mélanie’s “looking for an intern” post on Espresso Jobs at 5am Paris time, feeling completely delirious from an all-nighter. After checking their website in detail, I knew I wanted it. Really badly. I decided it would be my last try for Montreal. I sent a simple, down-to-earth email saying that I truly liked their work. I ended the email with “I’m motivateddynamicefficientbilingualnice and I bake great cakes » (this is a true story, I fully blame the all-nighter).
When my Skype interview with Brice was first scheduled, I was terrified. Why me? Why would anyone want to work with me over any perfectly suitable and talented Montreal graphic design student? I was completely honest with him. I told him I loved paper, stationery design and showed him personal work completely unrelated to school. Honesty is usually the best start to any kind of relationship. I also said I needed to travel. I needed to see another continent, to explore, to discover, to share.
Originally Parisian but raised in England, I wanted to go on an adventure. A big one. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean seemed like a good start. But the biggest part of the journey happened after I safely landed on Canadian territory.
When you leave everything you know and everyone you love behind for three months, things become crystal clear. I’ve been here for nine weeks now, and everything I’ve learnt has been invaluable. I never thought I would be so trusted, with so much respect shown towards my work. I was welcomed with open arms by the whole country. People helped me continuously. Opportunities keep arising.
It would be impossible to sum up all the incredible ways in which working with Baltic Club and Glasgow has helped me grow as an artist, a designer and a person. But here are ten points which I will take back with me and cherish.
- Those who care will stay by your side no matter what (leaving for three months: best way to efficiently clean your life of any unnecessary relationships or interactions)
- The comfort zone is only as big as you want it to be. I want to feel at home anywhere, knowing that any person I meet is a potential friend, that any idea can take shape into something real.
- Establishing trusting, healthy relationships and partnerships is the most valuable asset to any kind of enterprise, personal or professional
- Paper is powerful. Receiving a letter from your boyfriend which you haven’t seen in over two months is the most beautiful of gifts. Send love to the ones who matter to you.
- Dreams are meant to be fulfilled. Nothing beats the “Wow, I’ve made it!” feeling. Except maybe the “Wow, we’ve made it” feeling, because everything is better when shared.
- You are the average of the people you spend most of your time with. Surrounding myself with positive, creative and caring people literally changed my life.
- What goes around comes around. For real. Be nice and honest to people.
- You can do whatever you want. Literally. The only obstacle is more often than not, yourself.
- Nothing is complicated. (this one is a literal quote from Mélanie, which I intend to live by for the rest of my life). Problems have solutions.
- Poutine is not as gross as it looks. Maybe not the most crucial of points, but still important to bust the myth.
(I did bring homemade cakes, and they were pretty good)
