From the second I signed up for the journalism school’s Brussels, Belgium study abroad internship program, I have been very intrigued by what an internship in a different country would entail. How would the atmosphere differ? What kind of clothes were considered professional? How did people speak to each other in the office? Over the past week, I have had all of those questions answered for me.

The most surprising discovery however, has been the emphasis put on taking breaks and having a good work/life balance. Back home, especially last semester, my work/life balance was dismal. I would wake up thinking about potential pitches and go to bed dreaming of emails and the state of my outlook calendar. This journalism program is a beautiful, effective thing. It has taught me more than I could have learned with any other method. However, the hours could be brutal at times. Brussels has completely flipped these expectations on their heads. It is by no means easy or lackadaisical, in fact it has been equal parts invigorating and challenging since I started on Monday.

The people in the office clearly work extremely hard and care passionately about their work, but there are little things that set them apart from the work I have seen in the US. I am trying to incorporate more of these tactics in my life as I work through this program. I stay off of my phone and computer over the weekend. I don’t check my emails or do any prep work that can wait until Monday. I keep only the most necessary news notifications on over the weekends, and don’t seek out difficult stories that I know will impact my mental health. I also aim to use the breaks at work as actual breaks. I take the time to get to know my coworkers and strive not to touch my laptop until lunch is up. Honestly, this is still a fight for me each day. On my way to work, I walk with a news podcast in my headphones, but on my way home I don’t allow anything more than music or a fun podcast. This has given me the opportunity to decompress and come back to myself a little bit before I even walk through the door. I have not had these changes implemented long enough to see all of the true progress yet, but I anticipate a clearer line between personal and professional. I hope this will also help me to elevate the work I am doing during the week because I will have had the time to recuperate. Depending on the results, I aim to bring some of the lessons I have learned home with me to give me a better grasp of my own personal work/life balance. I love my work and I am excited to continue exploring the lifestyle choices that allow me to give it my absolute best when I am in the newsroom.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Journalism: Brussels Internship