InterNations

What Does a UI Designer Do All Day?

Pedro, our Senior UI Designer at InterNations, discusses why his work reminds him of playing with LEGO, and what remote work’s got to do with free-range eggs.

Hidden Gems across the Globe: Take a Trip to Our Team Members’ Hometowns

Five members of the multinational InterNations team take you on a trip around the world. Get to know heir hometowns and get inspired for your next vacation.

A Great Resource on Life Abroad: 10 Years of Expat Insider

Expat Insider, one of the largest surveys about living abroad, has just turned 10 in 2023. Two InterNations team members discuss a decade of data on expat life.

Do be honest now: Would you like to return to the office?

Convenience trap or new-found freedom? Two InterNations team members discuss the pros and cons of remote work and working from home.

“We want to keep our corporate culture personal and fun — even in a remote setting!”

At InterNations, we're proud to be a remote-first company. In this interview, our CMO Kathrin dives into how we shape corporate culture in a digital setting.

What Does an Ad Operations Manager Do All Day?

In this job profile, Ad Operations Manager and self-described digital age enthusiast Elvin discusses his role at InterNations and his career inadvertising.

6 Ways Remote Work Has Changed Our Lives

Some members of the InterNations team discuss the impact of our (almost) fully remote work policy on their personal lives and routines.

What Does a Corporate Communications Manager Do All Day?

Our Corporate Communications Manager Kalena discusses what fascinates her about InterNations and how her life as an expat in Paris and Munich relates to that.

Cultural Diversity at Work: How It Strengthens Your Team

Christa, the Team Lead People Experience at InterNations, the world's largest expat community, discusses working in a multinational and culturally diverse team.

My Internship Experience: Of Team Trips & Self-Exploration

Our Social Media Intern Gabriela sums up her recent internship experience at InterNations, the world's largest expat community, and her learning opportunities.

Want to Work Abroad? Where Expat Women’s Careers Thrive

For International Women's Day 2023, we’re revealing the top 3 countries for women working abroad. Find out in which destinations expat women thrive at work!

Is Strong Team Spirit Possible When You Work 100% Remotely?

Is strong team spirit possible when you work 100% remotely? Three InterNations team members discuss the benefits and limits of a company culture created online.

From Expat to “Repat”: Your Home (& Heart) Won’t Be the Same

Returning to your home country is often the final step of your expat journey. Find out what three InterNations team members had to say about their repatriation.

“You need to work harder to engage with remote employees.“

In this interview on remote work, InterNations Founder & Co-CEO Malte discusses the changes, both good and bad, that having an online culture brings to a team.

3  Important Takeaways from Exploring Our Own Product

Three InterNations team members share their key insights from exploring the heart of our product — our events and activities for expats and global minds.

Working Abroad: What Relocating to Germany Is Really Like

For our "Working Abroad" series, we've spoken to several international members of the InterNations team to see how they view Germany as an expat destination.

Why You Won’t Find Real Friendships Abroad via Social Media

InterNations turns 15! Our co-founders explain why a community for people who live abroad is still essential and where they see the potential of InterNations.

What Does a Community Engagement Specialist Do All Day?

In this interview, Élisa, from our Community Engagement Team, tells us how she inspires community spirit among the InterNations members and what motivates her.

Seeking Opportunities Abroad: My Internship at InterNations

Our Corporate Communications Intern Patricia looks back at the past six months at InterNations, sharing what she has learned during her internship abroad.

Job Profile: What Does a CTO Do All Day?

Daniel, the new CTO (chief technical officer) at InterNations, shares his impressions after his first few months in charge of our Engineering Department.

Cuddly Toys & Actual Lions: Moving to Cape Town with My Kids

InterNations Founder Malte explains what it means to relocate with a family of six from Germany to South Africa and shares some tips on moving with children.

What Does a Social Media Manager Do All Day?

In this interview, Social Media Manager Samantha discusses what being the official “voice of InterNations” on about half a dozen different platforms is like.

How to Use Original Research for Boosting Business Goals

InterNations shares some of the insights we have gained from using original research in order to strengthen our brand's marketing and PR outreach.

What Does a Community Engagement Specialist Do All Day?

In this interview, InterNations team member Christoph explains what being the first local manager for our communities involves and what he loves most about it.

Top 5 Reasons for Every Company to Invest in a Team Trip

The InterNations blog discusses five important reasons why every company should invest in sending their team on a corporate retreat.

Fun@Work: How InterNations Team Members Unwind and Socialize

Having fun at work is said to lower stress levels and increase productivity. Find out how InterNations team members brighten the mood during their working days.

How to Succeed at Crucial Conversations in 3 Steps

How do you succeed in discussing difficult issues when the stakes are high? The InterNations blog has some tips on the art of mastering crucial conversations.

In the Long Run: Benefitting from Ten Years on the Team

Two InterNations team members recently celebrated their 10th company anniversary. We talked to them to find out more about what makes a good long-term employer.

Why I Moved 9,100 Km to Become a Better Business Leader

InterNations Founder Malte explains what moving from Germany to Cape Town taught him about running the world's largest network for expats and global minds.

Job Profile: What Does a Business Analytics Manager Do All Day?

Senior Business Analytics Manager Kamila discusses her career at InterNations, as well as the reasons why working in business intelligence never gets boring.

Off Duty: What Do You Love Best about Your City?

To celebrate the Expat City Ranking 2021, we have asked some InterNations team members what they most appreciate about the city they're currently living in.

Job Profile: What Does a Quality Assurance Engineer Do All Day?

Our Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Arusikha talks about her career, relocating from India, and what she appreciates most about working at InterNations.

Mental Health and Remote Work: Yay or Nay?

In this article, the InterNations blog explores the potential impact of remote work on mental health in two very different scenarios.

Global Online Events Are Thriving, Even after Lockdown

Even now that many cities worldwide have emerged from lockdown, online events can be a vital tool in community building. The InterNations blog explains how.

Off Duty: Six Stances on Sustainability

InterNations is gradually becoming a more sustainable company. We’ve asked some team members how they view sustainability and what role it plays in their life.

Why We All Benefit from Our Remote Leadership Guide

As a remote-first company, InterNations has now introduced the Remote Leadership Guide, which everyone can benefit from, even without managing a remote team.

Multiple Choices: How Employee Surveys Lift or Lower Morale

Employee surveys focusing on satisfaction and engagement are a vital HR tool. The InterNations blog explains why and describes the biggest mistakes to avoid.

Job Profile: What Does a Frontend Engineer Do All Day?

Senior Frontend Engineer Eugene discusses his passion for website development, his expat experience, and what makes his job at InterNations special.

Remote First: The First 495 Days of Working Remotely

This blog post discusses the reasons why InterNations has decided to become a remote-first company, as well as the benefits and challenges of this decision.

InterNations Alumni: From Public Relations Manager to Self-Employed PR Consultant

In the “Alumni” series, we talk to former team members about their career change and how working at InterNations has influenced them. In this interview, we're talking to Caroline, who has just left the InterNations Team in order to make a long-held dream of hers come true.

Behind the Scenes: Time and Self-Management at InterNations

Time and self-management should be an integral part of everyone’s soft skills at InterNations. Our team members should feel empowered to optimize both the professional and the private use of their time in order to reduce stress and to improve their individual work-life balance.

Remote First: The Interns’ Perspective

There are usually several interns at InterNations, working in various teams from Corporate Communications to Corporate Partnerships. Our current interns have written about their internship experiences in times of COVID-19, about what they have enjoyed and what they hope for future generations of remote-first interns.

Earth Day: The Perfect Time to Take Climate Action

Despite the ongoing global health crisis, we shouldn’t forget about another pressing issue: the climate crisis. When life around the world finally goes back to normal, we probably shouldn’t go back to business as usual in every respect. The carbon clock is ticking, and it’s time for climate action. The sooner, the better. In honor of Earth Day 2021, we have taken action too, joining this year's “Leaders for Climate Action” campaign.

Remote First: Communication and Collaboration

This post is the latest installment in our new “Remote First” series. We’ll be exploring what becoming a fully remote company means for the InterNations Team and how this policy will be implemented across different workstreams — from HR to IT support.

Job Profile: What Does a CFO Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, various members of the InterNations team talk about their position and the work that they do. In the latest post, our CFO Stephan shares how he started out as an intern in our team, how he has grown into his current role, and why he considers working for a global expat community the “cherry on top” of his career.

Behind the Scenes: An Introduction to the World of HR

Our Human Resources Intern Amy tells us what working for InterNations during her year abroad has been like so far.

Remote First: The InterNations Kickoff 2021

This post is the first article in our new “Remote First” series. We’ll be exploring what becoming a fully remote company means for the InterNations Team and how this policy will be implemented across different workstreams — from HR to IT support.

Changing Careers within the InterNations Team

When starting their career, many people imagine their future development as a fairly straightforward path — climbing the corporate ladder to a senior position and eventually leading a team. However, this isn’t the only way to professional advancement. Several members of the InterNations team share how switching to a different department has been their personal key to success.

Job Profile: What Does a Feel Good Manager Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For the latest feature, we’ve interviewed our two Feel Good Managers, Denise and Sarah, who discuss the increasing importance of this type of position and how their job empowers them to help shape our company culture.

What a Year! What 2020 Was Like for InterNations

The past twelve months have been a challenging, even stressful, time for most people around the globe, including for the InterNations Team. In the current holiday season, we’re taking stock and having a look at what has kept us on our toes in 2020.

Off Duty: Our Favorite Cities around the World

Last week, we published the results of the Expat City Ranking 2020, presenting the best- and worst-rated cities for expats worldwide. This also provided the perfect opportunity to ask some of the InterNations team members about the cities they have lived in. Here, they share stories about their favorite cities across the globe — fond memories of carefree travel, moments of culture shock, and tips for expat destinations from Paris to Melbourne.

Job Profile: What Does an Accountant Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For this article, we’ve had a chat with Peter, an expat from Ireland who works in the Accounting Team at InterNations.

Off Duty: How Language Changed Their Lives

The InterNations Team is not only international, but also multilingual. In total, our team members speak about 40 languages fluently, and many are passionate about language learning. For InterNations Language Week, they talk about the impact that various languages have had on their lives.

Job Profile: What Does a Copywriter Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For the latest instalment, we’ve interviewed Crissy, a US expat who works in our Content & Communications Department.

Behind the Scenes: Let’s Clean Up This Mess!

After a long hiatus during the summer months, we've restarted our Sustainability Initiative. Find out below what the InterNations Team has done to tackle this topic in September!

Off Duty: Discovering Who We Truly Are

In the series “Off Duty”, various members of the InterNations team share their personal stories about their global lifestyle and international experience. This week, we’ve had a chat with Alex, an expat from Spain as well as an InterNations Consul who hosts activities for the Munich Community. His mission? Helping people explore their true selves.

Job Profile: What Does a DevOps Engineer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For our latest profile, we’ve had a chat with Gourav, an expat from India and a member of our DevOps Team.

Success Story: Going Online

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced just about everyone to get creative and adapt — including the InterNations Team. Our Community Engagement Leads Miriam and Nichelle recount how their team rose to the challenge and introduced a brand-new kind of event that's here to stay!

Behind the Scenes: InterNational Friendship Week

InterNations celebrates the International Day of Friendship on 30 July — a perfect time to share some of our own friendship stories.

Job Profile: What Does an Online Marketing Manager Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For this installment, we’ve interviewed Jelena, an expat from Montenegro and our resident online marketing expert.

Off Duty: Exploring the World of Classical Music

In the series “Off Duty”, various members of the InterNations team share their personal stories about their global lifestyle and international experience. For this article, we’ve talked to Sherif, who organizes activities for the InterNations Munich Classical Music Group.

Perks of the Job: Yoga at InterNations

21 June is the International Day of Yoga. To mark this special occasion, we're discussing the role that yoga plays at InterNations and for our team.

Behind the Scenes: Zero Waste Month at InterNations

In 1974, 5 June became World Environment Day, established by the UN to encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. That’s why today is the perfect occasion to present an update on the Sustainability Initiative at InterNations. In May, we organized our first theme month to get the team involved. “Be our hero — be waste zero!” was our motto. Here, we’re going to give you an overview of our activities for Zero Waste Month, as well as plenty of advice on how to reduce waste, both at home and at the office.

Gaining Work Experience as a Social Media Intern

When her internship was coming to an end, we asked our Social Media Intern Darcie to sum up her experiences at the InterNations office in Munich.

Job Profile: What Does a Backend Engineer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this article, we interviewed Ariel, one of the backend developers on our team. Ariel's official team picture What is your role at InterNations? And how long have you been working here? I joined InterNations a little more than four years ago, in mid-March 2016. I was hired as a backend engineer. This means I work on the code running on the servers of the InterNations platform, be it the code that supports our website or some of the infrastructure in the background, such as event invitations and other email notifications, all those things. Eventually — circa two years ago, I think — I was promoted to Team Lead Software Engineering for one of our Product Experience Teams, or PXTs for short. Right now, there are seven other people in my PXT — eight if you count the one who'll be returning from [...]

Perks of the Job: The ReFlex Policy

In our recent articles on the InterNations Team and the current COVID-19 crisis, we pointed out that it was our existing ReFlex policy that made a fast transition to remote work possible. What exactly does this policy entail? Bring more flexibility into your life with ReFlex! More Freedom for the InterNations Team Even before introducing ReFlex, we used to have an official company policy on working from home. However, it offered rather limited options. Each employee was allowed only one day of remote work per month. This policy was useful in cases like team members waiting for an important delivery or having to be at home between 7:00 and 16:00 because a maintenance crew would be checking all the heating meters in the apartment complex. (I’m sure we all know and love the latter scenario. For some reason, it seems they are either late and don’t show up before 16:30 or they surprise you at 6:45 when you’ve barely made it out of the [...]

Job Profile: What Does an SEO Manager Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work that they do. For this article, we’ve had a chat with Felix, our resident specialist for search engine optimization (SEO).

One Team despite Corona: The Practical and Psychological Issues

Apart from overcoming the technological and organizational challenges we discussed in last week’s post, our team members also need to cope with the practical and psychological aspects of working remotely during a crisis.

One Team despite Corona: The Technological and Organizational Challenges

t's been a challenging couple of weeks for the InterNations Team. The current coronavirus pandemic has changed both our community life and the way we work rather drastically. Find out more about how we're all coping with the shift to crisis mode.

Behind the Scenes: Sustainability at InterNations

InterNations has officially kicked off the Sustainability Initiative with Feel Good Manager Denise at the helm. Read more about our goals for 2020 to make our company an environmentally friendly employer.

Job Profile: What Does a Corporate Graphic Designer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this instalment, we interviewed Salim, a Lebanese expat and graphic designer working in our Content & Communications Department. Salim's official team picture What do you do at InterNations, and how long have you been working here? I’m a corporate graphic designer, and I started working at InterNations in July 2017. For the past two and a half years, I’ve been handling everything related to the corporate aspect of visual and graphic design. Which tasks and responsibilities does your job involve? Each department, each team, requires different types of design; I support them with what they need. In the Content & Communications Department, the Expat Insider survey — one of the world’s largest expat surveys — is a big project that takes up a lot of my time. It involves many related tasks, [...]

Off Duty: Connecting Global Minds on Two Wheels

In the series “Off Duty”, various members of the InterNations team share their personal stories about a global lifestyle and the international experience. For this blog entry, Senior Content & Communications Manager Elena has talked to Ben, who's also one of the Consuls of our Munich Cycling Group. Ben's official team picture How long have you been working at InterNations and what exactly do you do? I have been with InterNations for just over a year now — 14 months, to be precise. I work in the Community Engagement Team and I’m responsible for a regional portfolio of InterNations Communities that includes countries like Turkey, Russia, and the Baltics, for example, Latvia and Estonia. As part of my job, I recruit and support Consuls and Ambassadors who organize and host our monthly events and activities. Can you tell me something about your personal and professional background? I’ve been in Germany for four years now, which [...]

Behind the Scenes: “A Hands-On Introduction to the World of PR”

Our interns from the PR Team have all collaborated at this guest post, which provides a handy summary of their shared experience at InterNations.

Job Profile: What Does a Videographer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this post, we had a chat with Dennis, our resident videographer and himself an expat from Ukraine.

Job Profile: What Does a Videographer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this post, we had a chat with Dennis, our resident videographer and himself an expat from Ukraine.

Job Profile: What Does a UX Designer Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this article, we've interviewed Preeti from the UX (User Experience) Design Team.

Perks of the Job: Team-Building Activities

All work and no play? Not at InterNations! Senior Content & Communication Manager Elena talks about our popular team-building activities and how they benefit both the company and the individual team members. Find out what we do when we're not busy making expat life a great experience. Beyond awkward ice-breaker games and “trust falls”, team-building activities allow employees to get away from their desks, leave their stuffy meeting rooms behind, and connect with one another. “From the very beginning, our co-CEOs Malte and Philipp valued a great team atmosphere,” Christa, Team Lead Human Resources, points out. “They wanted our team members to be happy to come to work in the morning.” A well-planned team-building activity can push team members out of their comfort zone or have them work towards a common goal without the pressure of having to show specific results, but it also helps them to get to know one another. “Very often, [...]

Behind the Scenes: Stefania’s Internship Experience

With her online marketing internship drawing to a close, we asked our intern Stefania to provide a retrospective of her time at InterNations and the reasons why her work experience fit perfectly into her international CV. Stefania's official team picture My International Family Growing up in an international household, I’ve been moving from country to country for as long as I can remember. I was raised in New Zealand by my Venezuelan mother and my Italian father. And I remember having family members visit us all the time — not only from Italy and Venezuela, but also from the United States, France, and Argentina. Two Years of Constant Change When I turned 16, my mom thought it would be good for me to improve my Spanish. So, I decided to move to Tenerife in the Canary Islands and move in temporarily with my godmother, until I found a place to live. This was a huge step for me, considering it was the farthest I’d ever been from my family [...]

Job Profile: What Does a Content & Communications Manager Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this entry, we’ve had a chat with Margit from our Editorial Office Team in a reversal of the usual interviewer/interviewee setting. Margit's official team photo Can you tell us what you do at InterNations? I’m a Senior Content & Communications Manager in the Editorial Office Team, which is part of the Content & Communications Department. As the job title implies, we are responsible for creating written content for our platform, both the website and the app, providing a good deal of our corporate communications, and supporting other teams with content and copy. Personally, I’m responsible for this blog, as well as partly responsible for Expat Insider, one of the world’s biggest expat surveys. In 2019, its sixth year running, we’ve had over 20,000 respondents! As part of the Expat Insider team, I give [...]

Off Duty: Crafting, Crochet, and Cake

In the series “Off Duty”, various members of the InterNations team share their personal stories about a global lifestyle and the international experience. For this blog entry, we've talked to Kaja, who regularly hosts activities for our Munich Craft Group. Kaja's official team photo Since when have you been working at InterNations? And what do you do? I’ve been working here for just a bit over a year now, since September last year. As one of several community engagement specialists, I’m part of the Community Experience Department. This means I take care of all InterNations Ambassadors and Consuls in the communities that make up my regional portfolio. Ambassadors are InterNations members who organize large, monthly events for the whole community, while Consuls share their hobbies and interests through smaller get-togethers we call activities. I’m there for them if they have any questions; it’s my job to provide them with [...]

Job Profile: What Does a Sales Manager Do All Day?

In the series “Job Profiles”, we talk to various members of the InterNations team about their position and the work they do. For this entry, we've talked to Michael from our Corporate Partnerships Team. Michae's official team picture Can you tell us what it is you’re doing at InterNations? And how long have you been part of the team? My job title is sales manager, and I’m about to celebrate my one-year anniversary in the Corporate Partnerships Team. On Friday, I’ll have been at InterNations for three years, the past year in my current position. Actually, Rachel, our interim team lead, has just sent me a cryptic Slack message, asking if I’m planning to work from home that day. Maybe there’ll be a surprise party? Personally, I don’t have any special plans for this occasion, but I do take pride in reaching this milestone. What’s your typical day at the office like? Since we’re dealing with clients from all over the [...]

Perks of the Job: The ReCharge Program

It’s so refreshing to leave your daily routines behind for a while. Even a short break is enough to reenergize. Fortunately, InterNations provides you with the opportunity to recharge for a while.

Behind the Scenes: It’s a Dog’s Life!

All InterNations team members are friendly, but some are definitely friendlier and fluffier than the rest! Senior Content & Communications Manager Elena, a self-declared dog person, introduces the four-legged members of our staff.

Off Duty: Raising Bilingual Children

In the series “Off Duty”, various members of the InterNations team share their personal stories about a global lifestyle and the international experience. For this blog post, we’ve interviewed Lenore and Paula, two expats working in our Content & Communications Department. They are both from the United States, both are married to a German husband, and both have decided to raise their children bilingually.

InterNations Alumni: From Expats to Exercise

In the “Alumni” series, we talk to former team members about their career change and how working at InterNations has influenced them. In this interview, we're introducing Lauren, who left InterNations in February 2019 to combine work with her life-long passion for sports. Lauren's old team photo from her time at InterNations How long did you work for InterNations, and which teams were you a part of? I worked at InterNations for about three and a half years, starting in October 2015. Even before I actually began my new job, I was invited to the team event at Oktoberfest: I vividly remember meeting Anastasiya from the Learning & Development Team that first day because she was another newcomer and we both just showed up at Café Kaiserschmarrn without knowing anyone.   I was part of the Corporate Partnerships Team, first as a manager, then as a senior manager, up until August 2018. Then I joined the new business unit, InterNations [...]

Job Profile: What Does a Product Manager Do All Day?

Tom, a long-standing member of our Product Management Department, explains the process from concept to launch.

Behind the Scenes: The Interns’ Project

Guest author Noemi, our editorial office intern, introduces an essential part of her experience at InterNations: the interns' project.

Job Profile: What Does a Business Intelligence Manager Do All Day?

InterNations team member Marek, a an expat from Poland, discusses his career in data engineering and business intelligence.

Success Stories: Expat Insider Business Edition

Guest author Cherice, a Content & Communications Manager in our Business Solutions Team, looks back at the work that led to a nomination for an industry award.

Off Duty: The InterNations Quizmaster

InterNations team member Conor, a British expat, talks about his role as the Consul of the Munich Pub Quiz Explorers Group.

Job Profile: What Does a Software Engineer Do All Day?

Adam, one of our software engineers and himself an expat from the USA, talks about his position and the work he does.

Behind the Scenes: The InterNations Cities across Europe

Orginally “made in Germany”, InterNations now has offices in four European cities. Find out more about our locations!

Off Duty: From Teenage Anime Fan to East Asian Studies Graduate

Laura from our Member Relations Team tells us how a kid's interest in anime sparked her passion for Japan.

Behind the Scenes: The First InterNations Hackathon

We’ve asked Lars, our CTO, a few questions about how he remembers the first hackathon our company has ever hosted.