After a week of working at a fashion magazine, I have a better idea of what life as an intern can be like. My first day, I wore black skinny jeans, a chunky black necklace, and an orange tank top, topped off with black heels and a blazer. Feeling confident in my work outfit, I entered the office. I was immediately introduced to most of the colleagues on my floor, as well as some other interns. Though I still haven’t remembered everyone’s name, I am happy to say that the work atmosphere is friendly.

Even though fashion sounds glamorous, not all of the work is. Sometimes, I find myself with no tasks to do (as a result of an overflow of interns), which can be disappointing at times. I would like to play an active role, especially with a 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. workday. My job includes finding items in the basement, sorting magazines, sending mail, using the database, creating Excel lists, as well as the occasional translating job.

These were not exactly the tasks I had in mind when first starting here, but I try to stay positive because I know the position is more about the overall experience, and making connections. A big confidence booster is dressing up for work. It makes me feel more excited and polished for work, no matter which tasks end up filling my day. I also have the perk of free magazines from the publishing house.

I’m glad I know more about the work involved in publishing fashion magazines. Not everything is actually as glamorous as the final product, with its smooth, shiny cover, a celebrity smile, and gorgeous models. A great amount of work goes into making a company and its products successful, and now I can be a part of it.

I’m sitting in my apartment, avoiding one of Munich’s never-ending rainstorms. It doesn’t seem to want to stop, and some cities in Germany are even flooded. The grey weather gives me the opportunity to reflect on tomorrow, my first day of work.

I feel like I should be more prepared—my Internet hasn’t been set up, I’m waiting for a micro-sim card to be sent for my phone, and I need to buy a ticket that will allow me to use public transportation to get to work. What’s more? I’m recovering from a cold. All of these items have been weighing on my mind today, and I feel a downpour of stress.

I get nervous when it comes to firsts—and I am nervous about tomorrow. I’m not sure what to expect, and it makes me feel both exhilarated and anxious. And before today, I haven’t had much time to think about my summer in Munich.

I mentioned that I was traveling to Vienna—the trip allowed me to explore a new city with my boyfriend, and additionally was the escape I needed to keep me from getting too homesick. In Vienna, I explored the city’s churches, including St. Peter’s church, visited museums, including the Leopold Museum and the masterworks art collection at Schloss Belvedere, and I tasted original Wiener schnitzel and wurst, among many other activities.

Despite how much I fell in love with Vienna, I was happy to return to Munich. I’ve been in Europe for over a week, but it still feels like I’m dreaming. After planning for this summer for so long, it seems unbelievable that I’m actually here. So rather than join the football fans at Marienplatz today (FC Bayern Munich won the German Cup Final), or go shopping (something I already enjoy too much in Europe), I’m happy to sit under a warm blanket, safely inside. I think it’s a sign I’m ready for my internship. I’ve done enough moving—I’m ready to get into a routine in Munich and settle comfortably into my life here.

One day ago, I arrived in Germany, and somehow the jet lag has not caught up to me yet. Maybe it is because I’ve been counting down the days until I get to fly to Munich, or that I’ve been mentally preparing for my upcoming internship and time abroad for months now. I only know that I’m here now, and I’m ready to embark on this new adventure.

My internship starts in about a week, but even now I have some adjustments to make. As a girl from a small city (who embarrassingly has difficulty orienting herself without a GPS!) it is a big change to live in Munich. I find myself both in a state of awe and confusion at the bus and rail system here. There are so many possible routes to take and multiple transfer opportunities, which is so different from my way of life at home, or even in Claremont, where it is more convenient to travel by car. It will take me a while before I’ll feel like I am able to ride public transit as confidently as the locals – a skill I’ll need to master to get to my job.

Besides the impressive transportation network, the sheer amount of people has been a little overwhelming. Last night, I went out with my boyfriend and some other Germans to watch a major soccer game between Dortmund and Munich. Munich won (yay!), and afterwards the streets were crowded with millions of people celebrating. Among loud cries and cheers, fireworks were lit and people danced and jumped around. While I know that last night may have been an exception in terms of overcrowding, I learned my first lesson in how to deal with it on the subway (or the U-Bahn).

After celebrating the game, my boyfriend and I went to the U-Bahn station to ride home. The U-Bahn arrived, and as the doors opened, we were forced to push our way in. Behind us were more people who wanted to enter, and I was suddenly sandwiched between multiple strangers, feeling more squished than I had ever been in my entire life. The pushing from behind me didn’t stop, and I even felt my feet lift off the ground a little. I felt panic overcome me as it became more difficult to breathe. I needed to get out of the small space; I needed to get free. Seeing me in distress, my boyfriend was eventually able to pull me through the mob of people.

After entering the spacier area, I felt embarrassed that I had panicked so much – the people around me seemed to think it was normal to have so little space. And my boyfriend explained to me that it was, and that it could get even worse during peak hours when everyone rides to work. He suggested I cross my arms over my body in the future, to protect myself.

What did I learn?

Don’t panic when things get tight. I know these past two days in Munich are only the beginning of a throng of new experiences, and some of them will be uncomfortable. The next time I find myself in a situation I’m not sure how to get out of, or feel stressed, I will remind myself that this is all part of the process. Instead of getting upset, I need to look around me and accept that change has become a regular part of my environment. As I write this, I am also traveling on a rail jet. I know I need to keep moving forward, and I am interested to see where my time abroad will bring me. For now, the next stop is Vienna.