If you are getting ready to move to another country, pursuing your dream career, and starting as an intern, we’ve selected the 7 best books for young adults surrounded by strangers and unknown culture.
Take a look at our pick of 7 best books before interning abroad.
1. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The main characters of this without exaggeration iconic work are taking it one day at a time.
What’s the point of worrying about the future, that can change a hundred times a day, or being sad about the past, which has already gone into oblivion?
One can see this approach as irresponsible and detached, which, of course, is far from the truth.
They live in the moment that offers lots of opportunities.
We often prefer not to notice the opportunities in front of us, because we fear changes, and life passes by not giving us a second chance.
The main characters of the book will not miss a single chance to dramatically change the course of their well-established life.
If fate is stubborn to give them chance, they will create it themselves.
The main lesson to learn is how to demand from life everything you deserve, no matter what country you end up in.
2. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
At some point Bill Bryson realized that he was living in a world of progress, being unaware of it.
In order not to be ignorant, he decided to find out how humanity reached the level of today’s knowledge and skills.
It was not so easy. It took him three years of daily hard work to understand the connections and the exact order of discoveries in the field of natural sciences.
After years of endless research, he shared his findings with the world, structuring information in a way any student or adult would be interested in.
By the way, you don’t have to work as hard as Bill Bryson to get research proposal help online, because we will gladly assist you with it.
This book will be useful for interns abroad, because it systematizes universal knowledge into a very engaging story and provides a large pool of interesting facts to start or support a conversation among your peers, no matter what your professional background is.
3. Intern Nation by Ross Perlin
This is a book that dispels any illusions regarding internship culture in general.
You need to read it to understand all the financial, legal, and communication issues that need to be discussed before taking a chance on it.
The author also provides you with knowledge and mechanisms on what steps to take if you were mistreated as an intern.
However, this book is also a great guide on the best internship programs, highlighting the advantages of this way to introduce students to a possible career path.
It is a must-read book for entry-level professionals trying their luck.
4. The Intern’s Handbook by Shane Kuhn
What is the best way to tell the truth? Spill it as a joke. This book is full of internship truths you needed in your life.
If you are looking for a book to distract you from reality, give you some good laughs, and in the meantime teach you some useful tricks on how to survive through your internship, then you are in for a treat.
It is a fiction book about an assassin who becomes closer to his targets by being an intern in their companies.
It is filled with an adrenaline rush, plot twists, and hilarious insights from interns’ fate.
It will be suitable for those interns who are looking for some fun read to distract from the tiresome process of assimilation.
5. The Stranger by Albert Camus
Being one of the most prominent absurdist novels, ‘The Stranger’ is a great read to dig into the theme of searching for meaning.
It is a crucial question for any entry-level professional, struggling to find the right place in this world.
This book should be perceived as a metaphoric reflection of what is the main joy in life and is there any destination.
Also, this book is set in the melancholic warm weather of Algeria, reminding you of long and idle summer days.
One of the most important lessons from this work is to do the opposite of what the main character does.
Live your life to the fullest, defend yourself, take your time to explain your actions.
It is a deep and meditative journey for anyone who is searching for life’s meaning or starting on a path to the unknown.
6. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Interns abroad need to read it to find out how people can be wrong in assessing the motivation and behavior of strangers.
It is important to understand when and how to trust others when you are going to meet a lot of new people from another country and culture.
The author analyzes the misleading patterns of human behavior, presents a lot of scientific data, and concludes our ability to understand people.
It is a great book to upgrade your people-scanning skills before entering a new phase of your life.
It takes readers deeper into the world of subtle manipulations and provides a cure for the dozens of prejudices that spoil life.
7. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
An ability to establish relationships is a very useful skill needed for interns and entry-level professionals in any country.
Keith Ferrazzi illustrates how to start building your network of connections and how to maintain it.
He also gives a lot of useful tips on self-promotion, how and where to meet people from different fields, and become a decent companion able to keep the dialogue going.