L A C IT É D E S

S C IE N C E S E T D E L ’IN D U S T R IE

( U n iv e r s c ie n c e )

Princeton in France – International Internship Program Sara Krolewski

Questions ? Envoyez-les-moi : sarack@princeton.edu

June 13 – July 29, 2016

Paris, France

P l a c e m e n t • Universcience is a non-profit

organization joining two science museums in Paris: La Cité des sciences et de l’industrie and le Palais de la découverte.

• You will be part of the équipe marketing, overseeing the international marketing of travelling exhibit ions produced by la Cité.

• La Cité is the fourth most popular cultural site in Paris, after the Musée du Louvre, Versailles, and the Musée d’Orsay. It averages five million visitors per year.

La Cité is located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris (northeast region). It has its own stop on the

métro (ligne 7) and is the focal point of an innovative region for the arts and sciences called the Parc de la Villette.

W o r k E n v ir o n m e n t

• 100% French speaking work environment— no English is spoken!

• Focus on independence: Colleagues and supervisor assign weekly projects and allow you to work at your own pace. • Your colleagues will also provide you with many

opportunities to meet other employees at la Cité/le Palais (there are over 1,000!) and see how the museums are run, visit their exhibit ions, explore auxiliary services, etc....

• French immersion: You will speak, write, and read in French daily, and you take lunch breaks with your coworkers. You will also have one-on-one and group meetings (réunions) with colleagues.

W o r k R e s p o n s ib il it ie s

• Your work responsibilit ies can be customized depending on what you are interested in (applying, of course, to the field of marketing). Since I am an English major pursuing a French certificate, some of my tasks included: • Translation: Translating French subtit les/audio from

exhibit ion videos into English; translating business contracts, press releases, and marketing letters

• Writ ing in French: Writ ing French articles and translating them into English; conducting market research in French

• Writ ing and copy-editing in English: Re-translating and editing the English side of the organization’s website; communicating with English-speaking clients

Tr a n s l a t io n

• Pages from a 15 page document I translated from French to English. It will be used to promote an exhibit ion on

special effects that is currently in the works to be exhibited at a number of museums around the world.

Tr a n s l a t io n

Subtit les I translated from French to English for videos included in the exhibit ion

Chiens et Chats (or Cats and Dogs), which is currently being

exhibited in Québec.

B r e a k s w it h C o w o r k e r s

• You’ll get to take lunch with your coworkers every day— sometimes picnics!— and learn about their lives

in France (while speaking French, of course).

The Parc de la Villette is

a beautiful place to “pique-nique” with

collègues, especially in the summer!

The nineteenth

arrondissement is one of the most vibrant,

modern, and “inédite” regions of Paris.

Re w a r d in g A s p e c t s o f t h e In t e r n s h ip

• My French skills improved dramatically— I gained a great deal of confidence in my language abilit ies—and my love for the culture intensified.

• I was able to live and pass as a local in Paris for two months! • Because of this internship, I have decided to continue

pursuing a certificate in French Language and Culture. • Career prospects/post-college plans impacted: I am

looking into applying for fellowships in France after college.

• Though I don’t think I will necessarily pursue a career in marketing, I have become interested in translation as a potential career.

Im p a c t s o n t h e O r g a n iz a t io n

• I helped to establish a stronger link to the English-speaking world, allowing for clearer communication between potential English-speaking clients (museums or cultural sites looking to rent the exhibit ions) and la Cité.

• I left the organization with guides that will allow them to write comprehensible English communications to distribute to their clients or post on their website.

Back view of the Parc de la Villette/la Cité. Don’t be

surprised if you see ads for la Cité in the métro, on

buses…they’re everywhere!

C o n c l u s io n • Working in France for two months was an unforgettable experience—

one that has profoundly changed the way I view French language and culture (as well as English language and American culture!). I don’t think I will ever stop trying to improve my French skills; I am incredibly grateful

for this immersive, enriching summer.