The application for the spring internship 2027 at the Nordic House is now open. This fall Matilda Sjöblom, 24 years old from Gothenburg in Sweden, is doing her internship at the communications department. She says that the internship is versatile and that she gets to spend her time in the crossing point between culture, literature and communication. A place that she really enjoys.
How did you find out about the internship position?
I’m doing my masters in cultural science at Malmö University; the program is called Culture and Change. Now I’m in my third semester and got the possibility to do an internship. So, I started looking around at what was available. I knew that I wanted to do the internship abroad, to widen my perspective and understanding of international culture exchange. Then I saw that the application was open for being an intern at the Nordic House and thought it sounded really exciting.
What are your fields of interest?
I have a bachelor’s in literature studies, so I guess I’m extra interested in that. Everything regarding literature, but also just culture in general. I was very open when I got here but really love spending time in the crossing point between culture, literature and communication. And that’s where I’m at right now, so that’s really fun! I’m learning a lot of new stuff and gets new perspectives and insight, in the collaboration between the Nordic countries, for example.
What does a regular day at the Nordic House look like?
Every day is different. But a lot of what I do is regarding social media, our channels and the website. I make events, write or translate and publish texts. But I’m also involved in planning bigger events, such as language cafés or artist talks. Some days we have events going on in the evening, that you help host. Book circles, conferences or openings. It’s very versatile to do your internship at the Nordic House and you are encouraged to take your own initiatives to form the internship into something that is fitting for you.
What have you learned so far?
It’s really interesting seeing how you work with culture in an international and Nordic workplace. Every day I meet people at work speaking the different Nordic language and get to practice. It’s very fun and a bit hard.
How is it living in Reykjavik?
I didn’t know much about Iceland before coming here, more than like that they have volcanos and horses. So, I didn’t really have any expectations, and therefore I came here with a very open mind. But it wasn’t as cold as I thought!
I got to borrow an intern bike at the Nordic House and can bicycle to work and all around the town, which is cozy.
Tips to future interns?
Go to the pool every day! I’m totally hooked on the Icelandic pool culture. It’s so nice and you get to spend a lot of time outdoors, since most of the pools are outside.
Take part in the many events and happenings around town! There are a lot of festivals, poetry readings etc. that you can go to. A lot of them are free. And don’t be shy to ask your colleges about tips and recommendations, they know the scene and what’s going on!
Do you also want to try out life in Iceland and the internship here at the Nordic House? Apply here! The last day to apply is on the 13th of November.