In the beginning, I confess I was a little bit insecure. Leaving my job and my family to start an internship in Israel seemed like a dubious idea. I was 26 years old, had already started my career in Brazil, and I had a structured life. Although I really wanted to spend some time in Israel, I was wondering to myself if this would be a step backwards in my career.
I was on the way to my work in Brazil when I got the e-mail from Career Israel staff saying that I was approved to work at McCann Erickson Israel as a Graphic Designer. I wanted to jump, to scream, to call all my friends. And that’s what I did the whole next month, while waiting for my flight to Israel!
McCann Erickson is the biggest advertising agency in Israel, and also the coolest in my opinion! They are in an 8-floor building located in Hamat Hahayal, which is one of the main business neighborhoods in Israel. Here I am surrounded by restaurants, bars, executives and other companies. It’s a very vivid and fun area of Israel.
The life inside the Agency is also very exciting. I’m working with talented people and making lots of friends. I am learning so much and improving my abilities. And, I’m not a fluent Hebrew speaker, but I am learning to make the layouts in Hebrew, which I think is really cool. I am having the chance to work with big clients, like Domino’s Pizza, Honda, Fitness, Soya, Panasonic and others. Every day I create newsletters, banners and sites using Photoshop.
How come I first thought that all this could be a step backwards? I couldn’t be more forward in my career! I don’t know other people my age in Brazil who had an experience as intense as this one. What an advance – not only in my resume – but in my life.
I still don’t know what will happen in a couple months, all I know is that I don’t want this program to finish. I want to stay here, living more in this wonderful place.
Somehow I knew since the beginning that this experience would change my life, my resume, my skills and myself in an irreversible way. I just needed courage to open my doors and allow this positive change to be done. And I’m so happy I did it!
Ilana Blankfeld is working as a graphic designer for McCann Erickson.
Ilana is from Brazil and graduated with a degree in advertising.
