Internship 2025

Ella Garcia

In a preliminary post, please describe your hopes, dreams and fears for internship. Please make sure that your blog entry covers all three. Along the way, please consider your job description, your project, your coworkers, your internship site, your overall experience and how it could fit into your education, your life or your family.

I am interning at Cafe Moto this year. I hope to really dive deep in learning about coffee and being a barista. I know that they'll have me go to one of their warehouses where they will go in depth into coffee beans, different types of coffees, and much more of that sort. One of my dreams for this internship is to become a really good barista and get really good at customer service as I do want to get an actual job as a barista after internship. One fear I have is that I won't get the hang of what I'm learning or that I struggle to keep up with everyone else at the coffee shop. In this internship I will be learning how to work the machinery for making drinks, use "square" to take orders, and overall give me a big insight on how coffee shops run. This internship is perfect for me, as I mentioned earlier, I do want to work at a coffee shop, so this experience really helps give me a head start.

This was on my first day. They all welcomed me and gave me very own apron and showed me around

This is my timesheet for my first week of internship

This is a photo of a drink that I made on my own the second day of internship. ( It is a hibiscus tea with honey)

Blog 1

What are you most surprised by during your first week of internship and why?

I am the most surprised at how quick I was able to get the hang of everything. When I first went in there was a lot of information to take in but by the end of the day, I had already learned how to take an order, make a drink, and the system my coworkers had. This really surprised me because I thought it would take me at least a few days to get the hang of anything but I was able to understand it all within one day. I really have to thank my mentor and coworkers for that though as they made me feel welcomed the second I walked in. They were all super friendly and made me feel as if I had been working there for years.

Describe the culture at your internship, including how people interact, communicate and work together.

All the people that work at the cafe really strive to create a positive environment. Throughout the day I was how they were always so friendly not only to each other but to the customers as well even if some were rude. The workers are like all one big family, I got to see how everyone was interacting with each other, and they all have really nice friendships with one another. It almost didn't feel like I was working, they all ask about each other's days and joke around with each other. It was almost as if they aren't working together but just hanging out as friends and I do consider myself lucky as I was able to get to that same level within one day of being there. I really wish I was able to get more photos, but I was really busy with learning everything. Throughout the time that I am there I really hope I can capture one of those moments to share with others.

This is a photo of an order I made on my second week and was taking out to a customer.

This is a drink I made on my own on Tuesday the second week of internship after learning how to use the espresso machine in a training that I had. I am very proud that I caught on so quickly. ( I made a vanilla late)

This was my attendance for week 2

Blog 2

How do you see yourself growing or changing over the course of your internship?

Although this is my third day here, I've already grown so quickly and learned so much. I know how to take orders and make drinks. When I first went in, I thought it would take me a while to get the hang of everything, but I already know what to do as soon as I arrive in the morning and it's nice because throughout the day you get into your own groove, and everyone just lets you be. I also noticed a change in how social I am. I'm not the type to go up to random people and start a conversation but when working the service industry, you have to get used to talking to people on a daily basis and having a nice friendly conversation with people and I have noticed that I am getting more comfortable with talking with people and creating a welcoming environment with everyone.

What lessons or experiences at your internship will you bring back to school to help you to further improve in your academics?

A lesson I've been learning these past couple of days is that it's ok to ask for help and it's ok if you mess up because you can always try again. I've never been the type to ask for help I always to figure everything out on my own, but my coworkers always reassure me that it ok to ask for help even if I ask about the same thing multiple times which is something I do want to bring back to school. I feel like if I ask for help on something multiple times people will get annoyed or frustrated that i can't get it right but everyone at my internship has proven that otherwise. I also can be a big perfectionist; I hate messing up, so I like to be a one and done person when it comes to doing anything but again my coworkers have shown me that it's ok to mess up as long as I re-do my work and it comes out better than the last time, everything is ok which is something I also want to bring back to school. As I mentioned previously, I am a one and done person and I really need to change that because with mistakes comes better ideas and creativeness, so I think having this in mind can help me grow more academically this next semester and senior year.

This is a matcha that a coworker made for me after going over different syrups that can go in matcha. (We experimented with making a matcha with coconut)

This is me making espresso shots for my latte.

This was my attendance for week 3

Blog 3

What are you thankful for in your internship experience?

I am thankful that my internship has been so educational. I feel like when you hear that someone is working at a coffee shop you don't expect it to be teaching but it really is. I have gotten to learn about coffee, the different ways you can make coffee, what goes into certain drinks, espresso, how to make espresso, and so much more. I have also learned about customer service and how difficult it truly is. After working in customer service, you really grow to appreciate servers a lot more than before. I am grateful for that because as someone who does plan on getting a job at a coffee shop, getting to intern at one and experience being a server gives you that reality on what to expect when working a job like this and it sets you up for the future, so you know how to handle certain people and scenarios.

What are social interactions like in your workplace? Do people spend a lot of time socializing? Are people isolated, doing their own things? Lots of collaboration on work projects? Not much collaboration? How does the social dynamic impact or reflect the organization's work?

In my workplace everyone is always interacting with each other whether it's with a customer or with another colleague. Everyone has their roles and are doing their own thing but they all still talk to each other about work and their personal lives. This reflects how this organization strives to have an equal dynamic between coworkers and customers. They all treat each other the same and have a close relationship with one another. Everyone colabs with everyone. Whether it's the people in the back working on a delivery, the baristas coming up with different drinks, other companies. There is always some type of colab going on.

This is some cafe artwork that one of my coworkers did which I hope to learn and get good at.

This is from a day when I was learning about how the same coffee can taste different when it's in espresso forms versus when it's in drip coffee form.

This was my attendance for week 4

Blog 4

What advice would you give to a junior in high school who wants to pursue a career in the field of your internship?

Don't overthink yourself and it's ok to make mistakes. When I first started my internship, I was overthinking everything but after a while I realized that I enjoyed my time more when I was relaxed and started living in the present in what I was doing. I feel like when you start working in customer service it can be nerve racking, you may start to think that you need to rush to attend to everyone or that you're going ti be judged a lot but that isn't true. When working with people especially in a coffee shop it's better to take your time, listen to the customer and don't treat them like customers. It will be more fun when you realize that they are people just like you, they won't judge you and would enjoy having a conversation with you rather than you rushing to get them what they ordered. Making mistakes can also make you stressed or nervous but it's really not that big of a deal. At coffee shops or any food place you're dealing with a lot of people and there can be a lot on your mind so don't be stressed if you forgot someone's sugar or extra foam, if something is missing the customer will tell you and you can fix it right away with no issue. Like I mentioned previously, they know you're human too and I promise you they won't make a big deal about it. Just focus on what you have to do and enjoy your day and experiencing new people.

Are you planning to continue working with your internship site or mentor after internship is over? If so, how did these plans develop? What will you be doing?

Although I have considered staying at my internship site and keeping it as a normal job, it doesn't work out for me or my schedule. I do plan of staying in the coffee industry moving forward. Around my school there are a lot of coffee shops and thanks to the experience my internship has brought me I know that I would be a perfect candidate for any of those coffee shops. Although I know that all coffee shops run differently, I feel like my internship has taught me the basic's that I need to know on customer service and has taught me a lot on coffee and different machines used for coffee that maybe other shops don't know how to use or have. I feel like my internship wasn't just educational work wise, but it also gave me a huge incite on life in general which I can't be more grateful for.

Photo Essay

This photo is from a teaching I had with Olivia and Mitchelle. This is when I learned more in depth where coffee comes from and how it came to be. Overall through out my internship I was constantly taught different things about coffee but this teaching was one of the biggest highlights of all the teachings I had. It really made me understand all the other things about coffee that I already knew.

This photo is from when I was taking orders. This photo highlights what I did every day during my internship. From 9am to 3pm I took orders, made drinks, and served them. I never knew how fun it could truly be to serve coffee; every customer was a new experience. I truly appreciate all the regular customers that accepted me and all the relationships I got to build with them.

This is a photo of a tea I made to try. Throughout my entire internship at Cafe Moto, I was constantly told to experiment and try different drinks. This allowed me to explore more into coffee and find what I like and don't like which was one of the biggest things I learned while at my internship.

This photo is from when I had learned how pull shots. Throughout my internship I constantly learned new things which was my biggest goal overall. I was taught how to pull shots by Cliff, but everyone has helped me improve and taught me other ways of pulling shots, as well as using the grinder and how to adjust it for better shots.

This photo is from when I was practicing making latte art which Cliff also helped me with. One of the main things I learned while at my internship if that it's ok to had to do something multiple times. While practicing making latte art I was constantly getting frustrated with myself because everyone made it look so easy and I was trying to copy exactly what they were doing but it wouldn't come out the same. This day in specific I got help from so many people which I truly appreciate and I saw how some of them had to do it more than once even though they had been doing it for years. This really helped me get out of my head and keep on trying, eventually after practicing with a few people and on my own I was able to make a decent heart which really had me feel accomplished after trying all day

Mentor Interview Transcript

What were your original plans after high school?

"My original plans after high school were to go to college and travel, that was my main thing. But it didn't happen for me until later in life. But immediately my goals were to go to college, and I wasn't exactly sure what for I just really knew that I wanted to travel."

What motivated you to get into this kind of work, like coffee?

"When I first moved up to Seattle, which was a coffee hub, the original Starbucks was up there. I knew none of this upon really moving there, but I moved there when I was 20 and I had been looking for a job and I was like new to the city, and I stumbled upon this coffee shop that was down the street from where I was staying. So, I applied and got hired and that was kinda what set the ground running. I liked the atmosphere. I stayed for about seven months and then life kinda through me right back down to San Diego. So that's what kinda opened the door and then I've kinda just stayed in this industry ever since"

Did you always know that you wanted to do something with coffee after that or when you were introduced did you always think that you were doing it for only a certain period of time or long term?

" I would definitely say I found without inherently knowing. I found a lot of community while working at a coffee shop. I had my son when I was 22 so by 24 I had started working again and in my place of work I had found a group of girlfriends, I had found community, and i had found a real passion and love for coffee while at the time it was just a job and getting me to pay my bills and getting me a car and things like that and saving up money to move out. But I didn't really see a passion and a drive and a career in it until I can to Moto."

What would you have done differently like from the beginning going into this line of work?

" I probably would have done a little more research. I would have immediately gone into specialty coffee had I known the opportunities that existed in this coffee world, where before I worked at more a family-owned coffee shop that was just about executing drinks and serving food and there wasn't a lot of origin story there, there wasn't like anything like that. So, I think going back I would kind of do more research and see what was out there. I didn't realize there were so many opportunities as far as like career's and so much history behind coffee even though I had at this point already been making it for so long. I was just really good at doing it. I didn't understand that there are all these other avenues that you could really have. I've been at Moto for six years and in the six year I've been here my journey has changed so drastically like for where I started when I was here, so Moto has changed me and opened up a lot of doors and things for me in this industry."

What do you like/ enjoy the most about being in the coffee industry?

" Aside for I think being that it brings so much community together, I'm sure you know after being here for a few weeks. A lot of the people that we see, we see every single day. We see on a very regular basis which I love. I'm very much a people person and I love to talk and chat. I love to get to know people from all different locks of life. But aside from that I love that I work in an environment where I'm constantly learning, where constantly trying different brew methods, where changing the premature, where trying to push the envelope of our products and what we are serving and what we're doing and coffee kinda like Michelle was describing today, it's ever changing and I think trying to maintain some of the foundations. I guess I would say we honor where coffee has started, and we maintain this flavor profile that a lot of people really like but I also love that we're still seeking new and seeking more and what else we can do. It's never "oh yeah that's it we're satisfied that's going to be our standard forever", we're constantly being innovative and trying to see what else is out there and learn about different machines and coffee products and what we can bring into the cafe as far as like steaming pitchers, all kinds of things. I work with a ton of people who have felt like mentors for a really long time and it's nice to work amongst them now and not just be; like I feel that I have a seat at the table now, I'm not so much a newcomer anymore."

What are some challenges that you've had in this profession?

"Challenges that have come up for me that I didn't really ever understand or think that would really be in coffee are math. Math was never my strong point. I've never been a math girl but there are so many different ratios and methods and kind of small things you have to remember that involve math. I would say those challenges have presented themselves as far as trying to teach somebody I'm like "hold on". I have to reprogram my brain a little bit to be able to do math to show you versus seeing it on a piece of paper for myself. I think it's presented challenges in those ways, I've also had to learn to adapt to weather. I think working during covid and navigating those challenges in those times was definitely new, but I gained so much experience and dealing with unhappy customers, people wearing masks, people who would show up unmasked and try to come in, but our doors were closed, kind of the day-to-day operations of things. I think as you whether any storm you always come out of it a bit stronger, so I think it's benefited me in a lot of ways. I feel like I can go out and talk to anybody which was not just in the work scene now but in the world sense."

If you would have chosen another profession, what would you be doing right now?

"I would probably be teaching something in another country. Traveling has always been my passion, and what I feel like I work so hard to do. The uncomfortable is kinda what makes me feel comfortable and maybe that has to do with my upbringing and where I come from, but I love the excitement of travel, the unpredictable. I would love to teach English or give back or be of some service in some kind of way in another country. I would love to see the world."

Do you have any projects that you can speak of that you have right now?

" Over the past six months I got my barista 2, my intermediate skills that I proceeded then got my special certification and I just did the general assessment test for the special coffee association which was the most challenging test I had so far. That has been my biggest accomplishment in the last six months. That now sets me up to become a trainer. So Mitchelle, Cliff and I will be able to go into any bodies cafe or have them come here and train them on basic foundations all the way to; Cliff is doing a technician's program and Mitchelle is really advanced in sensory analysis, I'm really good at barista skills, foundation levels and things like that; running a cafe and workflow. If I ever was to leave Moto, because this association is so international I can take this with me anywhere, so to be able to go to another country and stand in as a barista for a month or while traveling through another country, those are all options. It's really limitless and changed the trajectory of my career in this industry and it's opened a lot of doors."

What advice would you give someone going into your kind of profession?

" I would just say "be ready to weather the storm, some days are going to feel like groundhogs' day where it's the same thing every day, but I also feel as if those kinds of days became lessons and I'm able to have them with me now. I think patience is key, I would definitely say come with patience, come with a willingness to want to learn, ask a lot of questions, and just be open to trying new things whether it be coffee, meeting people, talking about things, asking questions. Try to stay as open minded as possible. Coffee is a really rad industry and fun thing, it's innovative and it's old all at the same time. It's just really cool and amazing because I would say so many people in the world don't think twice about the drink they order, it's like " oh yea I had a vanilla latte it's like oh whatever" but when you really know the background story and appreciate the industry it's not just a cup of coffee, It's an amazing thing that's been created for you in a really long journey. I would say coffee is a journey so is the career in coffee."

This is a photo from when I was practicing latte art for the day of my IPOL.

This is another photo of me practicing my latte art. This week was mainly me practicing latte artwork, it's what I did most of the day for my last week.

This is my attendance for my last week of internship.

Final Week

Describe what you are most thankful for in your internship experience—what experiences, what people, and so on? What new appreciations have you gained through internship and how did you develop these?

I'm thankful for the entire crew at Cafe Moto, everyone treated me as a member of their team since the first day I got there, and I have built such amazing relationships not only with my coworkers but with the customers as well. I am so thankful for everyone for making me feel welcomed and helped me so much during my internship. I have gained to appreciate customer workers so much more than before as most customers are nice but there are some that can be rude. I am thankful that this internship gave me much more insight on what a real job entitles in customer service.

What advice would you pass on to future interns? What are the most important skills for a student to be successful at his/her internship? How could another student develop these skills prior to beginning an internship?

Don't stress so much. When first going into internship it's very common to stress a lot about how your internship might go on the first day but believe me it's way easier than you think. Some skills that you should bring to internship are time management and adaptability. Time management should be your number one skill. While at internship you have to do whatever job they tell you to, you have your project, weekly blogs, pictures, mentor interview, and IPOL. It's very important that you time everything accordingly so you don't over stress yourself and get everything turned in on time. Adaptability should also be one of your very good skills. When you start your internship, you don't know what you're going to be put to do, and you might do different things everyday so it's good to be able to adapt to any situation and environment you're put in. These are skills that most already have and use in school so if you already have these skills and use them, you'll be fine.

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