10,202 Awesome Followers!
Program Description
GlobaLinks Learning Abroad - Internships in New Zealand
Interview with Jessica Mew, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Alum
GO: What originally inspired you to intern in New Zealand with GlobaLinks Learning Abroad?
Jessica: After studying abroad twice before, in Fiji for a semester and Scotland for a summer, I had the travel bug in me. I had the choice of either graduating early and starting adult life or do another study abroad. This was absolute no brainer for me, I was going abroad! I luckily had the financial aid to do so and I had a really hard time deciding where I wanted to go. I decided that I didn't really want to do more schooling since I didn't need anymore credits, so I decided why not intern or volunteer abroad.
I had done both my past study abroad experiences with GlobaLinks and had been looking at the internship program for over 2 years. I had actually visited New Zealand on my spring break while in Fiji and absolutely loved it. So I decided then there New Zealand was my next stop! GlobaLinks staff worked hard with me to get me an internship that I really wanted.
Jessica and other GlobaLinks alumni practicing their Haka lessons
GO: Describe your day to day activities as an intern in New Zealand.
Jessica: After landing in beautiful New Zealand, GlobaLinks planned a 3 day immersion trip which included a haka lesson, tubing with glow worms, and a visit to Rotorua! The haka lesson was both hilarious and very informative of the Maori culture. Tubing in a cave with glow worms above of us was amazing, and a definite must, if you are on North Island! The 3 day immersion introduced us to New Zealand culture and to help us adjust into Kiwi life easier and faster.
I interned at Child, Youth, and Family in Porirua, right outside of Wellington. CYF is New Zealand's Child Protective Services, and ran very much like our CPS system. I shadowed an experienced social worker and helped as much as I could from the organization.
I woke up bright and early each morning to take a 30 minute train ride to Porirua. A typical day consisted of making home visits to families, school visits to check on children, taking children who were under the agency's care to doctor appointments, supervising court mandated child and parent supervision visits, going to court to present current updates in cases, doing intakes and assessments, and the usual case notes and phone calls. It was a lot more hands on experience that I could not get in the States, which I really enjoyed.
Jessica on a lake on the South Island
What I thought was so unique about New Zealand was the emphasis on whanau, or family. CYF had whanau interventions, in which they were able to fly family from throughout the country to be in the same place at the same time, to help decide what should be done for the benefit of the child involved. The agency and the courts did not make all the decisions, but they allowed all extended family members to have a say and to make an agreement to all step in to make a difference in the lives of the children. In addition, I talked with many members of the staff about Maori and the Kiwi culture and lifestyle, and they were always insightful and wanted to share their stories.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future personally, professionally, and academically?
Jessica:This internship was the deciding factor for me to continue to go to graduate school to get my master's in social work. I'm currently enrolled at the University of Southern California, and I have used all the information from my New Zealand internship in my current internship.
While other students had no idea that social work was a strengths based practice, I knew because of my wonderful experience. I walked into my master's program knowing and having done social work practice, straight out of college without a social work degree and very limit experience. This program not only helped reassure me that I am in the right profession, but it prepared me.
Want to hear more about Jessica's experiences with GlobaLinks? Check out her study abroad interviews about her experiences with AustraLearn in Suva, Fiji at the University of the South Pacific or with EuroLearn at the University of Stirling!Ratings and Reviews
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Love, love, love NZ!!
100%Overall
Rating
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
AustraLearn PDAC Custom Internship- Wellington
100%Overall
Rating
I did a custom date internship for 7 weeks in Wellington. I suggested a few advertising agencies that I was interested in interning at and the GlobaLinks staff got me paired up with my FIRST PICK, Young & Rubicam! It was super easy to get enrolled.
I would walk to and from work. At work I was able to experience all components of ad agency life. Everybody was very friendly and encouraging. It was interesting to see advertising perspectives in a different culture.
While there, I lived in a VERY nice apartment complex with other interns. I only had one roommate, who was also a part of the Globalinks program. Wellington is super safe and has a great nightlife. There was a great farmers market each Sunday on the water. I only worked for days a week, so I was easily able to travel on the weekends. I went to about four different places in the month and a half I was there. New Zealand has great buses that can get you pretty much anywhere. I traveled around a lot by myself and never had any safety issues.
I met a lot of awesome interns from GlobaLinks programs, but I also met a lot of awesome locals out at night as well! One of the best experiences of my life!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Queenstown, New Zealand
100%Overall
Rating
I had an internship in Queenstown, NZ at a hotel and got to learn all about the daily operations of the hotel with experiences at the front desk, back of house, housekeeping and inventory management. I was also placed on special assignment to work on updating the website and other marketing management for the property. Globalinks, specifically AustraLearn did a grand slam with finding and placing me in an excellent internship.
The city of Queenstown itself had plenty to offer. As the "adventure capital of the world" it draws in a variety of tourists which gives you an opportunity to meet more than just Kiwis. One of the highlights of my weekends in Queenstown was definitely the Canyon Swing where you drop the height of the statue of liberty and then swing across a canyon (safely in a harness, of course) over a river. It is a bigger rush than bungy jumping!
I suggest this program and this city to anyone and everyone who is thinking of going abroad. Personally, I cannot wait to go back!
I was an intern at Child, Youth, and Family in Porirua (just outside of Wellington) and it was one of the most amazing experiences! Our group immersion was in Rotorua consisted of tubing in caves with glow worms, learning how to do the haka, and plenty of good information on how to explore the country safely and thoroughly.
After our immersion, we left for our internship sites, and I saw our apartment, which was basically the penthouse of a downtown apartment building, very close to everything Wellington had to offer. My roommates and I went to the Wellington 7s and had an amazing time dressing up and fitting in with the locals.
At my internship site, I got real hands on experience of working at a social service agency. It made me appreciate what I had, and made me want to help others more. The social workers that I worked alongside were super supportive not just in the workplace, but also trying to get me integrated into the Kiwi lifestyle. This internship provided the reassurance that I needed to follow my dreams. I am now in a master's program in social work, hoping to make a difference in the lives of our American children and hopefully child abroad as well.
In NZ I visited Rotorua again to visit all the geothermal sites, Auckland, Napier, and took a tour of the South Island, which absolutely amazing. I did the 134m Nevis Bungy in Queenstown, swam with wild dolphins in Kaikoura, and hiked up Fox Glacier. I have countless stories about how amazing NZ is. It would take a lifetime to explore all the gorgeous nooks and crannies. I am definitely planning a trip back to NZ in the future!