Experience of a Lifetime

I've always had the desire to travel to Oceania, but as my academic career wouldn't allow for taking classes abroad, I decided to apply for an internship. In my 21 years of life, I feel that this is easily one of the best decisions I have made.
GlobaLinks worked with me, and my specific interests, to find an internship that perfectly matched the experience I was looking for. As a Chemistry major, I told them I wanted to do something that involved Biomedical Research. Within two weeks, I got a call from the program coordinator, offering me a spot in a natural products lab that tested marine life for compounds that have use in medicines in Wellington, New Zealand. It was perfect!
I immediately began finalizing my plans for the trip. To be honest, the two months leading up to my departure seemed surreal.
Upon landing in New Zealand, the other interns and I were greeted by a GlobaLinks coordinator, who was in charge of us throughout the six weeks I spent in Wellington. The first few days were an orientation that introduced us to the country and its culture.
I spent four days a week in a research lab at Victoria University, and I was given the other three days to travel and explore the country.
The internship itself was everything I could have asked for and more!I was given a project with a species of algae. I extracted compounds from the material and spent the subsequent weeks separating and testing the compounds. I went into the internship with absolutely no organic chemistry knowledge, but the staff in the lab gave me a crash course in the subject and helped me every step of the way. I gained an incredible amount of experience throughout my six weeks in the lab. Most exciting, however, was my last hour in the lab; in the last set of tests I ran, I discovered two compounds that had never been seen before! The entire lab was standing around me as the result popped on to the computer screen. I watched in elation as the lab director jumped out of his chair and cheered, and my lab mom smiled and hugged me. I nearly cried from excitement (in fact, I'm tearing up now just thinking about it!).
The travels were amazing, as well. I have countless stories, way too many favorites to write about here. However, I will say, if you end up in New Zealand, travel to Taupo and do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. I went during the New Zealand winter, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. I fully plan on traveling back to New Zealand during their summer to do it again.
Overall, the six weeks I spent in Wellington could not have been better. It was easily the most amazing thing I have ever done, and I consider it the experience of a lifetime. I grew academically, I grew professionally, I gained an incredible amount of independence, and most of all, I've been able to step out of my comfort zone and have become much more social than I have ever been before. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
If you are even remotely considering an internship overseas, do it. I promise it'll become the best decision you've ever made.