International Internships in Colombia with The Intern Group

Hello All,

I am sure you have read all the nice reviews of people's experiences about their internship in Medellin, but I would also like to express mine so some of you will not experience the same disappointment as I did.

I expected a high quality internship where I would gain work experience and develop my professional skills, but from the first day I was placed at a desk alone where I had to search for potential clients' information. I was told I would work closely together with a colleague, but he was on vacation the first week I started. When he came back from vacation he was so busy that he only had time to say good morning to me. I contacted the Intern Group because I was frustrated and they promised to speak to the company. Unfortunately, nothing changed and after 1 and a half week I asked if I could be placed at another company, but they told me it was too late. I was very bored and felt like I was wasting my time. I started studying Spanish grammar online to not feel like I was wasting my time entirely. What was the most frustrating to me was the fact that they placed another intern in the same role as me even though the Intern Group were fully aware that we were wasting our time at the company and very unsatisfied. Like me, the new intern was very frustrated after one week in the office. We expressed our opinion together to the Intern Group, but again nothing changed. I quit my internship, I believe after three weeks, since I would rather enjoy the weather and experience the city than sitting inside and learn nothing. The other intern, who was placed at the same company as me, informed me that she lived with other interns who had also quit their internship.

For this reason, I would not recommend doing an internship with the Intern Group in Medellin to anyone, since you could get a job at a cafe or travel and get so much more value for the money!

My time in Medellin can only be described as fantastic. The staff were freindly and helpful at both the Intern Group, my workplace and the University(ies). The range of work opportunities on offer from the program is broad, with lots of areas for one to both implement and develop their skills.

The Program is more than simply working however, as the culture and language learning opportunities provided by the program really give you value for your money. The Spanish language course is great and tailored to your exisiting skill level with firendly teachers who will assisst you with your individual needs. As for the culutral espect, Medellin (and Antioquia) might well be Colombia's best kept secret. There is so much to experience here from the night life, to the museums, as well as the trips outside the city, and so much more.

Overall I would highly recommend this program to anyone. The work experience aspect alone is worth it, but its the stuff on the side that really makes this progam a must

This summer in Medellin, Colombia has easily become one of the greatest summers I've had in years. Despite some negativity and concern from family and friends I arrived in Colombia with an open mind.

Intern Latin America does their best to take care of you from the moment you arrive providing you with a driver who picks you up and takes you straight to your accommodation. Within a few days you have an official introduction with the ILA team where they explain a few more things to know about Medellin. The team, along with the majority of people you'll meet in Colombia are extremely inviting, friendly and easy to get along with. Regardless of your Spanish level, many of the locals are both eager to help and patient enough to wait as you stumble along trying to make sense in their language. It's an excellent place to learn or perfect your Spanish, so take advantage of it!

Fortunately when I arrived there were already a few social events planned, mostly due to the World Cup games, which provided an opportunity to get to meet some of the other interns on the program. This was a huge plus as my roommates and I lived in a separate building and wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet any of the others prior to that event.

Medellin is an exciting and upbeat city, and getting to be there in the midst of the world cup madness was proof that Colombia has some of the most passionate, happy and welcoming people. There is always something to see or do in the city. Granted you do still have to be careful not to flaunt your wealth or act in a way that draws unnecessary attention, however I generally felt quite safe in the city. As with every city, there are good areas and areas to avoid, and this is no exception. The team does their part to warn you of these areas in your introduction.

My main intention of doing this program was to have an opportunity to develop my language skills, experience a new culture and meet many of the locals. For these reasons it was an excellent experience all around. My actual internship wasn't the most educational experience but that may have been due to not knowing how best to make the most of their interns. It was a little difficult to get time to see my boss or get any feedback on the work I was doing until it was a little to late. However, I will say that after communicating my concerns to the ILA team there was a noticeable improvement at work and an increased effort to involve me in more challenging projects.

On that note I found the Intern Latin America team to be extremely helpful and supportive. I think it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to solve every problem, however they do their best to assist in any way possible. They were a pleasure to work with and an absolute blast to get to know. In the end, as with any experience like this it all comes down to what you make of it. It's easy to forget that you are in a developing country because it is so beautiful, but be prepared to be flexible in your expectations in areas such as housing or work pace etc.

The program is on the upper end in terms of cost, but if you have the money I would most definitely recommend it. Travel around Colombia as much as possible, and spend more time out in the city talking to people than you do in your apartment and you will have a good time! Medellin is an absolutely beautiful and unique city and Colombia is a country that is so much more than its past.

"Maxy, I've been telling people Colombia is a wonderful place, but after all these years, you are the only one who believes and came here."--quote from my first Colombian friend. I have never imagined how I would feel at this moment after spending two months in Colombia. I made the decision to come here based on my curiosity of South America, my intention of learning more Spanish, and my passion of Latino culture and history.

I still remember when I first posted on Facebook, telling my friends that I arrived in Medellin, many people messaged me to take care of myself, asked me if I feel insecure, or immediately told me that I was crazy. I slept through my entire flight, woke up when all Colombians were singing, cheering on the flight, the lady sat next to me smiled at me, said," you must be confused honey, we are just the happiest people in the world!"-- this was my first impression of Colombia!

I want to write here to tell my friends around the entire world that this country doesn't deserve the stereotype it has, it went through all those difficult years and the people there are truly optimistic and HAPPY. At this moment, the world needs to look at this happy land with a new perspective because I believe people in our generation should be more open minded in order to break all the wrong stereotypes from the past. (You may start from here: it's colOmbia not colUmbia) I'm kindly ask, please take some time to read its history and news, or google image its cities before you make your judgements toward Colombia. I just went through the immigration right now, and the customs said I could take a picture of his smiling face as he should be the last Colombian I talk to before I leave! Colombia, I sincerely love you for all the great things you brought me.

It is a life-changing experience, I was well-treated everyday and I absolutely love the country and the people. Don't need to go there with an expectation, because Colombia will surprise you everyday. Be outside as much as you can, spend time exploring the city and nature and talk to lovely Colombian people!!

When I initially left for Colombia, I had no clue on what to expect especially given the stereotypical views of Colombia that I had been accustomed to. Once I reached there however, it is amazing on how off they were! A small example: with the little bit of Spanish I knew, I introduced myself to one of my roommates and asked him to show me around my first day there. He, thankfully, spoke English. Without any hesitation, he accepted and showed me around. I needed to do some grocery shopping and was not sure if my credit card was going to work or not. He offered to pay for my stuff (even though he barely knew me!) The people there are the most amiable and friendly people you will find. I did not mind being at work by 7.30 am everyday because of the sense of family I had there. I even somehow befriended some local vendors whom I greeted every morning and bought breakfast (pastel de jamon y queso) from. It's definitely a very welcoming environment.

Another thing that definitely hit me was how developed Colombia was for a third world country! The part of Medellin the intern group lodges interns is called Poblado. The malls, the beautiful view, the fact everything you need is pretty much within walking distance of you; all these factors were definitely a big plus for me while I was there.

Colombia has so much to offer! While I was there I went para-sailing, rock climbing, cave exploring, horse-back riding on top of mountains and so much more! I am also a little better at salsa, merengue and bachata now :)

The only downside I will say was that Intern Latin America was not as proactive in the beginning at organizing get togethers and other social events for interns to meet each other. Nonetheless towards the end that changed quite a bit which is something I would like to see continue. My internship was very valuable to me as it helped me better shape my career goal. I also felt very valuable to the team I worked with as one of my designed projects is actually in the process of being implemented! There is nothing that provides a more fulfilling feeling than that!

Oh, I was also lucky enough to experience the FIFA world cup in a football loving country. It is definitely something very unique.

Life in Medellin was really rewarding for me.Travelling all by myself to such a far away country with little grasp of the Spanish language proved overwhelming,but only for a short while.I adjusted very well to living in Medellin and made a lot of friends from the program.I also got to learn a bit of Spanish from the local paisas and in that way I made even more friends from Colombia.The support from the Intern Latin America group was outstanding as there was always someone there when we needed help or just someone to talk to.

When I applied to this programe, back in September of last year, I of course shared the same concern that a curious pre-applicant may also share. Firstly, this is too good to be true, surely it is a scam? Secondly, is Colombia safe? I shall attempt to address both points in my review.

Colombia, for me, is a country of opportunity. A country which is working tirelessly to enhance its reputation on a global scale. On a daily basis I experienced no shortage of youthful graduates emigrating in order to take advantage of this. Colombia is a beautiful country, steeped in tradition, culture and curiosity. In thirteen weeks I was blessed by the generosity of its people, while simultaneously being proven that Colombia is indeed a place where I can establish myself as an individual with ambition. I had no issues with safety or any concerns whatsoever in my time there.

With regards to the Intern group, I myself was at first sceptical, but this is a company with one ambition, and that ambition is to empower the younger generation. If you can afford to part with the money, then you will embark on a journey that you will never forget.

I spent twelve weeks in Medellin living with a Colombian family. I previously studied Spanish at university in the States do I did not take Spanish classes during my stay. However, living with a family that only speaks Spanish was a great way to better my language skills. I also had the opportunity to practice at my internship so I think my speaking ability has greatly improved. I felt very safe during my entire stay. The neighborhood in which all the interns live is very modern, comfortable, and easy to get around. Taxis and the metro are very cheap so it is easy to travel to other neighborhoods in the city. The social programs and day trips provided by the Intern Group give you a chance to meet many other interns in the city, and I spent three or four days a week with them. I have made friends from all over the world and that has been one of the best parts of this experience. I only had minimal complaints. One being the amount of work I was given at my job was minimal and at times I was bored with nothing to do. The work ethic in Colombia is very different than the US so that was partly the reason. Also, although my host family was alright I would have preferred to be more like a family, cooking dinner together, sightseeing, etc. Living in an apartment as opposed to a homestay, however, does lessen your Spanish exposure significantly. Overall I had a good experience!