Thailand Internship with Meiji Internships

I spent 2 months in Bangkok, Thailand doing a tourism & hospitality internship. I had the best time of my life and learned so much in such a short time. The people I met were amazing. Their hospitality is out of this world and I hope to carry the new values and skills I have learned to the US with me when I return. In my free time, I experienced many of the awesome activities and beauty of Bangkok and the surrounding areas have to offer. I honestly wish I would have stayed longer. I also met tons of awesome fellow interns and local students. Thank you Meiji Internships for answering all of my questions and helping me prepare for my internship adventure. To the person reading this: I had a great time, and encourage others to take the leap as well. Come with an open mind, be motivated and have fun!

This summer, I wanted to visit Asia. My mates all had plans already, so I knew that I had to go on my own. First, I thought about backpacking, but since I had already taken a gap year after school to backpack around Australia, I wanted to do something different. Or let’s say something a bit more career-oriented that would look good on my CV and let me develop new skills. That’s why I chose to do an internship. I went for Thailand cause hey, it was still my summer holiday and I did want some of that beach holiday flair after working hard (;
At uni, I study Business Administration. I came to Thailand to do a Marketing internship with a tech startup company in Bangkok, where I was in charge of copywriting, designing marketing materials and doing market research to find new potential customers. I felt like I could contribute a lot to the company which made me feel amazing about my work. I also loved Bangkok. It pulsates with life and is filled with contrasts in every corner. You don’t know what a good party is until you have partied on one of Bangkok’s many high rooftop bars! Bangkok is a fantastic place to travel, intern and have a great summer. Check it out! I had the time of your life!

My internship was in a school located in the Upper Northeast of Thailand. They enroll around 200 students in kindergarten to secondary grades and wish to provide them with a positive and effective learning environment where they can discover the fun of learning new things. A wonderful message, I believe. I worked there as an active teaching assistant and promoted valuable learning experiences through project-based activities, outdoor games, cross-cultural exchanges and field trips. It was my first time in Thailand (and Asia!) and it was amazing. Immediately when I arrived, I was welcomed by a couple of parents. It felt right instantly. They were incredibly kind and caring. Since I came in on a long weekend, I met up with my Meiji coordinator and colleagues before visiting the school. They took me sightseeing and for the most delicious meals. I was asked whether I wanted to work in kindergarten or primary school. I wanted to do both and luckily I could because there was no other intern. The principal then made a schedule for me. I assisted with PE, Art and English as well as giving a couple of classes on my culture. Everyone was always so kind in interested in getting to know me. My colleagues seemed a bit shy at first, but later when I got to know them better, we became friends.

Communication, in general, was what I struggled with the most. Sometimes, I could not understand the children in the kindergarten because they did not know English all too well. But I suppose that is part of the experience of being a foreigner. Gestures and basic Thai words which I had picked up worked just fine! I just wish I had taken some actual Thai classes before as it would have helped immensely.

Most of the days after school or on the weekend, parents, teachers or Meiji staff would invite me to come eat with them or to travel. They want you to have the best experience. I stayed for 2 months and wish it had been longer. I would love to come back and visit everyone! Thank you!

Interning in Thailand is a lot of fun! You will meet many cool people through the program and during your days off. My internship placement was also a very good match and an exceptionally great learning opportunity. There are things you will never pick up in a class room or during a lecture. That’s what real-world work experience is for! And I obtained such experience in the most fun way possible: While exploring Thailand. I got lucky because my host company was in the tourism industry, so it was very easy for me to combine traveling and working. But I think it does not matter what industry you choose, you will always have plenty of opportunities to travel. I mean, it’s Thailand. It is not only easy to get around, but also so cheap!
One of my favourite experiences was visiting an elephant sanctuary for a day. Such beautiful animals! I highly recommend going there to anyone who visits Thailand!

Overall my experience was priceless. I would do it all over again!