Internships in Vietnam | ABROADER

I took a 12-week internship this summer with a commercial/residential architecture office. It took me about a month to acclimate to the rhythm of the office. Throughout, I was kept busy working on concept stages of a real project. Was wonderful to actually have concrete evidence of my contribution by the end.

Highly recommend doing internships through Abroader. The team is supportive and responsive, regularly checking in and always willing to help if something's not going well. One of my favorite things was their local buddy program, in which they introduce interns to local university students to help us acclimate. I was able to reach out to them for anything from impromptu tours around the city to long chats in coffee shops. Along with several other interns that lived with me, they became my first friends here. Organized trips and get-togethers were especially great to keep up with other Abroader interns and students that I didn't regularly see. While I was here, I got to participate in an egg coffee + bowling day, the Mekong Delta excursion, a cooking day, and a cultural exchange day at a local university.

Vietnam itself is a safe place to travel, even solo, as long as you're informed and prepared when you hit remote areas. Saigon is very livable. Not so walkable, but Grab is available almost every minute. I was placed in District 8, which is not so central, but nonetheless a busy local residence. Sea snail restaurants lined my alley, vendors set up shop on the wet market alleys a block away every day, and tech stores and bakeries were a five minute walk away on the main street. I lived about a ten-minute ride from districts 1 and 5 and didn't lack for anything.

I had my internship here in Ho Chi Minh city for 6 months, and Abroader has been helpful from the very start. Abroader was there to pick us up from the airport, provided sim cards and even gave us some tips on the life here in HCMC. This included a booklet with important numbers, some basic Vietnamese language etc. They also conducted several outings for us such as a trip to Mekong Delta. I really enjoyed myself and appreciated the effort that they have put in, in ensuring that we were able to get accustomed to the life here. Despite their busy schedules, they were always ready to attend to any of our queries and offer help. I would not have been able to settle down as quick without the help of Abroader, and I would highly recommend travellers to take up Abroader if they are coming to Vietnam! Thank you and kudos to the Abroader team!

My 7 week program with Abroader flew by! This program gave me the opportunity to learn applicable business skills in southeast Asia, as well as work with a social enterprise that supported a cause I cared about. Like many people will say, it takes about 2-3 weeks to adjust to the new cultural norms. Once you've done this and figured out your place in your organization, you will have more confidence to lead your own projects. Abroader makes sure you have plenty of resources to explore Vietnam fully, while also having a professionally rewarding experience. The program also organizes a few "get to know eachother" retreats throughout your time there, so you'll get to make connections with other international interns. I met a bunch of great friends from Vietnam and other countries, and owe it to the dedication of Abroader staff.

For the past 5 months, Abroader had helped ensure that everything is smooth-sailing for the duration of my internship. From landing in Vietnam till my return trip to Singapore. My transport pick-up from airport and accommodation were already well-planned and I settle down comfortably.
However, a problem I encountered was language barrier. Only a small portion of Vietnamese is able to converse in English or Chinese. Fortunately, basic Vietnamese lesson were provided to us by Abroaders before we venture alone. Beside the above mentioned, a booklet filled with contacts, places to go and common Viet phrases were also provided. The agents were really passionate and tried their best to meet my needs and hear my concerns. I would like to specially mention Mia and Kasia for going the extra miles.

Abroader is a trustworthy and reliable organisation. They have helped us to settle down in Vietnam. I do not need to worry as all were provided once I arrive in Vietnam. To name a few, they arranged airport picked up, prepared local sim card, settling our accommodation for us. They even took a step further and gave us Vietnamese crash course, learning basic Vietnamese which has helped me a lot. These have helped me to settle down in Vietnam quickly.
Other than that, there were also fun times. They organised events for us to bond and meet new friends. They have brought us around to explore Vietnam such as the Mekong River. They also planned an amazing race for us to explore the various tourist attractions in Vietnam.
They are always there to guide and help us whenever we needed.

I would say that it is best for people who are trying to learn outside of their own country. I had a wonderful time spending time by learning their culture, exploring places that you are have been before. Getting to know well how to be responsible once in a while. Learning the language was little tough but was able to understand with the help of the local buddies. The working environment in Vietnam is actually pretty good. The food was quite interesting to me as most of the people like seafood instead of poultry. Overall I would say people need to visit to these places to understand more about the world where their own country is not only place to gain opportunities. In your life, this might be a chance to give a shot if you getting this opportunity.

It's amazing to have our local buddies lending a helping hand while interning at a whole new environment. They were really easy to get along with and kind as well

I really enjoyed the gathering session organized by Abroader e.g. the cooking session, city tour, bowling et cetera

I love the cooking session the most, we were able to bond each and one another while cooking and enjoying the food together at the end of the day. I was also able to get a taste of their local delicacies, it was extremely delicious and I would not mind going for another event like this in the future.

In terms of growth, this entire programme made me realize how fortunate I'm really am.

I would definitely recommend this programme to students, any adults that are adventurous and willing to step out of their comfort zone.

My experience was unique because I was required to interact with local restaurant owners who did not speak English. I was introduced to an innovative product and my goal was to convince these people that it would benefit their business. As a medical student, I have no experience in entrepreneurship or this kind of research. However, I was able to improve my communication skills and at the same time immerse myself deeply in Vietnamese culture. I learned independence, confidence and getting out of my comfort zone helped me grow and appreciate my blessings in life.

I learned about the benefits of biomass technology and could see myself promoting it somewhere in the future. My supervisors were very friendly, welcoming and happy with my work. I will cherish this experience forever.