Although born in America, Thinh is a proud Australian of 18 years. He is currently in his 2nd year of Law/Commerce at The University of Queensland. In the little leisure time he has, he enjoys watching TV shows such as Game of Thrones, House of Cards and Modern Family.
What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?
I would tell them to take the opportunity and go! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I absolutely do not regret anything. I've met amazing people from around the world who have inspired me so much.
Additionally, living in such a cultural melting pot has widened my view on the world and I've experienced so many opportunities that wouldn't be possible in Australia. Most importantly, I would recommend that everyone intern abroad as your CV will thank you so much!
The Australian graduate market is increasingly competitive and an internship automatically places you above other people and this can only be a good thing.
What was the hardest part about going abroad?
The hardest part of going overseas is leaving my family and friends for 2 months. This was my 1st time overseas without my family and it honestly didn't sink in till I arrived.
Although I felt nervous and home sick at the start, these feelings almost disappeared instantly as the Absolute staff, other interns and my supervisors made me feel at ease in England. In fact, I almost forgot how much I missed home in a few weeks as I was so busy learning and enjoying the London life!
Although you miss home, there are so many means of contacting friends and family back home thanks to the Internet and social media. And being away from home for 2 months makes you realize how important and special your friends and family back home are!
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
My one piece of advice would is be ready to learn, adapt and embrace the internship and the country. Being adaptable to change is an amazing quality and it makes your time overseas instantly better! Make use of your internship and learn as much as possible. Embrace your internship city and experience everything that the city has to offer.
Go out every night as you'll never know when you'll be back in that city. Having the above quality makes your internship period an experience you'll never forget. Lastly, I would recommend bringing the appropriate clothing for overseas.
I went to London in winter and I didn't bring enough warm clothing and got sick for 1.5 months! So make sure you stay healthy.
