What is your favorite travel memory?
I love a challenge so traveling around India was pretty amazing. I was with a small group of friends and we had just spent the morning exploring the temples around McLeod Ganj and were on our way back up to our hostel for lunch when the monsoon hit. We bought big garbage bags and cut holes in them to make them into ponchos and we trudged back through the narrow streets toward our hostel. Once we got there and dried off, we headed up to the covered roof where we drank hot chai while we watched the rain over the city. It was truly magical.
Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?
It is really hard to say, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I've found that each person has their own ideas of what a travel spot should include. I personally love adventure and places that are overwhelming to the senses. So places like Thailand, China, Peru, and India are my go-to travel destinations. I don't really like sitting on a beach, so I tend to stay away from those kinds of vacation spots.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I think most people would say that being passionate will make a company successful. But there are a lot of passionate people out there who don't know how to channel their gifts, talents, and efforts to create an incredible product or service.
I would say that a truly successful company needs not only clear vision and passion for the work they are doing, but they also need key players who know how to make that vision come to life. Bad organization can kill a vision and frustrate all those who are involved. Good organization is life-giving to a vision and creates an atmosphere where people can flourish.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I feel like this job was made just for me. Two of my loves are international travel and helping others experience international travel. For a long time I assumed that I would end up working in the study abroad sector since that seemed to be the obvious match for my interests and skill sets. But when I found The Intern Group, I knew it was even more so.
Not only do we work with young people in their process of seeking international experience, but we are also part of their professional development as well. Given that today's market is more competitive than ever, and more globalized than ever, getting to do an international internship with one of our partner companies can be the best way to launch into the job market.
What unique qualities does your company possess?
The Intern Group is special because we really focus on each intern as an individual. From the interview process, where I get to take time to hear from each applicant about their past experience and their future dreams, to our local teams and the whole placement process that is done with each intern- our goal is to make sure that each intern gets that international experience, both professionally and culturally so they can become better global citizens.
Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.
One of the best things about our team is that we have all experienced the joys of international travel. We come from all over the world and have seen first hand the benefits of getting to experience other cultures and grow personally from cross cultural travel. So one of my favorite moments as a team was when we went on our retreat at a local beach and spent the weekend sharing stories about our different adventures around the world.