INTERNeX International Exchange

Internex made my year!
I had envisaged my year off completely differently to how it actually turned out …. And it couldn't have turned out any better!

Despite the Pandemic and the borders to New Zealand shutting down just after my plane landed in Auckland I had an amazing experience, which I will never forget for the rest of my life. This experience was made all the more memorable and joyful thanks to the work of Internex and especially Chris. He organised and reorganised a host family for me, he made sure I had all the correct documents and he was available to answer all of my questions.

In order to be able to enter NZ I had to go into quarantine for two weeks. Since my original host family did not want the risk of my having the virus and me staying with them, Chris had to find me a new family. He was under time pressure since I was due to arrive the next day. However he found me a wonderful host family and I had the best time with them for the whole of my stay.

After those two weeks the next challenge came along.
I wasn’t able to start my internship in the school, as by that time the virus had spread and we all had to go into a 7 week lockdown. Even though I wasn't able to meet everyone live, I was able to meet them online and carry out my internship.
After those 7 weeks, I finally was able to visit the school in person, where I continued the internship and had an amazing time and absolutely loved it.

Even though I was on the other side of the world without my family or friends during lockdown, I had a great time and would do it all over again!
I never once felt uncomfortable or scared that I wasn’t able to travel or get to experience my gap year/internship in a normal way. Chris had found me an amazing host family who I really got to love and spend the best of times with.

Looking back at my time during the internship, I have to say it was one of the most exciting and also scary things I have done. All of the ups and downs of not knowing when the Lockdown was going to end and where I would be, was so worth it. And knowing that Chris was always there to help me made me feel safe and secure.

After my Abitur I was not really excited to start Uni right away, so I decided to do a gap year in between. It was the best decision I could have made.

I researched in Germany about the opportunities I would have and my interests in suitable countries. My main goal was to find a professional, valuable placement in an English speaking country, to have a working experience for my current studies in Univerisity. Since I did not have any personal contacts myself it was the best choice to go with a placement agency through which I got in contact with InterNex, the supporting agency in my country of choice, New Zealand. The enrollment process was easy and professional and shortly after my skype-interview with Chris I received my offer from a global Real Estate consultancy.

The internship was very professional, and the company could not have been a better fit. I did not have much work experience before, but there I was of high- value to the CEO and my supervisor. They were very positively surprised by my can-do attitude and my great knowledge of English, therefore I was offered diverse opportunities in the company. I was able to work in multiple departments and even visit their second office on the South Island. I was offered to come back any time I want and I hope one day I will be able to return for a job opportunity. I still think about my time there a lot and currently hope to use my reputation and contacts to get an internship at a different location within the same company.

The support from InterNex throughout my stay was also really supportive. I initially wanted to stay within a host family for a month before moving to a Hostel for the rest of my time in Auckland, but already after one week within the family I felt really at home. I decided to stay within the host family for the whole stay and through them Auckland really became my home away from home. The communication with the InterNex team always went smoothly and I took part in multiple of their activities offered.

I can only recomment their services, since they were really supportive and I met great people through my stay in New Zealand. Applying for an internship with InterNex was one of the best experiences I had in my life so far!

Finding an internship abroad isn't easy, but INTERNEX sure made it look like it. I had a lot of requirements from school and INTERNEX ensured I had the challenging internship I was looking for. I had already been to New Zealand before so for me the internship was more about the quality and content of the internship and not so much the exchange itself (However this was a nice bonus!). INTERNEX met every requirement while looking for an internship and I have absolutely loved my 7 month long internship in Auckland. Great support from INTERNEX with regular check in's. It couldn't have been better really!!! Thank's again for the amazing experience

One of my highlights during the time in New Zealand was the family I was living with and I am still so thankful that Internex picked them for me. It was a crazy, very busy, a little bit chaotic, fun loving and loveley family. The way they indluded me into the family from the very first second was such a great experience for me. Even the youngest kids (5 and 6 yo) were already so open that there was no chance for homesickness. During 4 month there was not one minute that I was bored. For example - In my first week after i finished my work in the stable the kids took me frog hunting one day when they were wearing their favourit princess dresses. Of course that didnt went well and after only 10 minutes I came home with two wet and dirty princess who were falling in the pond, a dirty wet dog and not even a frog. But i noticed very quickly that this is the normal life on the farm. And I was so happy about that. I think they are typical Kiwis... so open-hearted, enjoying their lifes and just having lots of fun. And they supported me a lot with travelling around and see as much of the country as possible. So at the end of my trip I saw more of the country then I first planned.
After 1-2 month in NZ I already noticed how the time aboard is changing me. When I first arrived I always said "No, I will never to something like skydiving or bungy" and I always was a real worrier. But the love of life from the Kiwis and all the other travelers I met was just infecting me and I learned how to enjoy and live the life. Just have fun and try to do as much as you can. So at the end of my trip I couldnt wait for finally jumping out of a plane! I love the Kiwi way of life and hope that I can keep it for me as Long as possible!

First we stayed on a quite small Dairy Farm in Dargaville. There were a wife with her husband, a daughter and Harley the dog. The work on the farm was very and there was always something to do. We were allowed to drive this little vehicle (polaris) to reach the workplace.
Once we had to clean the trughs which was quite disgusting because of all the weed and little insects inside. So we took the polaris to get to all the 50 paddoks and when we nearly finished this job and wanted to go to the last paddok which was so far away from the house and everything, the polaris just stopped and we couldn't move it any further. So we had to WALK all the was back and then it just began to rain so that was so funny!