Program Reviews

I had the incredible opportunity to intern in Medellín, Colombia through Intern Colombia, and it was an experience I’ll always cherish! The city itself is lively and full of energy, with breathtaking views, warm people, and a culture that’s both exciting and welcoming. Intern Colombia made the entire process seamless, always checking in to ensure my internship was going well and providing support whenever needed. Whether it was answering questions, offering guidance, or simply making sure I was comfortable in my new environment, their team was an amazing resource and could be easily accessible through WhatsApp.

Beyond the professional aspect, the day trips organized by Intern Colombia allowed me to explore even more of the country, making every weekend an adventure. One of my favorite parts of the program was the bi-weekly salsa classes and watching the Copa America games while eating dinner—not only were they fun, but they also helped me immerse myself in the local culture in an interactive and engaging way!

I traveled to Bogota Colombia to participate in the Intern Colombia program in 2024 and I had the absolute best time! The city was beautiful with rich culture, art, and food.

The team at Intern Colombia is extremely reliable, anything I needed, and I mean anything was provided for. Mathew (the director) was always available to help me adjust to life in Bogota, whether it be recommending exciting activities for me, offering life advice, or helping me communicate with the locals. Sometimes it can be scary to venture out to an unfamiliar place but Mathew and his team do everything in their power to make sure the experience is as smooth as possible so that the memories you make are nothing but enriching and fulfilling!

I recently completed a six-week internship in Medellín, Colombia, and it was an incredibly enriching experience. The city's vibrant culture, combined with the warm and welcoming people I met through Intern Colombia, made every moment enjoyable and memorable. From exploring the colorful neighborhoods to participating in local festivals, the experience was both professionally and personally rewarding. The connections I made and the skills I gained have left a lasting impact, and I would do it again without hesitation!

Intern Colombia with Matthew as our program coordinator in Bogotá was a great experience! Staying in Colombia for 2.5 months was a transformative experience as I immersed myself in a new culture, made lasting friendships, and even learned Spanish! While the housing situation differs for each student, my group from UCLA lived in CityU. I believe its central location and student life played a large part in feeling safe during my stay (so try to be placed there ;). My advice when matching with internships is to really know what you want and convey your wants clearly to Matthew. Learn as much as you can about the different companies and what your role will be to make an informed decision. Matthew is very generous, culturally knowledgeable, and gave us the best well-rounded experience. However, managing multiple students is a hefty responsibility. I will add that they could use some help or improvement in understanding student needs and treating student problems as their own. I definitely recommend the program!!

I had only studied international development issues in class at university, but I luckily I got my first opportunity to really work with those issues in-field during my time working with Sistema B, an ESG-focused nonprofit that Intern Colombia matched me with. From this experience, I was able to really determine what I liked and didn't like, and it honestly pushed me forward to the path that I'm embarking on now— participating in the project management of financial inclusion initiatives to support smallholder farmers, women, and other underrepresented groups in Latin America! Intern Colombia, I'd say, was my trigger to really start a career in international development.

I've really enjoyed my entire experience here, both during my work and outside it as well. I've had so many cultural experiences that I couldn't get if I hadn't come here and they've definitely broadened my horizons. I feel like my perspective on things such as poverty has become more worldly after getting to experience it firsthand. I've also had a lot of fun at work, getting to learn some new skills (such as learning about how their blockchain works and learning to write code/communicate with other people about it in a professional environment) and also getting to meet a lot of super nice people. I've really enjoyed the culture especially here in Medellín where the people are often more laid back and super friendly! That warmness is something I'll be taking with me wherever I go because it really goes a long way to helping me feel welcome here.

The one thing I would complain about is how unresponsive and disorganized the administration of Intern Colombia can be - getting a response out of Matthew could take several repeated emails and weeks. He didn't even send us the information packet with a lot of important info until the day before we arrived here. He has also provided the interns with inaccurate or incomplete information several times. Luckily, Natalia in Medellín is an excellent on-field program coordinator, so she became our main point of contact for anything Intern Colombia-related

I really loved the program and thought that it was smoothly run. I don't think I could've gotten this experience elsewhere. It was a very unique internship that I ever thought that I would complete. Also, I really liked the engagement from the Intern Colombia team, because they constantly checked in on me and helped me throughout the selection process. Very much enjoyed my experience-- it was with BritCham Colombia, which is a very cool organization to work for. Also got to improve my Spanish a bit. Thank you Intern Colombia!

My time with Intern Colombia was one I will never forget as I have acquired skills and knowledge that will guide my career and personal life to success. This opportunity added value to my career as it helped me find the job that I wish to pursue in my field, and I felt like I made a positive impact as well. Everyone at Intern Colombia is so friendly and willing to help, I am grateful for my time with them! I recommend to anyone who is seeking to expand their knowledge of Colombia and engage with the culture.

This was such a phenomenal experience. Intern Colombia guided me through the interview process to land me this internship with a Colombian think tank. I gained valuable intercultural communication skills and international research experience. This was a great opportunity that allowed me to network, find my voice as a researcher, and get published as an undergraduate. On top of all this, I solidified my spanish language skills and interacted with native speakers on a daily basis! What a great experience!

I was going to be in Colombia this summer, however my universities COVID restrictions prevented that. Intern Colombia made my virtual internship a great experience. They listened to what I was passionate and interested in learning about and matched me perfectly with a non-profit in Medellín. I was able to gain a better understanding of fundraising and non-profit operations from an international standpoint. Intern Colombia also always checked up on me, making sure my experience was the best, despite not being able to attend in person. I would definitely recommend this experience!