Program Reviews

I had planned on going to Colombia over the summer, but due to the guidelines around Covid-19 I wasn't able to travel. Intern Colombia helped me adapt my plans and start a remote internship. During the ever-changing Covid-19 situation, they did a great job of communicating consistently and keeping me updated with their plans. They matched me with an awesome organization that's helping me get the exact type of work experience I was looking for and have been checking in to make sure everything is going well. Even though it's remote, they have been organizing virtual cultural events to build community and ensure the experience is as great as it can be. Definitely recommend!

Taking classes at La Javeriana, having an internship with a nonprofit which allowed me to help and teach baseball to children all across the country, as well as creating friendships I'll maintain for the rest of my life. These are just a few of the things I got out of my program with Intern Colombia. They helped manage and set up the best 3 months of my life, and something I will reminisce upon for years to come. I hope to make it back to Colombia sometime in the coming years to not only meet up with old friends, but to explore even more of the beautiful country that is Colombia.

I went to Bogotá to complete a 12-week internship on my Year Abroad as part of my degree at university, and it was by far one of the best experiences of my life.
I had never been to South America before so it was difficult to know what to expect, but Matt and the Intern Colombia team made the transition much easier from the start. Being met at the airport straight away made me feel more at ease, and ensured a positive start to my stay. Even though I already spoke a lot of Spanish at the time, it is always nice to be met by an English speaker to help you to settle in.
The opportunity to complete an internship in such a different environment is one that I can recommend to anybody, which I have done consistently. As the internship was part of my degree, my main goal was to improve my Spanish ability, and being in a working environment is by far the best way to do this. Having to use my Spanish in work situations really pushed me, and being in an office surrounded by Colombians and other South Americans gave me exposure that wouldn't have been possible if I had just taught English.
My internship was with Mi Águila, a corporate taxi startup. Everyone at the company was so friendly and helpful, and it was a great environment to work in. The Spanish in the office was often difficult to understand and I spent quite a few lunches sitting there quite confused, but by the end, this had worked wonders for my Spanish, and the experience is probably a key reason why I now run a company which provides Spanish lessons for people who want to travel to Spanish-speaking countries - I want people to have the same experience that I did.
Intern Colombia provided experiences throughout my stay that added to my amazing experience. From the Bogotá city tour, to going to watch a Copa Libertadores match live in a stadium in Bogotá, to the socials, my experience was made varied and fulfilling - by organising all of the aspects of these things, the team made everything so easy. I would have felt much less confident trying to organise going to a football match myself and would have potentially missed out on this experience had it not been for the team sorting everything out.
One thing that really drew me to Intern Colombia in the first place was the affordability of the programme compared to some of the other internship programmes out there. Despite being so affordable, you're not at all sold short, and for everything I got out of the programme I would have been happy to pay a lot more than this. The team really always have your best interests at heart and do everything they can to make sure you make the most of your time.
If it's not clear already, anybody who is thinking of travelling to Colombia/ doing an internship in Latin America should strongly consider Intern Colombia!

Thanks to the InternColombia I had an opportunity to find internship in Colombia. It was my the most incredible time. Amazing adventures and friendships for life. From the very beginning, also during internship and at the end I could get support and help at all time. This was very important because I finished my work during dificult time of coronavirus. InternColombia is very professional organization. I recommend it to everyone who dreams of meeting Colombian culture and at the same time gains work experience.

In the summer of 2018, I completed an internship with Intern Colombia when I worked at Fundación para la reconciliación, a local NGO based in Colombia's capital, Bogotá. While there, I was able to greatly improve my Spanish skills as all the work was completed in Spanish. I really learned a lot about the local communities in Fontibón, a neighborhood in Bogotá, and I met so many new people through this internship. I do not think that all the internships require knowledge of Spanish, however.

Throughout my internship, I stayed in a shared house of about 40 people (housing was provided by Intern Colombia). These people were other Intern Colombia interns working with various companies and NGOs in Bogotá and also exchange students from around Latin America. I met so many new people there, and there was plenty of time to socialize and experience the nightlife. If you stay there you will have to share the house with many other people, but it's definitely a good arrangement because you get to meet so many people from so many different countries. Plus, I had a single room for when I wanted to be alone.

It's also pretty safe in Bogotá provided you avoid certain areas and exercise reasonable caution when going out at night. Compared with the US and Europe, Colombia has very cheap living costs, and you can enjoy all sorts of local food like bandeja paisa and arepas. Go have a great experience with Intern Colombia, and to top it all off, Intern Colombia is much cheaper than its competitors.

I was introduced to Intern Colombia (I.C.) through my university's study abroad program and working with them easily became my most rewarding collegiate experience. During my 10 week study abroad in Bogotá, I.C. opened the door for professional opportunities with Fundación Tiempo de Juego, provided incredible cultural immersions that displayed the diverse history of not only Bogotá but Colombia as a whole, and gave me the best international family I could have ever asked for.

Through all of my fears and hesitations, the I.C. team was there every step of the way to reassure me and provide support in a completely foreign environment from housing to navigation to life lessons. I.C. did all they could to help me flourish as a global citizen.

I spent 10 weeks doing an internship in Human Rights and Childcare and it was the best time of my life. I felt like I was actually learning and being helpful to the kids at the Fundación. Intern Colombia did a great job of pairing with a place that met all my needs and provide me with great connections.

I am thankful for the people I met through the program and the activities and trips we had that allowed us to explore Colombia even more and get to know other people.

The place stayed at for three months was great too. I was nervous at first because of the commute from my place to my internship was long and it was in a very different neighborhood. But in the end, it was one of my favorite things because it allowed me to explore more, learn to really take public transportation (which I think it's crazy but good haha).

Be open to new experiences, and meeting new people. Feeling a bit uncomfortable at first is good, you can learn a lot not only about yourself but your surroundings and a different culture.

Intern Colombia helped me secure an internship with a national nonprofit that works with communities to build homes for families in extreme poverty, and improve public spaces such as schools, sports fields, and outdoor gardens. As an urban planning major, I was excited about the opportunity to work alongside social workers and civil engineers in the communities. I also worked closely with the Commercial Lead in the office. Having studied Spanish for two years in University and during study abroad in Mexico, it was also very rewarding to work and converse in Spanish (still learning!).

Intern Colombia also found me housing with other local students, and offered summer programming including a long weekend at a pool house in Anapoima with other international interns! Don't be a tourist, be a traveler. This is an amazing opportunity to form genuine connections and gain work experience abroad.

TECHO is an amazing organization that strives to eradicate poverty in Latin America. Throughout my time interning for TECHO, I had the opportunity to work with others interns from around the world, take on new projects and even help build a house in the communas of Bogotá. This was, in my opinion, the best part of the internship because I got to see how the other citizens of Bogotá live. The communas lie on the periphery of the city, so it was truly another world away from the epicenter. The family we helped was very grateful to us for what we were doing and the community itself was extremely happy we were there and they even helped us in the building process. It was a truly wonderful opportunity to get to know so many new people and work with others.

Colombia is a country with everything to offer and open arms for any visitor. My 2 month experience in Colombia, without a doubt, came at the perfect time in my life. As a 19 year old Intern, there was a risk before I went that I was undertaking this opportunity too soon, however these doubts have since never crossed my mind. Throughout my placement with Fundación Colombianitos, my responsibilities were that of any adult and my tasks were meaningful in the progression towards constructing peace in this country. It is undoubtably work which I can apply to my university degree and future employment.

However, this experience will stick in my memory for a long time thanks to the efforts made and enjoyment provided by the team at Intern Colombia. The chemistry and comfort between the team and the interns working in Bogotá at the time could not have been stronger, and I would recommend Intern Colombia to any future applicants, as they did all that they promised and more.