Program Reviews

Living abroad in Dublin was an incredible, life-changing experience. I spent three months there, but it was so hard to leave at the end, that I wish I could have stayed longer. The whole experience was very smooth right from the beginning. Connect-123 found me the perfect internship, performing research on the childhood cancer neuroblastoma at the University College Dublin. I didn’t have a whole lot of research experience before arriving, but everyone there was so friendly and willing to teach me, that I learned so much more than I could have imagined and feel more prepared for a future career in medicine.

In addition to exploring Dublin, I was able to travel around Ireland and other European countries. The scenery was so spectacular that I literally had to pinch myself to know it was real. Coming from Chicago, Dublin was a smaller city, but its charm and friendly people made me feel so at home. It has a rich history, great nightlife, and there was always something new to do and see. The Connect-123 events helped me get acclimated to the city as well as meet some great, life-long friends that I still keep in touch with. This was absolutely the experience of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to go back. I would recommend this internship and the opportunity to travel to Dublin to anyone and everyone!

I am so grateful for the experience I had in Cape Town, South Africa with Connect-123. The time I spent there has absolutely changed the way I look at the world. Connect-123 made sure all the interns were getting the most out of their experiences, starting with making sure all the interns were in a placement with a host organization that would help them grow. Honestly, my favorite part my time abroad was working with my internship because it really complemented my interests and was tailored to my skills set. I spent my time in Cape Town working with a non-profit company with grant-writing and economic development proposals. I also was able to spend a fair amount of time doing field research collecting data in the townships which was extremely eye opening. At the beginning of my time in Cape Town, I thought I would become a Certified Public Accountant after graduation. However after my internship in Cape Town, I am so inspired to continue in the field of economic development that I was exposed to in South Africa.

I continue to stay in contact with my coworkers and South African friends. I really feel that Connect-123 personalized my entire experience and made sure that I left the country with complete appreciation for the culture and so much that the country as to offer.

As a social sciences student i found it hard to find internships in my field. Being an active person I really wanted something "out of the office" and connect-123 has been able to offer me several options and I managed to do exactly what I wanted. During four months I interned in an Association helping people with AIDS in Barcelona where I had the opportunity to work alongside a team of devoted people eager to help those in need and also live in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The organizers of the internship were extremely helpful by giving information about the city and tips,organizing meetings between interns and events! It was an amazing experience and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an organized work/traveling experience!

Ireland was part of my bucket list: a place I had dreamed of visiting. I got the opportunity to not only experience the rich culture, but do so while completing a fantastic internship with a local newspaper through Connect 123. The friendly people and amazing scenery added to this experience; one that I will never forget and one that I will cherish for years to come.

It was incredible to get the opportunity to write for a local newspaper and get my articles published. My work environment was truly great and I loved going to work each day. I learnt a lot and was treated like a real journalist, as I was given my own stories and interviews; all of which will be a beneficial addition to my portfolio.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the great team at Connect 123. They were able to place me in the internship and help with accommodation. They were always there if I needed anything and they also organised a great summer program involving all interns which enabled us all to get to know people from all over the world and create new friends.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Connect 123’s Dublin internships to anyone. You are able to gain important hands on experience in your chosen career while also having the flexibility to experience the lifestyle and culture of another country.

I had a great experience in Dublin! It was nice to be picked up at the airport and have an orientation of the vital information that is needed when traveling abroad! It was also great to get to know people that were traveling to the same place. We first connected over Facebook and than we planned activities when we got to Dublin.

I've been lucky enough to travel a great deal in my life, but can honestly say that Cape Town was the first destination abroad where I've ever felt like I never had to leave. It's an absolutely magical city, with fantastic weather, beautiful and friendly people, a wealth of things to do and one of the most fantastic settings that I've ever seen. I was there for six months, and rarely a day went by without going out into the city and exploring a new neighborhood or finding a cool bar or restaurant!

Additionally, choosing to do an internship in Cape Town through Connect-123 rather than independently vastly opened up my experience of South Africa. First of all, the apartment complex that I lived in, Perspectives, was located smack in the middle of the city center, walking distance from the majority of the city's restaurants, bars, and tourist attractions. Any place I couldn't reach easily by walking was at most a 3-6 dollar cab ride away! Additionally, the group outings that Connect organized both made it extremely easy to make friends from practically the moment I set foot in the city and made visiting the various attractions outside of the city - Garden Route, Cape Point, wine tastings, etc - much easier to plan.

Finally - and perhaps most importantly - the internship that Connect set me up with was absolutely FANTASTIC! I worked at a social enterprise whose mission was to plant trees in undergreened areas of southern Africa and to incite a more inclusive and popular environmental movement in the region. The organization regularly planted trees in Cape Town schools and organized activations to raise green awareness, such as free yoga on the Sea Point Promenade, giving away seedlings, and riding bikes to promote alternative transportation in a very car-dependent city. My role at the organization was as a social media and communications intern - I ran the Facebook, helped with events management, marketed to various media sources around the city, and performed a variety of other tasks that never failed to keep me busy. Additionally, I accompanied the organization to Livingstone, Zambia - home of Victoria Falls! - to plant 5000 trees in the country more plagued by deforestation than any other in southern Africa. Finally, one of my bosses was one of the most famous musicians in South Africa, so I regularly got to attend concerts for free and help out with selling merchandise and the like.

Overall, I had an absolutely magical time with Connect-123 and my internship in South Africa, and can't wait to return!

This is one of the best opportunities I could have ever asked for. My internship was a dream. It allowed me to do what I loved, reconnect with a part of my life that I had let go of, and immerse myself in the local culture. I felt like I lived there with traveling to and from work and walking around. I enjoyed the drinks nights with the interns because everyone has a different experience and it was great to see all of the different perspectives. The highlights of my trips were my internship, going to the a rugby match, and just hanging out in general. I cannot think of a single day in which I was unhappy. I had such an amazing time.

Choosing Connect-123 to help me find an internship abroad was the best decision I could have ever made. From the first e-mail I sent inquiring more about the company and what it offered, I was constantly and quickly assisted by the program staff who worked extremely hard to find me the perfect internship. I had the rare opportunity to work in a developing web start-up in beautiful Barcelona and gained international business experience that I personally think is more valuable than an internship I otherwise would have held in the states.

Aside from my highly rewarding work experience, I also was able to learn and grow so much under Connect's support--from planning festive, cultural activities around Barcelona to telling us about the more underground, local offerings of the city, I was able to leave my summer in Spain feeling as though I truly had found a new home.

I definitely recommend Connect for anyone looking to have a life-changing time spent abroad, and I guarantee you will have an unforgettable experience!

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to work as an intern for a non-governmental organization with the primary goal of improving the quality of life of people affected with HIV/AIDS. Because my future professional goals are set within the medical field, this internship was the perfect fit to help me gain more of an understanding of the field I am so interested in. It helped me understand the differences between the health care system within the United States as well as Spain. It also helped me gain a better understanding of Spain's HIV community and commonalities when working with the group affected by the disease.

Interning abroad has always been one of my dreams in life, and when I heard of this program I immediately decided to investigate to find out more information. Working with Connect-123 was a great experience and I would recommend them in a heartbeat! They were always there to help and always found ways to make our living in a new country as easy as possible. I enjoyed the weekly events planned by Connect-123, which made it easier to become immersed in this new culture. Connect-123 is definitely the way to go!"

Paula and Katie were amazing mentors throughout the entire process! They helped me find a wonderful internship, found a beautiful place for me to live, and checked in on me to make sure I was doing well. I strongly recommend Connect 123, their staff is unparalleled!