Intern Abroad HQ

Program Reviews

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Sydney
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Highlight of academic and personal growth

Interning with Intern abroad HQ has been one of the highlights of my life thus far. I felt well prepared before traveling to the country of my placement, Tanzania, thanks to the staff that was readily available to answer any questions or provide support. The placement itself was absolutely incredible. I never felt unsafe or unsupported throughout the duration of my experience. The local team was kind, humorous, and genuinely really good people, whom I will remain thankful for in years to come. I can not recommend this experience with Intern Abroad HQ enough, as I have gained invaluable hands-on experience, had immense personal growth, and made friendships that will last a lifetime.

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Barbara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

GIS and Conservation - exceptional support and priceless memories!

My experience with Intern Abroad HQ was truly special. From the moment I applied, their team was incredibly supportive. They guided me through every step, from securing my GIS and Conservation internship to my arrival logistics and journey, making the process smooth and stress-free. Once at the Gondwana Game Reserve (South Africa), I fully immersed myself in the conservation work with the local team. During my stay at Gondwana, the hands-on experience in data collection, game transects, vegetation surveys, and bird point counts was invaluable, and I was able to develop my GIS skills and complete a research report at the end. I had never had such close encounters with wild animals. I also forged beautiful friendships and connections for the duration of my stay. Overall, I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to learn and grow professionally and personally, make priceless memories, and enjoy the most beautiful sunsets while gaining invaluable experiences!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
One of my favorite memories from the program happened on one of my last drives before leaving Gondwana. That morning, we left camp with the local team, intending to find the elephants for the Elephant Reintegration Trust project and collect some data on them.
Although we struggled to find them for quite a while, we had the most incredible sightings of animals. Behind our truck, we suddenly spotted the male lion and his sister walking past our truck and chasing elands. That same day, we also saw many giraffes and some of my favorite birds, including the African Hoopoe, the francolin, and the hammerkop. Then, on our way back to camp, we had our closest encounter with hippos, as we found them sunbathing outside the pond. It was a truly special and moving moment for me.
Pros
  • Supportive and friendly staff.
  • Immersive experiences with a strong community emphasis.
  • Close encounters with wildlife.
Cons
  • Very cold weather if you go during winter.
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Kanyada
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Intern Abroad HQ - Great Experience!

Intern Abroad HQ was an engaging and affordable program. Throughout the process of the internship, they ensured participants were supported by staff members. The internship placements themselves were flexible and facilitated the cultural growth and awareness of participants. Not to mention, the accommodations were excellent. Overall, I was able to enjoy livening in the city, gain knowledge of the culture, and establish connections with the locals who I worked with. I would recommend this internship to anyone!!

Pros
  • Flexible
  • Affordable
  • Growth facilitator
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Karsika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Transformative and Enriching Internship Experience with Intern Abroad HQ

I recently completed a medical internship with Intern Abroad HQ and had an exceptional experience that exceeded all my expectations. From the initial application process to the completion of my placement, the support and guidance provided by Intern Abroad HQ were outstanding. The staff was incredibly helpful and responsive, ensuring that all my questions were answered and that I felt prepared for my journey.
The internship placement itself was well-organized and tailored to my academic and professional goals. I had the opportunity to work in a dynamic and supportive environment that allowed me to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, significantly enhancing my skills and confidence.
I highly recommend their programs to anyone looking to gain valuable professional experience, develop cross-cultural competencies, and make lasting memories. Intern Abroad HQ truly provides a comprehensive and enriching internship experience that prepares individuals for future academic and career success.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Seeing flamenco in Spain was an amazing experience. The lively music, rhythmic clapping, and expressive dance created a powerful atmosphere full of passion and emotion. It was a glimpse into Spain's rich culture that left a lasting impression on me.
Pros
  • Amazing food
  • Safe city
  • Easily accessible public transport
Cons
  • Language barrier
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Abbas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A wonderful experience to pursue your aspirations!

I've had an amazing experience with InternHQ, providing an excellent service that has enabled me to pursue my field of specialty. My local team ensured my accommodation and arrival was smooth whilst answering any questions I had along the way. During my internship, I had met new friends from all over the world through placements and the fantastic activities and classes provided throughout the duration. There were challenges along the way for example, language barriers and adjusting to a new environment with unfamiliar faces however the local team ensured you are never left alone and guide you along the way to give you the best experience possible. I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Hiking to Bolbaites near Valencia, Spain. This was something out of my comfort zone however the other intern students I met through this program aided me and guided me to reaching this destination with ease. This was a once in a lifetime experience!
Pros
  • Meeting other students around the world
  • Having Paella by the sea
  • Gaining valuable experience from my work placement
Cons
  • Not doing the placement for longer
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Stephen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Internship in Dublin, Ireland

My experience was very beneficial to my career and life as a whole. I learned more than I thought I could've learned in the world of business and sales. Ireland is a beautiful country with great people. My coordinator and local team did a fantastic job at helping me and supporting me with the internship and any questions I had about it. The company and the host family were great and treated me well. I would highly recommend this internship in Dublin to everyone. I would 100% visit Ireland again.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take advantage of every opportunity you have. Whether that be at your company or as a traveler. In terms of work, this is a time to grow your career and knowledge. So don't be shy and take everything they give you. In terms of traveling, Ireland is a beautiful country and you should take advantage of your off days to travel and explore the many amazing sights all over the Island. Luckily, everything in Ireland is within a few hours of each other, so traveling the country is easy.
Pros
  • English Speaking
  • Easy to travel/navigate
  • Very nice & accommodating people
Cons
  • Weather
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Griffin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience!

My internship through Intern Abroad was a truly rewarding experience. I gained valuable knowledge and skills while contributing to a meaningful organization. I really appreciated the supportive and collaborative work environment at the organization and I felt encouraged to ask questions and take on new challenges. I would definitely recommend this internship to anyone interested in microfinance or community banking projects in the development space. The support from Intern Abroad was exceptionally and I would highly recommend them.

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India
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

GIS in Gondwana

I have just returned from the best 6 weeks in Gondwana Game Reserve (South Africa) completing the 'GIS and Reserve Management' internship, run by Intern Abroad HQ and Wildlife Ecological Investments (WEI). During my time in Gondwana, I gained valuable insight into how conservation practices work within a reserve, I have developed my GIS mapping skills to new levels via a lecture series and research report, and also improved my cultural awareness and communication skills in a mixed- nationality camp. On top of this, I have come away with some amazing memories and close up animal experiences. The highlight of my trip would have to be the sunset drives every Sunday, where we drive to a viewpoint and watch the African sun setting over Gondwana's beautifully hilly landscape. It was an unforgettable experience, and I would recommend this internship to anyone who wants to learn or improve their GIS mapping skills, and is passionate about applying this in a conservation setting.

What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment would have to be:
We were out on the car one day collecting game data, and it was an extremely hot day. The game route we were taking happened to pass the volunteer wild swimming spot that we sometimes use. The field coordinator recognised that we were all very hot in the back of the car and let us jump into the swimming spot in all of our clothes, spontaneously, in between data collection. This was funny as the water source had recently been used by the elephants, and we came out covered in elephant muck! But it was great fun.
Pros
  • Close wild animal encounters.
  • Sunny weather.
  • Friendly staff.
Cons
  • Lots of spiders.
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James
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An enjoyable and enlightening experience

I'm writing this 4 months into my 6 months on the Sustainable Business and Environmental Tourism Internship in Quepos, Costa Rica and I can safely say I've made the best choice I could have. The internship has been really interesting and I've been supported well throughout. Intern Abroad provide weekly reflection reviews for the first 12 weeks which really make the experience useful in developing my own professional skills. On arrival, travel was arranged for me and the accommodation has been fantastic throughout with lovely food. I feel like I've really immersed myself in the culture and helped make a difference to the company while learning a bit more about the business practices needed for a charity.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I'm doing my best to immerse myself into the culture and my home stay mother has really helped me with that by giving us a typical Costa Rican meal for breakfast and dinner very often. Upon learning I was keen to try everything, she made me cow's tongue or "lengua" for dinner one night to try. I ended up really enjoying it as well!
Pros
  • Beautiful wildlife
  • A lovely team around you with many other interns to socialize with
  • A chance to practise your spanish (a lot of people speak english too so you won't get too stuck)
Cons
  • Costa Rica is quite expensive
  • There isn't a lot of nightlife if you're looking for that kind of thing
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Ashley
2/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Not what was advertised

The internship was advertised as educational with conservation opportunities. That is not at all what I got. It was a scuba diving vacation with no other structured activities and all the other interns got drunk every night of the week. All optional activities costed lots of money and if you didn’t want to pay for it you sat at home bored. There was not much to do in camp and not much to do in the small town we were located in. The internship description said they provided food (which they did) but it was so basic I couldn’t even make a legit meal out of the ingredients.The company that hosted the internship in country forced me to pay a lot of extra money upon arrival for things which were not disclosed beforehand. I felt like it was a waste of time and money and do not recommend.

Pros
  • Learn to scuba dive
  • Cool way to see South Africa
Cons
  • No education or conservation efforts
  • No structured or organized activities other than scuba diving with no purpose
  • I was charged extra money upon arrival that was not disclosed beforehand
Response from Intern Abroad HQ

Dear Ashley,

Thank you for taking the time to share feedback. We are sorry to hear that you do not recommend this program. We always encourage participants to please contact us at any time throughout their experience if dissatisfaction is being experienced. Likewise, the onsite staff members and supervisors greatly appreciate feedback in real-time, as they're in a position to provide immediate support and guidance.

The scuba diving internship program is designed to be entry-level, tailored towards providing young people with PADI dive tuition and an introduction to Indian Ocean marine ecology (via online training presentations). Diving activities throughout the year are always subject to weather and seasonal conditions. Outside of this Monday-Friday schedule, interns have free time (including free time on weekends) and are free to independently plan their own leisure and tourism activities.

For this program, a cook prepares dinners at the camp, Monday through Friday. Participants are free to prepare their own meals outside of this service, utilizing food which is provided for this purpose (particular dietary requirements must be communicated in advance). Sodwana Bay is a small coastal town and there is access to restaurants, cafes, and other facilities which people are free to access at their leisure.

I understand that during your stay, there were some group activities arranged, such as the Kosi Bay Day Trip and various art/craft sessions. Participation is always optional and our Program Guide, which interns receive in advance, provides guidance concerning free time, meals, and personal spending budgets.

I remain available to discuss your experience directly and address any outstanding questions which may have arisen, so you are welcome to contact me.

Kind regards,
Karen - South Africa Program Manager
karen@internhq.com