Program Reviews

My time spent abroad on my placement in Dinokeng, South Africa was one of the most rewarding experiences I could have asked for. I spent 8 weeks on a beautiful game reserve, and I did not once feel alone or unwelcome. Everyone is kind and welcoming getting there, and all your questions beforehand will quickly be answered by Intern Abroad. Highly recommend, I will cherish my time from this summer forever.

My experience through Intern HQ was wonderful! I interned for 6 weeks in Cusco at a local clinic, with the Physician’s Assistant Internship. The entire process, from application to completion, was smooth and understandable, and I knew that I had support with my internship the entire time. I learned so much in Peru and got so many opportunities to develop personally and professionally. Getting to practice my Spanish in a medical context and meeting people from all over the world were added benefits! It was really great to be able to experience a foreign environment in a safe and unique manner. It was really interesting to see how healthcare worked in Peru, and the internship lined up with my career goal of being a pediatrician. I worked from Monday through Friday from 8-12 or 1, and the rest of the time, I was free to explore Cusco and hang out with different people that I had met through volunteering dinners and the various activities of the week. Intern HQ provided me with an invaluable experience that I will always treasure.

If I were to describe my Media internship in Greece in two words it would be - 'valuable experience'. It gave me everything I needed in a way I did not expect.

I applied for my internship about six months before the departure date and throughout this whole time, I've been in contact with Dallas Boyd from Intern Abroad who has been a huge support and patiently answered all my questions and made sure I was prepared to leave.

I came to Greece with a lot of expectations about how will it work and was originally disappointed with the reality. However, it turned out to be a benefit because I had to learn how to adjust and mainly how to work independently which I'm certain will be useful in the future. Archipelagos are a very friendly organization who are doing an amazing work and I felt proud to be part of them even for just 4 weeks. I came to Archipelagos to specialize in Photography and boost my portfolio with wildlife and nature images but I ended up doing much more than that. I got to document all the amazing surveys other people were doing which helped me learn more about conservation etc. I photographed dissections going on in the lab which has definitely been a new experience for me. I edited a video for Archipelagos and I helped improve their website and reorganize their image library. I felt like I was really making a difference and getting experience in my field which was the whole point of the internship.

I'm very grateful that Intern Abroad are making these internships affordable and helped me get the experience I needed. I would definitely consider this organization if I were to do some other internship in the future.

I spent 6 weeks interning at an NGO in San Ramón, Costa Rica. The work was challenging yet very rewarding and fostered spiritual, professional, and personal growth. I am so appreciative to have had this amazing opportunity and to have met such fantastic people. The memories made and the life lessons that I acquired will remain with me forever. I really enjoyed staying with a host family. This helped me to work more on my Spanish and become further acquainted with the culture. By the end of my time in Costa Rica, my host family became a second family to me. I would make the decision to intern through Intern Abroad HQ a million times over. Signing up is a very easy and organized process and the organization provides amazing support before, during and even after your time interning.

My two month public health internship in Cape Town, South Africa was unique, adventurous, and unforgettable. I made a significant impact in the health field at my internship location during the day and experience the beauty of South Africa during the rest of the day/weekends. My accommodations were a one minute walk from town, which allowed me to maximize everyday enjoyment in the city. It was convenient living near the grocery store, coffee shops, the local bar/pub, clothing stores, and restaurants. I followed all safety procedures and did not experience unfortunate events. The assurance of safety allowed me to enjoy activities in the city, such as hiking table mountain, shopping at the water front, watch the sunset with friends, wine tasting, swimming at camps bay, and dancing on Long Street. I also met a lot of other international students and local students that accompanied me during my activities. My new friends made every event unforgettable and left unique memories. I also went on adventures that I have never done at my home country such as shark diving, go on a safari, pet a cheetah, bungee jumping off the world’s tallest bungee jump bridge, tandem paragliding, and kayaking. It’s amazing how much I was able to accomplish while working an 8-4 job. This was truly an experience of a life time.

I was looking to go abroad over the summer in between years in college and after much searching, Intern Abroad HQ's opportunities had much lower prices than any other organization. Once I inquired about the Physician Assistant Internship in Cusco, it was very easy to communicate with them any questions or concerns I had before I decided to commit. Once committed to go for three weeks in May, they sent a helpful packet that's easy to navigate and told me exactly what I needed to do and have before departure. They gave me info on where I was living and where the project coordinators were located. Once I got in country, I was picked up by my host mother right outside the airport and taken to my homestay. I had my own room and bathroom despite living with 2 other interns which was nice and my host family was super friendly and welcoming. The food seemed pretty repetitive day to day but given that three meals a day were included in the price and I could simply tell my host I'd eat out instead, I couldn't complain. The first day of work I was taken to Proyecto Peru, the local internship and volunteer organization, by my host mom and introduced to the project coordinators who then took me to my project location, a nearby health center. It was really nice because I happened to live within walking distance of Proyecto Peru, my project site, and the historical center of Cusco. I ended up working in the laboratory of the health center for my three weeks there analyzing patients' blood, urine, and stool. Not at all what I expected going into this but it did give me the necessary patient experience I needed to make it to a PA program one day so it was totally worth it. The laboratory workers were super friendly and talking with them really helped improve my Spanish. I worked Monday through Friday 8-12, which I really liked because it gave me plenty of time during the afternoon and weekends to be a tourist and absorb the culture of Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Proyecto Peru offered many opportunities for interns to socialize Tuesday and Thursday nights so I got really close to all of them and those that I lived with. The only troubles during my time there were dealing with the lack of heating in buildings despite temperatures falling below freezing at night and the lack of running water 24/7 as the city shuts it off during some hours of the night. Other than those issues though it was a very good experience for the price and definitely a great resume builder. I wish I could've stayed in Cusco longer!

My experience with Intern Abroad HQ was nothing less than amazing. It was an eye opening and life-changing experience for me. Going into the program I had originally planned on volunteering but when I heard you could intern I realized I wanted to do that instead. My plan is to go into Occupational Therapy and this internship was the perfect opportunity and experience for that. Working with underprivileged children and learning disabilities was something I haven’t done before. Seeing how happy they were to be shown love and support from not only the therapist but other volunteers and interns like myself, was a great feeling. Of course, there were some difficult times while I was there, such as communication and transportation because they are much different than what I am used to from back home. However, if you aren’t a little uncomfortable while traveling in another country and immersing yourself in another culture then you wouldn’t be doing it right  It can be scary and overwhelming but what you learn and who you meet in the end is so worth it! I highly suggest working with Intern HQ and gaining the knowledge and amazing experiences in another culture!

Before learning about Intern Abroad HQ, I'd spent time volunteering with their sister organization, International Volunteer HQ. While in Guatemala for 6 weeks, I was able to combine my work on the program with Intern Abroad HQ's experiential learning program. I've been inclined to keep travel journals in the past, but the guidance provided through the Intern Abroad HQ program really helped to provide structure and insight. Although there were challenges with being in a foreign country, and it especially took some time adjusting to differences (such as a second language, different home-stay environment, etc) the reflections provided by Intern Abroad HQ on things like culture, communication, problem-solving and expectations helped me to adapt and think outside the box.
I'd recommend that other people consider giving these programs a go!