Although I initially had issues with getting the type of internship that I signed up for, my experience once I was there was great - the housing was nice and close to work, the dinners were great and organized, and all of the on-site Beyond staff were amazing! They were accessible and genuinely friendly, and I was pleasantly surprised with how involved they were in social events, ensuring that everyone felt welcomed. I made lifelong friends through beyond and had a blast exploring the city and living with them.
I recommend the program to those looking for a way to go abroad with secure housing and a social community while getting some work experience. I do wish that I had some more internship options and more support from Beyond during that initial process, but it is pretty case by case and I ended up very happy with my experience. If you are more of a solo traveler who is more interested in the work than the social experience than I think finding an internship and accommodation on your own will be more worth the buck.
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Don’t pack too much!!! Most people in my program (myself included) ended up buying clothes and trinkets there and had to ship items back home which is not cheap:( we all regretted bringing too many clothes to japan.