This Winter, Intern Abroad!

The semester is at its dusk and another college year just gazed by, as we kept running from classes to cafeterias. This fall, plans are at its draft, not yet sure where to go or what to do. Last summer, my media internship although sounded fascinating turned out to be a trailer of the nine to five life, I most dread. At the end of the day if you have a clue where the past twenty four hours led you towards then the day you spent was worth its time.

One of the most lucrative attractions during your college days can be than one internship you do abroad. With correct planning and spot on decision makings, one can learn a lot. As I stare at the mail confirming my ticket to home from college, I long to book the next as I fumble on to my next post. A summer or winter internship abroad can be the turning point in one’s life as opportunities and possibilities are abundant. But unfortunately, money is not. Usually college internships bodies like IAESTE and AIESEC facilitates your internship with funds covering aspects of your trip and is always advisable to enroll via them. These bodies are surface-ran by students and makes sure that any pupil leaving for a certain destination has all ascertained credibility and cover your lodging charges along with fostering your overseas course with big bucks. Money can no doubt be a factor if you decide to pen down an abroad internship on your CV. It all actually does come down to whether you really need it or not. If you really crave for things that you want to learn or achieve, go with the guts and book the flight tickets (yes, they don’t cover those usually). Having interacted with my AIESEC friends I actually did realize how the college is full with money bags with no standing what so ever. If you go abroad and get but the travel bug, leading you to take a trip or two is completely justifiable but spending your parent’s blood-sweat money to achieve your wanderlust goals is just sad.  Seeing the world is something everyone keeps craving around a certain age, but making yourself a standup guy and checking that desire off your bucket list might just make you feel a lot better.

Despite all its quirks, you abroad internship will definitely change your life for the good. Boosting your cross cultural skills would be job one. As you would be working with local employees, who’s English might not have the strongest foundation, you would be taking that extra effort for communication. Secondly, you would be entering a different work bubble which would be different from the culture you have been seeing in your office or class and adapting the same would show flexibility and willingness to learn on your part. For students interning abroad is beyond the course curriculum and lets them gain workplace skills and experience as it helps in gaining insights and industries would be appreciating that little time of yours on the field. Travelling would become a part and parcel of your time abroad and going with the flow is something you should keep on at. Fellow interns from all around the globe would flock along with you in your journey as the country would be new to all of you. Moving around with new people, willing to learn in a foreign environment can benefit you in so many levels. Your language proficiency would benefit a lot as you might need to cope with accents. Your global contacts would be enhanced a great deal as you will involve with different personalities of your field and the people you develop a relationship with could help you secure a job in your host country later.

Interning abroad has nothing but ups, provided you are focused and have the right reasons for it.