Summer Journalism Internships Abroad

I went to do a Social Media Marketing internship in Barcelona back in summer 2023 for 3 months. I have never travelled abroad alone before so everything was very new to me. I got greeted by a very friendly driver who drove me to my apartment, and I was given resources as well on where my 2 week classes would be and where my job would be. The apartment building owner also showed me how to get a monthly transit pass which was quite useful. The internship itself was amazing. I worked with Freepackers and they were such an amazing company with a lot of great connections and outreach events. It was amazing being able to do social media posts for them and work on improving their outreach. My only downside was the accomodations. The first apartment building we were at was very unaccomodating to our schedules. If we wanted to have a night out, we would have to tell the owner of the building due to security measures and a security key he refused to give to us. So if we had an unexpected late night, we would have to wake him up. We did end up moving to another great apartment building but that owner told us we had to pay to have our rooms cleaned (ridiculous, and I definitely did not pay for that), and we could only wash our clothes once a week at a certain time. I just ended up using a laundromat because those timings were inconvenient for me. Then I ended up having to be moved to a new accomodation out of nowhere and it was in a smoker's house so I always smelt cigarettes. At that point I just gave up complaining about accomodations since I had 3 weeks left anyways. I did not make as many friends due to my job field having a lot more older people, and the language school didn't have many people my age unfortunately, so that was another minor downside. I managed though. Would I do this again though? Absolutely. Just wished I had a more better accomodation.

For my internship I was placed with Nazario Fania, a beekeeper and sole proprietor of his own business and tasked with assisting in social media strategy and other marketing analysis to add to his existing tactics. He had endless knowledge from his past in journalism and communications to teach me on top of enlightening me about beekeeping in the greater scheme of agriculture in the south of Italy—Molise, a region that even the Italians claim does not exist. Outside of that, my host family was super welcoming and introduced me to the entire town, took me on excursions to experience more local culture, and were my biggest supporters. I keep in touch with everyone to this day, and recently took my parents abroad for the first time to meet everyone.

I had a fantastic time in Kosovo with Isla this past summer. Not only was I able to find an internship perfectly curated to my field and my interests, but I made connections with people that I still talk to today. The Isla team provided any information that I could ever need about the country, culture, travel to and in the country, and helped me take care of any concerns that arose while there. The communication was excellent and Isla really helps to build a community amongst the interns and offers many events and activities to take part in. This was my first experience going abroad alone for an extended period of time and I felt so safe and confident doing so with the help of Isla. I met so many people from all over the world and got to network with some incredible people in my field. The people in Kosovo are also extremely welcoming and it’s so easy to fall in love with the region. One of the best experiences I’ve had.

Spending 10 weeks in Kosovo was an amazing experience. From learning bits of the language and the deep history and culture, exploring the city, its cafes and restaurants, to hiking and travelling to nearby countries on weekends ( Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Turkey and Greece), my time spent there gave me a summer to remember. Isla Internships Abroad made me feel incredibly safe and supported while interning abroad. I enjoyed my placement working in women’s rights, empowerment and policy advancement. I enjoyed meeting many other Isla interns and spending time with them while in Kosovo. I’m so grateful to Isla Internships Abroad for helping me experience such an amazing summer!

I came into this internship hoping to gain experience that would help me in my career, to travel and learn about a new culture, and to make valuable friendships and memories. My summer in Kosovo with Isla and The Ideas Partnership checked all of these boxes as well as opening up opportunities, relationships and experiences I couldn't have imagined myself having. Through the university course Isla hooked me up with, I met an ethnographer who invited me on a trip across the countryside to film for her tv show. Isla's Albanian language classes allowed me to connect with the staff and children at my work despite a language barrier. I gained knowledge of how an NGO runs and the important methodologies behind ethically serving and working with a community. I enjoyed my work and my time abroad so much that I continue to work as an international remote intern at my org The Ideas Partnership where I'm now creating a pen pal project to connect American kids and Kosovan kids. I got everything I wanted and so much more!

Had a great time with Beyond Academy in Tokyo. Every week they'd have events were you could meet the coordinators and other interns. I got set up with my own room in share house with a very good location. Definitely met a lot of nice people and had a bunch of cool experiences. I would recommended Beyond if you're looking to go to Tokyo!

I did an Intership in a non-profit at Sapphire Employability and Wellbeing. I met the COO Nancy and the CEO Jasmine, two very inspiring women, with a lot of passion for what they are doing and a willingness to make the World a better place. I learned a lot, they let me manage a lot of task during the Internship since they trusted me. As far as experience with Absolute, Cortney and Emma, were wonderful, they mede us feel more as friends than work. They were there for us for every little problems.

I am so grateful to have gone to Spain with Isla last summer. Malaga is a beautiful and fun city where I made many international friends and got to experience the amazing Spanish culture. My internship wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but Isla worked with me to set up new opportunities to ensure I was getting a lot out of my experience. I met so many wonderful people on my trip and had so much fun.

This program was amazing, at least for me. You can travel abroad and interact with different cultures that you are unfamiliar with. My time in Japan was super fun and busy at the same time. Because even though I have 2 months of this internship, I still feel like that won't be enough because there are so many activities that you want to explore and try for the first time here. As for the internship, I got out of my bubble because I was working with a startup company that pushed my skills in engineering further, and their office is one of Tokyo's biggest incubator centers! I never knew it was a place before working here. I have met and talked to many different people from various countries. Q: What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it? A: The most nerve-racking moment is usually how I communicate with the Japanese people. Even with ChatGPT/Gemini Live translation or Google Translate, it still takes a lot of efforts to communicate with each other for both me and them. However, if me and them are patient and respectful enough with each other, that usually can be solved easily! Pros - Food - New friends - Places/View What other participants should know - Not as cheap as you actually thought (For - some services) - Confusing for the first few days (language, transportation)

I’m currently in the final two weeks of my program, and it’s been a really positive experience so far. Moving to another country and starting a new program can be a little overwhelming at first, but the Sekaia team did a great job coordinating everything and making the process much smoother. Of course, there were a few small hiccups along the way, which is probably unavoidable in any international program. What impressed me most was how professionally the team handled them. Whenever something came up, they were quick to respond, kept everyone informed, and worked hard to make sure things were resolved as smoothly as possible. Living in Tokyo has also been an incredible experience. Outside of work, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to explore different parts of the city, try new food, visit attractions, and experience everyday life in Japan. One of my favorite parts has been using weekends to travel outside Tokyo and see other areas of the country, which has made the experience even more memorable. The Sekaia staff has always been friendly, approachable, and genuinely willing to help whenever needed. It never felt like we were left on our own, and knowing there was a reliable support system made a big difference. While I still have a couple of weeks left, I’m very happy with my experience so far and would definitely recommend the program to anyone interested in spending time in Japan while gaining valuable international

Living in London was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. For two months, I immersed myself in a world of history, music, friendship, and entrepreneurship, creating memories that would stay with me forever. I spent my days exploring London's incredible museums and historic landmarks, and my nights discovering its vibrant nightlife with friends. One of the most unforgettable experiences was performing piano concerts at the top of The Shard every weekend for two months. Looking out over the London skyline while sharing my music with others was an extraordinary experience that combined my passion for music with the excitement of living in one of the world's greatest cities. I also had the opportunity to visit Stonehenge, standing among thousands of years of history and experiencing something I had previously only imagined. At the same time, I was building my own e-commerce business, digitally selling my inventions for the first time. While exploring a new country and experiencing incredible opportunities, I was also learning how to turn my ideas into products and share them with the world. Looking back, what made this experience so special was the combination of everything happening at once. I was discovering new cultures, meeting incredible people, performing music, exploring history, and building a business of my own. London changed the way I saw life. It showed me that I could pursue my creativity, build something meaningful, and experience the world beyond what I had ever imagined. Those two months gave me confidence, independence, and a renewed sense of possibility. It was a chapter filled with adventure, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences that helped shape the person I am today.

I enjoyed working in collaboration with ISLA this past summer and my subsequent internship with PROAMB in Malaga. The ISLA staff is very supportive and attentive to your needs, and Malaga is a vibrant young city with lots to offer! PROAMB was a small sustainability consultancy, whose campaugn this summer requirede the work of myself and a team to travel to towns all over the province of Malaga and work with local communities (stakeholders, businesses, local governements, etc.) to improve their circular economies. The team was truly accommodating, and my housing was in the university neighborhood filled with bars and restaurants. Overall, a very positive experience.

Thanks to AI, I got an internship at a Singaporean company. They were super nice and flew me to the Philippines and Malaysia, so I got to see firsthand how business works across Southeast Asia. I learned a lot, worked with people from different cultures and backgrounds, and made good connections that I still keep today. It was a great experience, and I would happily do it all again tomorrow.

I had the opportunity to intern abroad for two months as part of Absolute Internship's intern abroad program. I am especially grateful, as this program provided me with the invaluable opportunity to grow outside of my comfort zone, creating new connections with professionals from various backgrounds, and helped me develop and strengthen skills such as cross-cultural communication and the ability to adapt and efficiently navigate through diverse perspectives and situations. Additionally, I was fully immersed in Chinese language as I spoke Chinese to the teachers and my supervisor every day, improving my language skills and learning words that were more applicable to everyday conversation rather than textbook words I’ll usually never use after I learned them. Honestly, I learned more Chinese from my company in two months than from my textbook that I’ve had for two years! As I plan to be a mental health therapist for my future profession, I wanted to focus my outreach on Asian communities, as mental health is not often discussed in Asian communities due to cultural values and beliefs. For example, if you face mental health challenges, many will come to the assumption that you don’t respect and appreciate what your parents have done for you. When I had the opportunity to intern abroad, it was a big challenge for me to find such a specific internship due to the language barrier, as my Mandarin isn’t good because I speak Cantonese at home. Luckily, I found ELG (Engage, Learn, and Grow), a bilingual school for neurodiverse children that offers not only education but also integrated therapy in various fields. For example, in addition to classes such as math, science, and literature, they also have music therapy, art therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Rather than approaching neurodiversity as a “problem that needs to be solved,” like how mental health challenges need to be “fixed” or in other words “gotten rid of,” I admire how ELG takes a strength-based approach for their kids, working with what they can already do and continue to build on top of their skills. Many of the kids at ELG are autistic or undiagnosed; there are also kids with Tourette's syndrome, Rett’s syndrome, and Down syndrome. While planning my career path, working with neurodiversity had never really crossed my mind. Although I didn’t get to work in mental health, I’m really glad that I was able to experience first-hand how speech, occupation, and physical therapy, art, and music-based therapies are done. I am especially grateful for having the opportunity to work directly with neurodivergent kids, as it made me feel happy that I can be a part of their growth and development process, helping them build on their skill sets every day. During the first week of my internship, I was really overwhelmed because I had never really worked with neurodivergent children before. However, being immersed in a new environment pushed me to grow out of my comfort zone and develop an understanding of different community contexts cross-culturally. As I got to know the kids more, I became adaptable to each kid’s needs and as I got to know the kids more, all of the kids are really cute, each in their own way. For example, there is one boy who speaks very softly, and even if other kids take away his toys, he doesn’t get mad, doesn’t complain. Unexpectedly, what’s funny is that he also likes to run. By this, I mean he needs his hand to be constantly held when going to classes, or else he will start running off to wherever he wants. Another girl throws tantrums very easily and is very bossy to teachers, as she tells them to stop talking and yells at them, but when you ask her about the show My Little Pony, her face lights up, and she’ll tell you everything about each pony in the show. I also taught one of the kids how to play UNO! When I first shuffled the cards, her eyes widened, and she was so impressed that she had me teach her how to shuffle cards. She told me that she would go back home and practice, then by the 3rd day, she was a pro! One moment that I am really proud of is when I got a girl outside her comfort zone by coming up with new games to play with the kids during recess time. Usually, the teachers let the kids do their own thing, however, I thought that it felt a bit boring, so I came up with a catching game with bean bags. Once she heard other kids laughing, she came out of her foam-board shelter to see what was going on. I invited her to play, and she immediately loved the game! After that day, she started to come out of her shelter and play with me and the other kids more often! When working with the kids at ELG, I especially love seeing the wide smile on their faces when I teach them something fascinating and new, and likewise, they make me smile when they master what I’ve taught them. One moment that I will cherish with me from this internship is my connection with one of the kids in the class I was assigned to. He reminded me a lot of myself, feeling uncomfortable in loud and unfamiliar places, introverted most times, and slow to warm up, but once he got comfortable, he was sticking with me 24/7! Although he’s around the age of a 1st grader, his speech is still developing, but he can completely understand what you’re saying. To get him to practice speaking, during snack time I would always have him say phrases like “please help open” or “cracker” in Chinese. Sometimes when he wants a toy, I have him say the specific toy, and then I give it to him. Other times, I have him say “hello” when I see him in the mornings, and he can say “bye-bye” very clearly. So cute! I will really miss him when I go home, and the friendships I’ve made with my teachers and the aunties that I’ve worked with as well. Although we all live in different places, we leave from the same metro station, so I really miss always taking the metro with them back home after work! From countless metro rides going home with them, I learned so much about how to work in the ELG classroom environment, like how sitting is better than standing in the classroom, even if you don’t feel like sitting, because the kids will feel a sense of pressure if they see you standing, and even how to take ELG’s strength based approach when working with kids rather than simply doing the task for them or telling them how to do it. Coming from an Asian American background, community was always valued a lot, and I felt like I was missing that when I was in America. When I started my internship in China, I immediately felt the sense of community that I was missing. After working at ELG for two months, the ELG community feels like a family to me, and it was really hard to say goodbye. Although I feel like two months is a short time, I really saw the progress of each kid that I’ve worked with, and I’m really proud and happy that I was able to be a part of their growth. I’m glad that I was able to work with diverse groups of people and met so many professionals from various backgrounds, as I learned a lot just by being with them. I also believe that the neurodivergent community also receives stigmatization, like mental health, and for that, I want to not only expand my outreach to these two communities but also advocate for them as well. I hope that I will be able to go back to ELG and intern for them again, however I’m not sure that’s possible because of financial expenses of being abroad My internship truly gave me the most valuable experience, not only of being abroad, but also the special connections that I’ve made in China and the sense of community that felt like home.

In Seoul, I learned that making beef bulgogi is even more fun when the people cooking beside you are clearly doing a better job. Between the busy shops of Insadong, the beautiful Cheonggyecheon Stream, and a bakery visit trying croissants that had so many different flavors like lemon, chocolate, blueberry, and matcha, my time abroad gave me plenty to smile about. It also helped me see engineering and my future differently. At the Center for Quantum Nanoscience, I saw how even tiny sounds and vibrations could affect research data. They had to design the building itself to help protect their research. Meeting researchers from different countries showed me how international engineering can be. At Hyundai’s UX studio, we explored vehicles and offered suggestions for improving the user experience. These visits connected technical problem-solving with the people who depend on the results. My experience challenges the myth that education abroad is only sightseeing. The cultural activities prompted reflection on history, while company visits gave me examples I can carry into my studies and career. Future participants can find both serious academic learning and everyday joy abroad, even when parts of the experience feel unfamiliar.

Years later, when I visit Korea again, I believe I will walk the streets of Seoul, filled with nostalgia, my eyes brimming with tears as I reminisce about the compassion and kindness you have shown me these past 2 months. From exploring Namsan Tower to eating 약돌삼겹살, every single cherished memory will flood back when I return someday. Hopefully, I can visit with my older brother’s son and pass on some of the lessons that I have learned from you. My whole life, I never knew of any family other than my mom, dad, and brother. They were all I knew, and they were my whole world, and that was that. Whenever I heard of our relatives outside of my life, I was somewhat curious, but they were all outsiders to me nonetheless. And then 8 weeks ago you entered my life. From the moment I stepped off the plane to the last day as you accompanied me back to the airport, I am forever indebted to you and so grateful for your presence. The man I met that first day was virtually a stranger to me, and my only connection to him was the supposed fact that he’s my mom’s brother. Of course I was excited, but I wondered how deep a relationship could even develop after 19 years of not knowing him. I look back and laugh about how silly a thought that was. I had no idea that I would have met my newest role model. You have shown me the world in immeasurable ways that I won’t fully be able to describe, and you have made me a different person with beautifully new perspectives about my culture, history, and my definition of family. So many lessons of necessary pain and growth, thanks to you. The joy of reconnecting with family in Korea has been amazing, but it also comes with pain. Seeing my grandma in her ill condition broke me into tears. Still, at the same time, her fragile state reminded me that life is finite and to be grateful that I get to spend even a portion of this limited lifetime with an awesome uncle I’ve gotten to know. First off, thank you for making time for me. I know that may seem simple, but I am thankful that you spent hours driving me to places, talking and dining with me, taking your days off work to spend them with me. You could have easily used your free time for yourself, but you spent it to show me Korea. You spent it to introduce me to family members I never met before and to teach me about the beautiful history of my homeland. I felt your genuine attention to detail in every conversation we had. You never got tired of my endless string of questions about Korea, and you gave me thoughtful answers every time. I hope this is translated correctly, but you are very book-smart and street-smart. My Korean may not have been perfect in our conversations, but I appreciate that you overlooked that fact and still respected me and my American culture. I am so grateful that you showed my two friends Atticus and Jacob so much love and care. I have expressed to you before that they are basically my brothers, the only other family I know of in America outside of my household. Seeing my actual uncle treating my brothers with familial affection made me so happy. They are also so thankful that you showed us around and treated us to meals. They say you’re a great guy, and I agree to the fullest extent. Also, your daughter is amazing, and I am so proud to be her cousin. Thank you so much for introducing me to her because even the short time I’ve gotten to know her has made me realize that traits really do run in the blood. I see so much of myself in her, and I am beyond ecstatic that I get along with her well. I have a good feeling that this is just the beginning of my relationship with my awesome cousin, and it feels like I discovered a long-lost sister. My conversations and chemistry with her have really hit me with the fact: “Wow, I really do have family members.” I know that may sound silly, but I am still shocked that I connected with her so instantly, and again, I’m grateful you provided the time and space for me to learn about her. She is such a thoughtful and kind person, and you’ve done a great job raising her. Speaking of traits running in the blood, I really appreciate the lecture you gave me about that topic on the car ride back when my mom yelled at me over the phone. I’ve cried in front of you twice now, and you can guess how much I lead my life with an emotional heart haha. I remember your words about how we are similar and stubbornly loving. You mentioned that our family members have high emotional intelligence, and I have come to realize that even throughout our stubbornness, we all share that genetic bond of fiery compassion and the unwilling dedication for those we love. My mom and I always mean the best for our loved ones, but our hearts can get bigger than our minds at times. So even as I was tearing up from her phone call, I took solace in your speech about how we are all so similar. I took comfort in the fact that for the first time, I felt like I really did have more family members. I suddenly felt a lot less lonely. I’ve thought long and hard about how I could ever repay you for all these amazing experiences. From the time that I’ve gotten to know you, I can boldly assume that material gifts or money aren’t your cup of tea (but I still got you gifts haha). That is why I have written you this letter. Knowledge and reflection are the best way I can express to you my gratitude, and more importantly, I need to translate these new thoughts into action. I envision a day when my future family in America is huge. My dream is to give my kids a family I never got to grow up with. Gatherings and parties are lively; nieces and nephews running around the yard playing football. We gather around multiple times a year to eat Korean food and share stories and laugh loudly. But most importantly, they have learned from my brother and me where we come from. Our homeland’s culture, language, and history. I promise to you that they will understand my parents’ sacrifices and the stories of our extended family. They will easily know what family means to them because their relatives will always be present. But as I watch them from the balcony with a beer in my hand, I will always be thinking about the summer of ‘26, the time I spent with my uncle in Korea. Thank you for everything; the moments we were lucky enough to share mean the world to me. I love you very much. See you again very soon! (P.S. I created a short film during my time in Korea; a lot of the themes that you've taught me are instilled within the movie! You always told me to go pursue what makes me happy, and as you know, filmmaking is my dream. Give it a watch, and let me know what you think.) Sincerely, Noah

Originally, I had a placement that wasn’t a great fit and Isla was so quick to place me somewhere better for my needs! I was able to help out in a Michelin-star restaurant to make a sustainability plan for them to receive a Michelin green star!

Don't get me wrong, my first week in Shanghai was really tough. It happened to stand in a supermarket and try to understand something basic. It is precisely this kind of challenges that I have chosen, and GAC provided me with a good support system for that. My placement was in a business consultancy, and my team members were pretty tolerant to me. They did not ignore me; they were taking things slowly in the meetings, tried to explain everything to me, and invited me to lunch even though I hardly knew how to speak Chinese. The tasks I had to complete were real. By week three, I became an active participant of client presentations and conducted market research for European brands entering the Asian market. And here I must say that the GAC took care of all those issues which I would have been worrying about otherwise – my visa, accommodation, transportation from the airport, etc. Those three months changed my understanding of my capabilities entirely. Not only I have gained some experience, but also have changed the way I look at life now. So, if you have any doubts, just go for it!

This past summer I interned abroad in Cape Town, South Africa at the Legal Resource Centre as a Legal Intern. What made my experience so great was the people and my program advisor Carla. Upon arriving in Cape Town me and my fellow interns were able to meet up with Carla and get more information about Cape Town. We then got to know each other better and proceed to have the best 8 weeks!

I had the most amazing time ever in Europe in general. I was able to explore most of the Malaga region in Spain. Met new people got to travel and shop. I was able to scratch of 3 countries that I wanted to go to Spain, Portugal and France