What inspired you to go abroad?
During my junior year of college I had studied abroad in Australia and that experience made me get the travel bug. I knew I wanted to live abroad again, so I did some research and found Global Experiences. I thought doing an internship would be a great way to gain some career experience while getting to live in another country again. There really is no other experience quite like living in another country for an extended period of time. You get to really immerse yourself in the culture, get to know people in the area/make new friends, and even do some more traveling to other countries if you'd like.
Day Trip to Stonehenge
Why did you choose Global Experiences (GE)?
After doing some research, I had decided that Global Experiences would be the best fit for me. I looked at other organizations but it seemed as though GE had one of the best internship programs compared to other companies. They also received the best reviews from previous GE interns. Plus, they seemed to have more variety when it came to psychology internships in comparison to other programs as well. That's when I decided to take the plunge and apply. GE contacted me right away, was super friendly from the very start, and was always there for me along every step of the way. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is thinking about doing an internship abroad! I choose the specific program of London because it has always been a city I wanted to visit, so I thought why just visit it when I could live there for a few months instead? So happy I picked the amazing city of London!
London's Calling!
What was your favorite part about London?
I absolutely loved London! As Samuel Johnson once said, "when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" and I couldn't agree with him more. There is so much to do and so much to see. And around every corner there are beautiful, old buildings. London is just so unique and filled with so much history. I also love the diversity the city offers. When walking down the street you will find people from every corner of the globe that will keep you guessing where they're from, as you hear new accents and languages. Lastly, living in London makes traveling to other countries very easy. They are just a cheap train ride or flight away.
What made your experience abroad unique?
I think what made my experience abroad so unique was the other GE interns. I had a blast getting to know each and every one of the other people who also had internships through GE. They definitely made the trip one to remember. Plus, it is really nice living with the other interns as it makes you feel as though you have a support system while away from home. It can be scary at times leaving all your friends and family back home, and going far away where you can't get help from those you love as easily. So having them around makes you feel like you're not alone and that you always have someone to grab coffee or hang out with.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
Global Experiences does a great job to prepare you before you leave your home country. However, their help doesn't stop there. Once you arrive they have a location program coordinator onsite to assist you whenever needed. Our program coordinator, Sarah, was amazing! I loved going to GE events and outings just to see her. She was very knowledgeable, always willing to help you if you needed it, and was a very fun person to be around. She definitely played a part in me having a great experience with not only GE, but with living abroad in London as well!
Internship at Insight
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
One thing I wish I had done differently or had been more aware of is the pre-departure process. It was honestly one of the most stressful things ever. It felt very last minute and ended up costing a lot as you had to do priority everything to get your visa. It would have been better if GE could help you get an interview and your internship sooner than about a month before you leave. Then the process wouldn't be so bad.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
My internship started around 10 a.m. Monday-Friday. Typically I would wake up around 8am and get ready for work. Around 9:15 a.m. I would leave my accommodation to grab the tube and head to work. Once at work, I would do any of the various tasks asked of me. It would really just depend on the day and the clients on the schedule. If we had clients come into the office I would typically sit in on sessions or help facilitate it. We would also meet clients out over coffee sometimes as well. I even got to go to court hearing and sit in on a mental health assessment during my internship. My day would end usually around 5 p.m., but on Monday's and Wednesday's I would help run our gym sessions and leave work around 4 p.m.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
During my free time, I would usually spend my time exploring the city. As I noted above, there is always something to do or something to see in London, as London is a massive city! I really enjoyed just walking around and exploring new areas I hadn't been to before. I also spent a lot of my free time and weekends traveling around Europe as well. When you are based in Europe, traveling around is so much easier and affordable than catching a flight from back home.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
The London accommodation for GE was staying at Chapter Islington. Overall, it was okay. I did not love nor hate it. The location was nice and you are just outside of zone two so commuting isn't bad and the tube makes getting around London pretty easy. You also get your own room/bathroom which was great.
GE Trip to the Shard
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
London is expensive! Be prepared to spend a lot of money abroad, especially in the city of London.
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
My internship has impacted my life in more ways than one. I not only got to live in another country and immerse myself in a completely new culture, but I also got to apply my psychology degree at my internship and gained real life knowledge and skills. It is one thing to get an internship in your home country, but to do it in another country really pushes you to have to learn, adapt, and apply new information and/or ways of doing things that may be otherwise done differently back home. Further, I met some amazing people during my time abroad. My colleagues, the other GE interns, and various people I met while traveling have become some great friends over the months. I also love to travel, so it was such an amazing experience to be able to spend many weekends over the past few months exploring Europe.
Would you recommend Global Experiences to others? Why?
Yes, I would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is looking for an internship overseas. I can promise you that you will not regret it. It is a life changing experience that helps you grow in some many way as a person, and you will take the experience and carry it with you for the rest of your life!
