Connect-123 Internship Programs

I have had an amazing experience interning abroad in Barcelona. It was wonderful to see how passionate those at the non-profit I worked in were in regards to giving kids at the Casal a summer full of fun memories and connections. I got to learn so much from the kids I worked with and got to learn more about myself. Additionally, everyone from my host site to those in connect-123 were always really supportive throughout my time here, so not once did I feel afraid of being in another country so far from home for the first time!!

My internship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa was an eye opener to both research and a new culture. At my internship I gained new skills including RNA Isolation, PBMC Isolation, ELISA, MDM Generation, Graphpad Prism and much more. I was also able to shadow an endocrinologist at the Groote Schuur hospital which introduced me to healthcare outside of the U.S. Shadowing in a public hospital opened my eyes to what being a doctor really is. It was chaotic, stressful, busy, but it also showed me that people of the same community suffer from common conditions that are uncommon in the U.S. Outside of the lab and clinic, and I was also able to attend and assist at a research foundation conference here in Cape Town. Though this conference was focused on sustainability, I was honored to attend and learn more about how research expands around the world, bringing together different continents and countries for one purpose. Overall, this internship experience allowed me to gain a better understanding of what research is, but also what healthcare is like in a different country. If anyone is thinking about coming to Cape Town, I recommend seeing the “not so pretty” side and learning about the history behind the mother city. It really opens your eyes to something you might not have known before.

Coming to Barcelona with Connect 123 was one of the best decisions I've made. They were incredibly helpful in helping find me an internship I felt comfortable and confident in and always very communicative. The housing they provided was amazing, and in a great location. Barcelona is now one of my favorite cities