Isla Internships Abroad

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

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I was connected to Isla through my Graduate program to fulfill a requirement for my program and I’m so glad I chose Isa. From the in-country support to the scheduled activities everything was taken care of. You do pay a fee, but that fee covers housing, in-country support, and scheduled activities. I didn’t have to worry about finding a place to stay, navigating the city, or what to do in an emergency because Isla helps you with all of that. As someone who had never traveled alone before it gave me peace of mind knowing there was someone I could call. The internship I got exposed me to a new field I didn’t even know existed, and I completely changed my career path because of Isla. I couldn’t have ever imagined traveling across the world on my own, and with Isla, I didn’t have to.

Working in Kosovo was such an amazing experience that set me up for success in so many ways. I got to meet so many other passionate change makers from across the world and interact directly with new culture. With Kosovo being such a new nation and so many arising issues, my work actually felt meaningful. It felt like I was helping shape Kosovo despite the short time I was there. It was also so cheap and easy to travel to other Balkan countries, so it was a great opportunity to travel to other parts of the world I've never experienced and might not easily experience again. Isla was such a great support the whole time. They found us housing, they helped us take advantage of opportunities, they supported our mental health, they connected us with community-centered groups, and they helped us get groceries.

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The most rewarding part of my summer in Kosovo has been the work I’ve done through my internship. This study abroad program stands out at USC as one of the few that offers students in Global Studies and related fields the opportunity to gain real-world experience through an internship. That aspect was a major reason why I was drawn to the program. In this blog, I’ll share about Isla, how I got my internship, what my responsibilities have been this summer, and highlight a few experiences from other Isla interns as well! Isla, USC’s partner organization in Kosovo, helps students from around the world find internships aligned with their academic and professional interests. Through its network of local partner organizations, Isla connects students with organizations that have openings in sectors such as Global Health, Business, Education and more. With the amount of partnerships they have, they truly can find internship positions for students in any field of interest. In my case, I reached out to Isla’s Executive Director, Leila Ali, to express my interest in an internship after securing my place in the Peacebuilding in Kosovo study-abroad program with a USC professor. She provided me with a list of available positions in my field of interest: Democracy and Governance. From there, I scheduled interviews with the organizations that most interested me and began the internship placement process. After receiving a few offers, I was able to choose the position that best suited my goals and Isla then facilitated the next steps by sending me the necessary work contracts. Isla handled all of the daunting logistics for me, like securing housing, arranging airport pickup, and organizing weekend trips. This aspect of studying abroad was what I found most stressful, as navigating these details in a new country with a language barrier seemed very overwhelming. Leila and our Program Coordinator, Dijana, made the entire process so great. They were there for us at any time of day, even checking in with us at 5AM during a weekend trip to make sure we made our bus. Their assistance was so reassuring, both for me and for my family, who appreciated knowing I had such a reliable support system abroad. With their help, I didn’t need to worry about all these details and could just enjoy my time living and working in Kosovo! This summer, I am an intern at an NGO focused on transitional justice and human rights. My work has involved conducting research on strategies to bridge community-based initiatives with formal policy enactment through methods like policy hackathons and the development of grassroots networks. I have also supported the organization’s information management systems by helping create logical frameworks and compile data sets to facilitate reporting to the European Union. As a result, I’ve learned a lot about EU-related processes and documentation. My favorite part of this internship is how much I’ve grown personally and professionally. Technology has always been outside of my comfort zone (my friends call me a grandma when it comes to anything with computers), but I’ve worked hard to overcome my ineptitude. As a result, I’ve gained valuable skills and greater confidence in my ability to adapt to new situations.

Isla really provided everything you could ever need while living and working abroad. They answered all my questions and helped me feel safe. Homesickness was an issue I struggled with, but Isla helped me get through it!

My eight weeks in Prishtina, Kosovo, through ISLA were an experience I will never forget. I arrived excited to gain professional experience and learn about a new culture, but I left with so much more than I expected. During my internship at the Kosovo Women's Network, I had the opportunity to contribute to research and archival projects focused on women's rights, climate policy, and gender equality. I developed valuable skills in research, writing, and archival organization while learning from an organization doing meaningful work to support women across Kosovo. Beyond my internship, what made my experience so special was the opportunity to actually live in Prishtina and become part of everyday life there. From spending afternoons at cafés and exploring the city to cooking with my landlord, Dije, and making llokuma, some of my favorite memories came from the simplest everyday moments. My housemates, friendships, and the people I met along the way made Kosovo feel increasingly like home. ISLA gave me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally while immersing myself in a culture and community I might never otherwise have experienced. I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone looking for more than a traditional study abroad experience. Eight weeks went by far too quickly, and Kosovo will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly became a second home.

My three-month experience in Kosovo, where I had the opportunity to intern at the Office of the President, was truly unforgettable, both professionally and personally. During my internship, I had the chance to work alongside incredible people in a stimulating and welcoming environment. I was particularly lucky to share this experience with another Isla intern. Together, we had the opportunity to contribute to projects and discussions on topics that are especially close to my heart, particularly gender equality. One of the highlights of my internship was taking part in a large-scale Women, Peace and Security Forum, which was an inspiring and enriching experience. These professional opportunities allowed me to deepen my knowledge, develop new skills and gain valuable insights into issues I am passionate about. I left the internship having learned so much, with a stronger understanding of my field and a very rewarding professional experience. Beyond the professional aspect, this programme offered so much more. We regularly took part in cultural activities and excursions, which allowed us to discover Pristina, explore different parts of Kosovo and learn more about the country’s history, culture and traditions. These moments were just as meaningful as the internship itself and created memories I will cherish for a long time. Finally, I cannot emphasise enough how wonderful the people behind this experience were. The programme organisers were incredibly kind, supportive and attentive throughout our stay. Their dedication, thoughtfulness and enthusiasm made us feel welcome from the very beginning and helped make this experience so special. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and would wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering this programme to take part. It is an experience that goes far beyond an internship!

I did this internship during my Master's Program and felt that it was the most professionally and personally rewarding thing I could have done. Isla made moving to a new country for the internship by finding the NGO and housing. They also provided any in country support I or anyone else needed (i.e. Sim Card, city tour, etc.). The program also included countless additional experience I would never had the chance to do, such as attending international security forums, meeting the first female President of Kosovo, private museum tours, attending peace building talks with UN representatives, and so much more! I also was able to do many personal trips on weekends to neighboring countries and hikes around the region. I cannot express how amazing this experience was, and I highly suggest it to anyone needing an internship or wanting some more professional experience.

My name is Jaclyn Williamson and I am a graduate student of the Colorado School of Public Health currently earning my Master's in Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Global Health and Health Disparities. This summer I was hired as a Global Health Development Intern with the Foundation for Community Development and Empowerment (FCDE) through the Isla internship program. I was based in the FCDE Office of Kasese, Uganda. In this position, I provided strategic support in grant preparation, program development and implementation, and NGO capacity building to a network of 4 FCDE local partner organizations (LPOs) combatting global health issues. I was responsible for creating, conducting, and analyzing the results of multiple needs assessments across varying target populations to assess social, behavioral, environmental, cultural, and biological factors contributing to health outcomes. I also prepared an FCDE Seed Grant Proposal to secure grant funding for multiple projects associated with global health, including HIV/AIDS antiretroviral treatment adherence, mosquito net use and malaria prevention, sexual reproductive health, rights, and services, and Hepatitis B awareness and testing. I was most drawn to Uganda because I desired to work on global health issues and international development. As a Global Health Development intern, I gained experience in real-world applications of program planning, implementation, and evaluation, in an international setting. The overarching lesson of my time in Uganda is the importance of utilizing human resources and human capital, and being adaptable to cultures so different from your own. My success in my projects in Uganda relied entirely upon trusting and allowing the influence from the affected and target communities that I hoped to reach. I attribute the success of my projects to the Ugandan natives who welcomed me into their lives and gave me an entirely new perspective on global health issues.