Sofia, International Development and Globalization
Virtual Internship Country: Sri Lanka
Canadian NGO: World University Service of Canada (WUSC)
Local NGO: Sri Lanka Centre for Women’s Research
Naturally, I’m someone who enjoys having a routine and a plan in advance. Prior to my international internship, I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of my schedule and how many hours a week I’d be working, or whether I’d be able to keep my job. During my internship, the plans had changed a few times, and so I wasn’t able to answer these questions throughout the semester. At first, I saw the multiple changes as a negative experience; however, with time, I realized that the modifications to the plan were a positive thing. While flexibility is something that I had to improve during the pandemic, it is a skill that I expanded upon while working at my international internship.
In our pre-departure trainings, we discussed some possible challenges that we may encounter during our internships. The pre-departure trainings were especially helpful in preparing us to do the remote international internships, as we learned skills to cope with these challenges should they arise. Such obstacles included: working remotely, having different time zones, potential language barriers, and having a change of mandate. Most of these difficulties applied to me, but I’m so grateful that I was able to experience them, as they’ve made me a better student and a more flexible worker. I also strongly believe that the positives of doing an international internship heavily outweigh the negatives!
The future of the post-COVID-19 world is online work, whether that be in school, work, diplomacy, or personal life. The skills that I’ve learned over the past few months - adaptability, flexibility, and patience - are competencies that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life!