There are many reasons why interning abroad is a great idea: the chance to discover a new culture, try a new cuisine (and maybe get a tan). And with flight tickets getting cheaper and staying connected easier than ever with Skype, Snapchat and Whatsapp, there’s probably never been a better time. But is it a good route for you? Here are a few signs doing an internship abroad might be a good fit:
You live in a cold country and you don’t like it
Are you from a country that rains all winter (and most of the summer)? Do you love the three days of summer you get every year and ask yourself why your life can’t always be like this? And do you find yourself constantly moaning about the state of the weather in the country you live in? Maybe you need to relocate somewhere warmer – even if it’s a case of the tropical humidity making you grateful for your home nation’s temperate climate after a few months. Try it.
You like meeting new people from other countries
Are you the kind of person who likes to cultivate a contact book of international pals? And gently poke fun at the way people from other countries say “tomato”? Maybe you like to share a friendly joke about international sporting rivalry? Interning abroad is a great way to meet a ton of new friends from all over the place. I’ve now got friends in many international cities, which is going to be pretty useful, further down the line.
You need a break from your friends and your family
Yes, we all love them of course, but absence makes the heart grow fonder (as they say). Maybe you need to take a little break? When you come back (after a break of several months with an armful of souvenirs and stories to tell) you’ll be back in their good books – for a while at least.
You’re interested in sampling different cultures
Does the idea of taking part in an obscure traditional ritual fill you with intrigue? Perhaps you like the idea of seeing what it’s like to be part of an entirely different culture to your own? Interning abroad can provide a fascinating insight into how other people live and make you see the world through a slightly different lens.
You’re adventurous
Do you ever get bored of going to the same nightclubs and hanging out in the same shopping malls? We’ve all been there! Going abroad often suits people who like novelty and revel in new experiences. If you’re the kind of person who gets a kick out of new things, it could be just the right thing for you.
You’ve just been dumped
Okay so it happens, but why not turn a dumping into a positive? Simply head off on your travels and make your ex jealous with your exotic Facebook photos. Once they hear your stories of far away lands and working from bamboo huts, fighting monkeys with your bare hands (and all those amazing people you’ve met from the local medicine man to the big-shot entrepreneurs), they will immediately beg for you to go back out with them. Probably.