Innocents Abroad
by Jeannie Barry-Sanders
CAREER DECISIONS CAN be a hassle, and if you are at a crossroads in your decision making or just want to gain some extra experience, an international internship just might be the answer. An internship provides an opportunity to travel abroad, examine career options, and to be of service. They can be the step you need to answer some soul-searching questions about the validity of your final career choice.
Remember the song by the Village People? In the chorus, a key phrase is, “It’s fun to stay at the YMCA.” Not only is it fun to stay at the Y, but it can also be educational and financially rewarding. The Y program is called the Overseas Service Corps, and it is available only to people with college degrees. Interested persons have the opportunity to work at local YMCA’s in communities throughout Taiwan. The positions are teaching conversational English, and no Chinese is necessary. They generally have 20 to 30 openings a year. It is a fantastic chance for those wanting to experience a different cultural community while working short term.
Janis Sterling, Program Assistant at the YMCA’s national office in Chicago says the stipends range from $1077-$1320 (US) per month. The YMCA is in charge of making housing arrangements for selected candidates. According to Ms. Sterling, the deadline to apply is August 31 of each year; however, candidates are interviewed until positions are filled. This position, in my opinion, although classified as an internship, closely resembles a full-time job.
A more flexible internship is offered through Nottingham Trent University. The beauty of this internship is that you can live in the United Kingdom, gain work experience, and design your own program. Internships can be combined with study or can stand alone. You decide what you would like to do and when, and the internship director will set up it. There is no age limit on this internship. The internships generally run from 6 to 12 weeks, any time of the year. Contact Yvonne Wroughton at the International Office by e-mailing yvonne.wroughton@ntu.ac.uk.
Pinpoint is part of the IASTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) program, which places engineering, natural and physical science, agricultural science, architecture, and other technical students into paid internships in more than 60 countries. The Web site address is http://www.aipt.org. Pinpoint also assists students in finding their own internships or full-time positions.
For non-students, Pinpoint’s program acts as an online matching system for Americans looking for full-time positions abroad as well as for internships. Pinpoint will assist with securing all the necessary work documentation. Check out Pinpoint’s Web site at http://www.pinpointtraining.org or e-mail Darra Klein, the program manager at Dklein@aipt.org for further information on this program.
If the YMCA, the Nottingham Trent University program, or Pinpoint does not fit your internship needs, there are hundreds more possibilities available in just about any country. One of the best ways to find a broad selection of internships is to view the ESL Web sites on the Internet, including Dave’s ESL Café at http://www.eslcafe.com. The magazine Transitions Abroad at http://www.transitionsabroad.com is a great resource guide for finding internships, jobs, or volunteer opportunities.
Also check out the Directory of International Internships. The directory is a comprehensive guide to internships that are sponsored by educational institutions, government agencies, and private organizations. Charles Gliozzo at Michigan State University is the contact person for information on the directory. Gliozzo is rushing to get the directory online within the next six months. He says that once the directory is online and in full operation, those who have the hard copy will have six months’ free access to the online directory. A hard copy of the 1998 edition of the directory is $25. E-mail Gliozzo at: gliozzo@pilot.msu.edu, and he will fax you a purchase order.
Helping others is a great avocation; however, sometimes you want to help but can’t afford to, and an internship is a way of achieving cultural experiences, having a great time, and sharing your knowledge with people in other countries. Learning works both ways in this type of situation, and it could also be the jump-start you need for a new career. It also makes a great addition to résumés.
