IE3 Global Internships

Oregon State University graduate Rebekah Smith majored in Public Health and minored in Psychology. As spring term was coming to a close in Corvallis, Rebekah was nearing the end of her internship in Quito, Ecuador with Child Family Health International (CFHI). As an IE3 Global Internships scholarship recipient, Rebekah participated in an internship involving medical rotations, and was able to reflect on her experience while still abroad.

I am now ending my seventh week in Quito, Ecuador. I have three more weeks in this amazing country and am in no way prepared to leave. To provide some insight into how huge of a development this trip has been for me, let me explain just how new international travel was to me just seven weeks ago. Prior to this trip, I had never left the United States, nor even had a passport of my own before applying to intern with CFHI and IE3. Understandably, these factors led me to have a ton of anxiety, which combined with the fact that I did not speak any Spanish. Despite the many “firsts” I’ve tackled recently, I have grown not only comfortable overseas, but have developed a huge passion for traveling and experiencing other cultures.

My internship involves attending clinical rotations and taking Spanish classes with incredible instructors in Quito on weekdays. I’ve found that having some responsibilities in the city makes me feel as though I have a purpose here and am bettering myself professionally. My biggest words of wisdom when spending time in another country’s healthcare system would be to remember why you are there. This can be very difficult, especially with regards to healthcare because systems can vary so greatly between countries. Remembering that you are solely there to learn will help when experiencing things completely different from the U.S. It will only cause stress to think that you are there to fix issues or judge another country’s healthcare system. Our purpose as interns is to act like sponges, learn everything we can, and return to the U.S. with a better perspective and deeper compassion for health care. This concept will help you in all areas of interning with this program. When I was volunteering in the schools I also had to remember this because they teach different subjects and use different techniques than we do in the states.

On the weekends, I am TRAVELING! Traveling has been such a huge aspect of my experience here and has taught me about the culture and country just as much as the program itself has. Traveling to the different Ecuadorian cities is such an incredible experience because within a few hours you can be in the Andes Mountains, on the beautiful coast, or deep in the jungle. Traveling forces you to practice Spanish and allows you to meet an outstanding amount of people, both foreign and local. I have traveled to a cloud forest in Mindo, the sunny beach in Montanita and Canoa, and am soon traveling to a gorgeous volcano in Cotopaxi. I also have plans to yonder on to an adventure-filled town called Banos, as well as the jungle in Tena. Traveling around is affordable and easy, as well as gives you opportunity to develop a great sense of independence and cultural competency. Traveling is also the way to make everlasting memories with other students in your program! You are stuck on buses together, staying in amazing hostels and going through both stressful and exciting times together.

Being abroad in Ecuador has taught me many things so far. One of the most impactful things I have learned is patience. America is very “Type A” and extremely punctual, these things are not a priority in Ecuador. I have waited over an hour for one of my preceptors to arrive at a meeting, I have had doctors show up twenty minutes late to appointments and many other experiences. You are also very commonly juggling your wants and needs with those of the other students who you are working with, and this requires a large amount off adaptability and patience. These experiences have taught me patience, and how to adjust to other cultures. For example, I don’t go anywhere without a book here! It is your job to adjust to them, the entire culture does not need to adjust to you, so learn to adapt! It’s been nothing but beneficial because I have finished two books just traveling and waiting for meetings, It’s GREAT!

Some final advice I have is, to bring more money than you expect. You will never be able to be totally prepared for traveling abroad or be able to know what you will be doing. Having money hold you back from being able to engage in a great opportunity would be upsetting so just budget extra! I also advise to release any expectations you have or restrictions you have in the U.S. For example, two of the guys in the program were vegetarians for ethical reasons in America and came to find that it restricted them so much here in Ecuador, and they wanted to be able to experience the culture so they put their expectations aside and decided to return to being vegetarian when they returned home. I really respected their choices because they fully immersed themselves in the culture and benefited from it greatly. As far as avoiding cultural mistakes, I was so lucky to have a friend who had been here for a long time before I arrived, and I was constantly asking her questions and observing how she interacted with locals. This was really helpful for me because I was able to learn polite mannerisms and safe tactics while in Ecuador.

This experience has been life-changing. As cliche as that may be, it truly has been an experience that has helped me grow and develop my independence and cultural competency. I only want to continue the experience, I am NOT ready to go home in three weeks!

This blog was originally published on the IE3 Field Notes Blog. For a link to the original entry, click here.

Hannah Bittner is an Oregon State University junior pursuing a double-degree in Education and Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) with an option in Early Childhood Development. During fall 2013, Hannah interned through IE3 Global Internships at the Chaslivtsi Orphanage in Chaslivtsi, Ukraine. Throughout her three months in Ukraine, Hannah reignited her passion for education as she worked as an English teacher for developmentally disabled children.

The novelist Milan Kundera wrote that the brain appears to possess a special area called the “poetic memory.” He wrote that the poetic memory records everything that touches us or charms us; the poetic memory records everything that makes our lives beautiful. If what he wrote was true, then my poetic memory is a book that is bound, written, and sealed by Ukraine.

I know that I have been inexplicably drawn to Ukraine from a very young age. When other girls were dreaming of being movie stars, I was dreaming of living on the thirteenth floor of a Soviet-style flat. When the opportunity of interning abroad in Ukraine fell into my lap, I seized it.

Cutting my hair, kissing my parents goodbye, and boarding the plane for Eastern Europe was the best decision I have ever made. Upon arrival, I dove into my work. I taught English in a rural orphanage for disabled children for three months; I sang the ABC’s and “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” hundreds of times. I grew to love not only my students, but also the work itself. I fell in love with teaching English, not despite its challenges, but because of them. Throughout the three months I spent in Ukraine, I became even more intrigued by the effects of institutionalization upon children in post-Soviet environments. This experience inspired me to move forward in this area through both work and research; I plan to apply the education of Child Development that I received at Oregon State University to future work with institutionalized orphans in Eastern Europe.

Interning abroad gave me professional direction, confidence, and personal relationships that have taught me that love and friendship do not know language barriers or cultural differences.

To my fellow students: there is never a more beautiful time than now. Leaving what is familiar for an extended amount of time will greatly benefit you.

Claire Ostertag-Hill, a senior double majoring in Biology and Psychology and minoring in Chemistry at Oregon State University, interned at the Center for Social Medicine in India through IE3 Global Internships during Fall 2013 and explains the impact her experience overseas has had on her day-to-day life.

After completing my internship at Pravara Medical Trust, I was fortunate to be able to travel northern India for a little over a week before visiting Thailand and then making a short stopover in South Korea. These post-internship travels allowed me to transition more slowly back into life in America. I first got the chance to explore the grand cultural diversity and visit some of the big sights in India, followed by embarking on new cultural adventures in Thailand and South Korea. This gave me an opportunity to first reflect on India’s culture through contrasting it with other Asian cultures and appreciate the cultural ideals that are maintained across Asia. The excitement of my post-internship travels initially prevented me from realizing the lasting impression India had made on me during my eleven weeks there.

Now that I am settling back into my life in the U.S., the lasting impacts of my time in India are becoming much more evident. Of course it is nice to be back with my family and friends, to have conveniences of American life, and the freedom to safely make my own decisions. However, there are many things I miss about India – my friends, the culture, the bright colors, the lively streets and busy village. I miss the unpredictability of life in India, and the knowledge that each time I stepped out my room, I would be embarking on a new adventure with new observations to be made and new things to be learned. I love India for all the amazing new experiences it has enabled me to have over the past eleven weeks, from the novel medical and health exposures, to becoming an active participant in the rich Indian culture and visiting the absolutely breathtaking architecture, and to the exciting activities I engaged in such as para-sailing, riding on the back of a motorcycle, and riding an elephant and a camel. It is difficult, nearly impossible, to fully describe everything that I have experienced in India and the lasting effects it has had on me as a person and potentially on my future.

Follow the link below to Claire’s original entry on the IE3 Field Notes Blog: http://ie3global.ous.edu/blog/comments/1363

Oregon State senior Rachele Gallinat is a Human Development and Family Sciences major in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences and is currently overseas! Rachele is fulfilling her degree internship requirement by interning with the Eric Liddell Centre in Scotland through IE3 Global Internships.

I have begun my internship! The Eric Liddell Centre is located in an enchanting building with a beautiful winding staircase and stained glass windows filling the halls. My desk with my own computer, centre email address, and personal phone line (I feel so important) are located in a cozy little copy machine room that opens into the Ca(I)re Programme office. Despite how secluded that sounds, coworkers are frequently entering the copy room and I couldn’t find a more social office to have! The other great part? We never stop drinking tea! It’s quite lovely to always have a warm drink in hand.

This week I began researching carer support and setting up carer courses for the Ca(I)re Programme. Carers include those who are in an unpaid caring role for a loved one, spouse, friend, or neighbor. Specifically, the Ca(I)re Programme aims to provide free courses for caregivers to have a break from caring, learn something new, receive much needed support, and even get more exercise. Courses include anything and everything from birdwatching walks to yoga, painting, relaxation, and even computer courses.

My research began with calling all the carers who had participated in the courses last autumn. Speaking to the carers allowed me to discover how these courses have helped them in the long run, how the course helped give the carer a break, and other factors like the improvement of overall health. Speaking with Scottish people with various experiences has been quite fascinating and typically ends with discussing where I come from.

Follow the link below to Rachele’s original entry on the IE3 Field Notes Blog: http://ie3global.ous.edu/blog/comments/1365/

Alejandra Marquez Loza recently graduated from Oregon State University with an Honors B.S. in Bioresource Research and a minor in Chemistry. During her final term (Fall 2013) as an OSU student, Alejandra received a scholarship from IE3 Global Internships and interned with Child Family Health International (CFHI) in South Africa.

Fear is temporary, but regret is forever. That was the slogan for the Bloukrans bungee jumping advertisements that really got me to just go for it. Prior to arriving there I really did not think I would actually jump off the highest bungee in the world! Once there however, I just thought back to all my initial fears of what being in South Africa might be like, and how none of my worries had proven to be true. Just as I had conquered those initial worries and worked so hard to overcome the obstacles it took to be interning in Africa, I felt I could not pass up the opportunity to conquer another fear. I decided to jump. The first 2 seconds felt like the most terrifying moments of my life but afterwards came a strange calm followed by an extreme adrenaline rush. I was on the top of the world. I felt that if I had conquered that initial fear, I could really do anything I set my mind to.

During the ten weeks I spent in South Africa on rotations at hospitals, clinics and outside of work I found that the moments where I learned the most were when I placed myself outside my comfort zone and took leaps of faith with uncertainties. Cape Town and Durban were not what I imagined before arriving there but far exceeded any expectations I had. I learned to plan for things to go as unplanned and embrace the moments of discomfort. There were often little fears I had to overcome when I felt hesitant about approaching a doctor, answering questions during ward rounds, or starting up conversations with patients in my limited Zulu or Afrikaans. Despite my initial hesitations, I always felt it was well worth it when, to my surprise, it was such simple acts like those that taught me something valuable or that sparked long-lasting relationships.

Follow the link below to Alejandra’s original entry on the IE3 Field Notes Blog: http://ie3global.ous.edu/blog/comments/1364/

Exercise and Sport Science student Goretti Pham spent Fall term 2013 studying and interning at the Center for Social Medicine in India through IE3 Global Internships.

Coming back home I was welcomed by all of the things I left behind: my family, my close friends, good food, and a large, warm bed. It was so easy for me to fall back into my old routine that for a day or two it felt as though I never even went to India! It frightened me a little so I had to revisit the journal I kept while abroad. Reading through my journal I was able to take a step back and really look at everything that had happened now that my nerves are calm and I’m back in a comfortable setting. Reading through my notes I realized that I really learned a lot during my internship; I learned about myself, about my career, about India, and even about my own country from another person’s perspective.

Through India’s very conservative culture I was able to step back and look at my own culture through their lenses. Neither is better than the other, rather there are just two different ways to go about life, however, being in India made me appreciate the beauty in concealing your body as well as appreciating the present moment. The Indian concept of time has always boggled my western mind. They never rush, they are always relaxed and do not often plan ahead; it is a beautiful thing, really. Westerners often worry so much about the future that they tend to forget to live in the present.

Follow the link below to Goretti’s original entry on the IE3 Field Notes Blog: http://ie3global.ous.edu/blog/comments/accessory_and_necessity/

Kristin Chase recently graduated from Oregon State University with degrees in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and International Studies and an Anthropology minor. Kristin recently returned from Amman, Jordan where she studied Arabic through the SIT: Intensive Arabic Language Studies program. Additionally, Kristin interned at Ruwwad: The Arab Foundation for Sustainable Development through IE3 Global Internships.

I returned about a month ago from spending five amazing months in Jordan. While abroad I had the opportunity to build upon my Arabic language education, as well as apply my research skills and passion for social justice. Since OSU only offers second year Arabic courses online, it was imperative that I go abroad in order to continue working towards my goal of becoming fluent. I chose to study through SIT because they offer a seven-week intensive language program in the summer. I wanted a program that was focused on language and had a homestay component. I lived with a middle class- Palestinian family who spoke fluent English, but also spoke Arabic with me. I was able to experience Ramadan in a family setting and learn more about Jordanian life from the perspective of a particular class in society. The program was also a good fit for me because we took many excursions that allowed students to understand more about the country’s culture and history. My favorite part of the SIT program was the Bedouin homestay experience. I had such a sweet family and I went back to visit them for a week after the program ended. Not only did my host family treat me as one of their own, but I also quickly became close with many members of the village. Overall, it was great starting out with a structured program as it provided a smooth transition into Jordanian society.

After completing the language program, I started a three-month internship with Ruwwad, an organization based on community and youth empowerment that hosts many sustainable programs to benefit the local people. I chose this particular internship because of the organization’s focus on women and gender equality. Ruwwad allowed me to merge my interests in, and apply my skills related to, women’s issues, Arabic language and culture, and research writing. I wouldn’t do the organization justice by trying to describe all of the incredible work they do, so I will focus on my particular projects. Since I am a Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies major, I knew I wanted to focus my efforts on something that would benefit women. Therefore, I taught women’s English classes (which were content based) that allowed me to develop relationships with many women in the community. My conservative dress and knowledge of Islam made me quickly accepted by the female students and their family members. Reputation is extremely important in such a community. The classes provided opportunities for the students and I to speak about clothing and modesty, gender roles, the Arab spring and other political issues, leadership and community involvement, as well as the media. Every day was such a pleasure because the women were really funny and opinionated and I enjoyed watching them express themselves as they became more comfortable in class. Our conversations gave me a deeper understanding of the power issues women face in their particular community, which helped shape the other component of my internship. I developed a conscious building module that Ruwwad will translate into Arabic and implement over the next few months. I am really excited about this and think Ruwwad is a model social justice organization. I feel so blessed to have been selected to intern for them.

While completing my internship, I lived in an apartment with a British woman who worked as a refugee activist. It was really nice to live with someone who shared similar passions and could relate to being a woman abroad. Living in a new environment, particularly the Middle East, has a lot of negative stereotypes attached to it—especially if you’re a woman. However, I highly recommend it! I found that in general, because of my respect for the local customs and interest in the language, culture, and religious dynamics, most families and women accepted me and treated me as family. Jordan, and some neighboring countries, I would argue, are much safer than reported by the media. Moving somewhere new with such a complex and fascinating culture forced me to rely on myself and become more competent, not only in navigating new geographical spaces, but also in understanding sociocultural dynamics, my own identity, and other people. I have become so much more confident and grown into myself by embarking on this journey and I am beyond blessed to have had this opportunity. I can’t wait to go back!

OSU Abroad

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Category Archives: IE3 Global Internships

Reflecting Before the End

Poetic Memory of Ukraine

Leaving India with the World in my Baggage

Up, Up, and Away!

Facing Fears

Accessory and Necessity

My Second Home: Jordan

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