“To be honest, when I first got the email from the university about having an online internship, I wasn’t that thrilled about it and was in fact very skeptical on how that would work.”
Elham, DVM, Alternatives, Palestine, Teacher Creativity Centre, Researching Gender Equality
The appeal of having an international internship is experiencing a new culture and a new perspective to things and I just couldn't see how that would happen with an online internship. After completing almost four months of my internship, I am happy to say that I was very wrong. I got to learn and experience all of that and so much more.
Because of the pandemic, I had the opportunity to work with an organization located in Palestine and with amazing people who have taught me so much. Usually this internship is unavailable due to security risks. Even though it was a bit difficult at the beginning to navigate through having an online internship, with the help of everyone around me, it became an amazing learning experience that I would never change for anything nor forget.
During these four months, I have learned more about Palestine and its educational system than I have in the last couple of years where I have been researching and learning about the country. One of the aspects of my internship was to look at educational education in Palestine, and it was amazing to see the work they are doing. These organizations have found creative ways to teach students and involve them in their community despite and because of the Occupation they are under. Reading about their accomplishments was truly amazing and inspiring.
For anyone who is skeptical about doing an online internship, I hope you end up choosing to do it because it truly is an opportunity that you cannot miss. I know that it might not sound as exciting as actually going to a different country, but there is literally nothing for you to lose, only to gain. Even though it might seem lonely to do an internship online, there are so many people who are there to help you get the most of this experience.