Architecture Intern at Sustainable Building Firm

My experience was very unique in the sense that it was first virtual internship. I was not expecting to have one so I was little sad at first but in the end it was really fun and educational experience. Even though it was virtual, I was engaging with local buddies at Vietnam all the time as if we were friends for the longest time and learning and talking about Vietnamese culture every week. We also had some good events amongst ourselves which I will cherish for a long time. The company I worked at was also great. The supervisor was helpful and communicative for the most time. I learned so much working wise also. What was the most surprising thing you saw or did? Singing happy birthday song in Vietnam was definitely one of things I was not expecting to do!

I am thankful to God that my daughter had an opportunity to be in Vietnam for 3 months through ABROADER. She stayed with a host family for a month and half and was able to learn a lot about the culture and the food. She loved her host family and misses them. Then she had traveled to Hanoi and worked with ABROADER. The staff was very friendly, caring, and hospitable. After 3 months in Vietnam, I had noticed the changes in my daughter about her outlook of life. She is no longer as much of a picky eater and her compassion and understanding of the Vietnamese people, the culture, and the food has greatly increased. I believe that this experience has helped her grow fast in her journey of life. Thanks ABROADER!!

When people ask me how I changed this summer, I tell them I aged eight years. Because the best way I know how to encompass all that I learned and how I matured is to change my ‘real’ age from 20 to someone much older. I feel wise in the least pretentious way and armed with enough life knowledge to take on the world. I know I could not have gained this much independence in Corvallis and I doubt I could have achieved it anywhere else in the world. Still, Vietnam taught me that simplicity does not repel complexity, that I can do anything, and, most importantly, that there is a big world out there to explore. “My first internship placement, at Bac Lung Secondary School, was excellent. I love living and teaching there, and I wish I could have stayed the entire time. I felt like I was making an important contribution in the community in allowing the students to learn English from a foreigner when they might not get that chance otherwise. Obviously, having to move and change everything halfway through my internship was not ideal. Since I came to Vietnam expecting to live in the countryside and teach English the entire time, the move to the city, where I could no longer teach, was frustrating. That being said, my experience in Hanoi ended up much better than I could have expected, and I am grateful for the opportunity to go outside my comfort zone living in the city. One of the best parts of my experience was the local buddy system. […] it was invaluable for me to have him (the local buddy) as a support and confidant. My experience would not have been the same without him.