Chances are they can! We have set up individual internships and semester programs for twenty years. At least nine out of ten complete their internships.

If your child has never held a mop—don’t worry, they are not alone. If they have never cooked their own meals—join the crowd. Out of necessity, students find a way to eat, clean, and do their own clothes if you throw them into the deep end. Our in-country contact person is there if they need any help or advice.

When planning student trips, we aim for them to arrive at the best time of the year weather-wise. While seldom mentioned in evaluations, providing a program in the best possible seasons is key. If a student feels homesick, we pull up a weather map for their home vs. where they are interning and encourage them to count their blessings.

Your child will have office support from our U.S. staff as well as an in-country contract person that they can refer to. Likewise, we encourage them at the outset to create a network of people who can assist them. Parents, co-workers, landlord, in-country staff, friends back home. It’s the digital age, so they can connect with a support group in person and electronically.

The few students who don’t complete internships usually quit for a lack of motivation or sense of entitlement. They find some way to wiggle out of their obligations so they can hit the road and travel on their parent’s dime. The best way for a parent to ensure their son/daughter treats their internship with the seriousness it deserves is to give them the ultimatum to complete their intern in paradise or to return home and do grunt work. Paradise usually wins.