1. PACIFIC MARINE BIOLOGY
- Start in Hawaii, with our Marine Education/Research internship.
- Next move to Fiji and participate in our Reef Check / Village Stay internship.
- End in Australia, with our Coastal Restoration internship.
2. ECOTOURISM AND THE AMERICAS
- Start in Mexico Dolphin Ecopark Project
- Move to Costa Rica and work in a Butterfly Garden
- End in Ecuador with Rainforest Conservation
3. EUROPEAN ART
- Start in England with a Theater Internship
- Move to France and work in a Art Gallery
- End in Spain with a Photography Placement
4. ASIAN RELIGION & CULTURE
- Start in Thailand with our Buddhist Monastery or Ecotourism
- Next, Nepal complete a Community Development Project
- End in India working with an At-Risk Youth
5. SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
- Start in Spain with a Language Immersion and Teaching Assistant Program√ Move to Argentina for Women’s Right’s Project
- End in Ecuador with a Cultural Museum Internship
6. USA COMMUNICATIONS TOUR
- Start in New York with a TV Station√ Move to Chicago with a Newspaper Placement
- End in San Francisco with a Community Radio Station
7. CUSTOM (You Choose the Countries)
- Mix and match. You choose your favorite 2-3 topics and countries.
My experience with IGS’s Internship Around the World program was both illuminating and inspiring. Through this program I had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii, Fiji and Australia and catch a glimpse of their natural beauty and the cultures that cultivate them. As a biologist, I was excited to find an internship that focused on marine biology in these amazing places. In Hawaii we studied the effects of tourism on spinner dolphins, we assisted with the fingerprinting of green sea turtles by taking photos of their profiles, and we received certification as humpback whale naturalists.
While studying the biogeography, native flora and fauna, and human impacts on ecosystem health, we were
also immersed in rich histories and traditions through a village homestay in Fiji, camping in the Australian outback, and hearing stories of Hawaiian mythology while watching lava from an active volcano flow into the ocean. For me, these experiences uncovered a compelling relationship between humans and the natural environment, and I started to develop a better understanding of the connectivity and interdependence between them.
This motivated me to pursue an interdisciplinary Doctorate that would allow me to advance in a career that facilitates a more collaborative process between researchers, the public, and policymakers to create positive change in regards to healthy ecosystems, cultural needs and the economy. I feel lucky to have been able to participate in this program, and I hope others are able to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn and grow through ICE’s many internships.