Looking for an internship that will bring your career-path to life? Jess’s Psychology internship in Zanzibar contributed to her long-term goals and provided insight into the exciting reality of a career in psychology. Read on to learn about what made this internship a special experience for personal and professional development!
Hi Jess! What were your first impressions of this internship?
My first week as a Psychology intern in Zanzibar was just incredible! It went above and beyond my expectations in everything such as people, place, and general culture. I met some amazing people and am so grateful for how easy I settled in! The most memorable moment for me during the first week had to simply be the friends I made and the memories we had together visiting different places around the island. I had an incredible experience working in the mental health hospital and took so much on board - it definitely left me feeling inspired to carry on with my goal of becoming a psychologist.
How did the internship contribute to achievement of your goals?
This internship massively contributed to my overall long-term goals as it opened my eyes up to the exciting reality of a career in psychology and the direct reward you get for even making a slight positive difference to people’s lives. I learnt and took on board hundreds of skills from the internship and my confidence in the career I want to pursue is stronger. Skills include communication, simplicity of the help you can provide, positive attitudes, motivation, inspiration of others in the career in order to create a motivating, ever changing environment.
I feel more empowered to go out and work for what I really love doing and that is helping people and learning about the mind and mental health! I am more motivated and confident in my love for psychology and pursuing a career in it! I want to do more of the experience I have had in Zanzibar; that is working and traveling and generally stepping out of my comfort zone to go on the psychology journey I love. I want to gain more experience and travel whilst I’m doing that, and I feel more confident in making that happen now.
Did you encounter a lot of culture shock?
The local culture took some getting used to but during the first week I did feel more relaxed and trusting of the surrounding people and their genuine friendliness.
I loved learning about the Zanzibari culture, and the way individuals see themselves as part of their community. I learned that they are friendly, kind to others and also protective of themselves when need be.
I also learnt about the traditional ways in which they live their lives such as the medicine, beliefs, and standards of work/living that they are accustomed to. For example, they still very much believe in witches etc. and the way these affect the treatment of those who are deemed to be possessed by the devil (dealing with mental health disorders).
Of course, it’s always sensible to be cautious in a new environment. However, I don’t think there is a way to better prepare apart from keeping in mind that the local people live by different norms, compared to what you’re used to, coming in as a foreigner, and it’s important to respect that and be wary of these.
What aspects of the experience required you to adapt?
Meeting and greeting people is an important aspect of the culture and relationship-building, so I had to increase my social awareness and my friendliness even when you’re tired/frustrated. However, it made for such a nice environment and on returning home this was definitely a noticeable contrast.
Dress sense and respectful clothing was also a big change compared to home, both with body language of females and of course covering of the body. To learn these culture differences was to be respectful and fully immerse yourself in the different ways of living. I very much enjoyed it.
How were you impacted by the language barrier in Zanzibar?
Definitely the language barrier was something I encountered. With the patients at the mental health hospital, I developed skills to overcome the language barrier and also to try to be as helpful to the patients as possible and provide support. To ensure communication was effective, it was important to be clear about what you were saying and using simple words to avoid confusion. It was also important of course to learn as much of their language as possible and to not be disheartened by the difficulty. When you find the confidence to ask there will be someone that will translate and help.
What were your highlights of this experience overall?
The people! Met amazing friends and just had the best time with them. Also loved immersing myself in African culture. I loved it. Working in the mental health hospital was also an unforgettable experience. I would say my most significant change is my new love for African culture and I am so excited to explore more of it! I loved everything about Zanzibar and my time out there. I miss working and it being a learning and new experience everyday, as well as the weather, culture, just everything!
What advice would you give to future interns?
Immerse yourself and don’t be afraid to do this! Being in a host family setting right in the center of the town made me feel so involved and welcomed. By showing that you are trying to follow the culture differences and by being respectful it really helped to make you feel welcomed and accepted.
Ready to get started with your own internship?
Our step-by-step guide on how it works provides you with more information on how to get started. The process is user friendly - just submit your application to get the ball rolling. It doesn’t cost anything to apply and won’t take more than 5 minutes. However, your formal expression of interest provides the foundation for us to help you take the next steps.
280+ internship programs across 24 countries
Placements tailored to your academic requirements or career interests
Exclusive experiential learning curriculum
We help you develop and articulate the soft skills most favored by employers
Most affordable & flexible
We organize everything, including local accommodation, from only $1094 USD
