Ready for a life-changing experience? Regina Rubio traveled from Mexico during her gap year to experience a Fashion & Textiles internship in Bali. Determined to have a gap full of radical change and growth, Regina came to Bali prepared to be immersed in a new country and culture, to develop as a person and artist. If you’re interested in the same, and ready to make an impact, then what are you waiting for? Get started planning your internship abroad now!
Hi Regina! What made your internship in Bali so life-changing?
Interning in Bali with a local fashion designer has been by far the most life changing experience for me in so many ways. I had never travelled so far away from home and by myself. That was both exciting and so scary for me. I remember the night before leaving, I downloaded Google Earth to see how far Bali was exactly and I was shocked when I had to move the digital globe so far to the right with my finger. So, that on its own was life changing for me!
What was it like to arrive in Bali and get settled in?
Arriving in Bali felt intimidating because there is so much going on when you arrive, and it felt like you have no clue what comes next. I loved having everything planned and measured most of the time, but this time, it’s like I could never predict what was next. I absolutely loved it!
My first week in my internship was also kind of challenging because most of the staff did not speak English so I had to find ways to bond with them through Google Translate, signs, or just laughing it off!
And, as for Bali life outside of work, there are no comments. Simply extraordinary. I went on so many adventures, met so many wonderful people along the way, made lifelong friends, I even learned how to surf, I went hiking on volcanoes, I even went rafting. A whole other part of personal growth and discovery.
What was it like being immersed in a fashion internship?
It was challenging for me to confront lack of perfection and mistakes. Back home, I’m used to doing my fashion sketches with my own style and creativity, and mainly for fun. But when I got to my internship experience, I founds that I was expected to deliver clean, professional work, so that made me grow a lot and develop amazing skills. I loved taking over difficult tasks such as designing a textile from scratch, or going to a fitting, etc.
The designer did an excellent job in involving me and really getting me immersed into the Balinese fashion industry. I attended fashion mentoring, fittings, meetings, and even a fashion show. I even learned some sewing along the way.
And, once again, I never knew what to expect because I always had different roles. I had a beautiful connection with the designer as well. I enjoyed eating local foods at lunch time with the staff, playing board games with them, laughing out loud so much, and making each other company while we worked. We had such a strong bond that I would sometimes see them outside of work.
The most amazing part of all of this is, we had different nationalities, different languages, different ages, different beliefs and backgrounds, yet we built a strong bond. I will never forget my last day interning, when all of the women came to me and started to give me handmade presents, letters, and warm hugs filled with tears. I never thought that the most valuable part of my experience, besides my professional growth, would be the beautiful connections that I made with the hardworking women of my workplace. They were so sweet with me since day one and it was hard for me to say goodbye to them.
What were the most significant outcomes of your experience?
I grew so much as a person in these last two months that I can’t even imagine saying no to this opportunity. It was definitely filled with difficult moments because everything is just so new and different, but that is part of the magic of Bali.
I left this internship in Bali feeling really happy, feeling that I had an impact there and they had an impact on me as well. After going through such an amazing experience, I realized so many things regarding my career but also my personal life. I realized that the most important thing is to create a beautiful life for yourself and expand that beauty to those around you. I also realized that I am good at building relationships, communicating with people, etc. so now I know that more than fashion designing, I want to be a Fashion PR and be involved in networking and brand reputation.
What advice do you have for others who are interested?
To anyone who doubts taking this leap, I am very familiar with this feeling, but it is always better to go for it and enjoy the discomfort and uncertainty of it all than missing out on it!
I do think it’s a magical place and everyone there simply knows it. People smile at you all the time, and if you ask them how they are, they will say “I am good. I am always good because I am in Bali.”
And it is so safe, I can say that as a female solo traveler who just graduated from high school. So, my advice for those who are still in the decision-making process would be to go for it. It won’t be easy. But you will love it.
One last piece of advice - please make sure to take your debit card with you from the ATM, it is not fun to lose it!
Thank you for helping me in this whole process, it has been wonderful!
Ready to start planning your own internship?
- Check out our amazing range of internships in Bali and submit your interest via our online application form (for free).
- We’ll review your application to confirm you’re a good match for your chosen internship program and that there is availability for the dates you’ve requested. We can then accept you into the program.
- Once you’re accepted, you can reserve your place by paying a deposit of $499 USD. This confirmation allows us to reserve your desired internship dates while we arrange your placement and customize your internship. Then let the adventure begin!
