Angela's Internship Experience

Last December, I was sitting on a plane incredibly nervous and excited ready to embark on an AIESEC internship to Malaysia’s garden city - Kuala Lumpur. Upon reflection, it is easily the most satisfying and the shortest 2 months of my life.

What kind of work did you do?

I worked as a HIV/AIDS Ambassador on a global project that AIESEC in collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank (Malaysia) have been running all around Asia Pacific. I was involved in designing and running workshops/seminars to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS amongst the youth, educating students on the current realities of the global epidemic and prevention of HIV infection. I reached out to more than 2000 students during my internship and have learnt what it means to really make a difference in the community we live in. My office was located in the MC office, so I had the fantastic opportunity to meet and work with the leaders of AIESEC Malaysia.

How did your AIESEC experience help with your internship?

Being part of the AIESEC Monash Talent Management team helped me with my teamwork and communication skills and made the transition to work during my internship easier. A lot of the people I worked with were not AIESECers, however they were open minded, passionate and driven to learn; so they had a fantastic experience discovering their potential.

What were the biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge for me was being out of my comfort zone and being away from friends and family. However I adapted quickly with the support of AIESEC Malaysia. From day one, I was embraced by local AIESECers who treated me like family.

What were the benefits after completing / or during internship?

The internship is as much about learning as it is about enjoyment and fulfilment. I had so much fun during my internship! I’ve made life-long friendships with my colleagues (international interns) from all over the world. My network of friends has expanded to Hong Kong, Netherlands, Korea, Taiwan, Mexico and India! Every weekend we travelled to a different part of Malaysia, to fully experience the Malaysian culture and enjoy the authentic Malaysian street food at the hawker stalls.

Throughout my internship, I gained invaluable insights into teamwork, leadership and cross-culture experiences. The experience has given me the opportunity to work and travel at the same time; to forge international friendships and most importantly to develop my potential as an Agent of Change.