The best thing I could have done during the COVID-19 pandemic! Past Review

By (Michigan State University) - abroad from 06/29/2020 to 08/14/2020 with

CAPA Remote Global Internships: For Credit

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to effectively communicate with International colleagues online. I also learned strategies to keep me productive while working remotely, strategies to market my international experiences in my career field, and I learned a great deal about the country that my placement was in. This was 1000% worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

One of the best things that I could have done for myself during the pandemic!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

My on-site supervisor gave me wonderfully tailored tasks and lots of freedom with my assignments.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed at my home in East Lansing.

* Food:

I cooked my own food at home in East Lansing, but one of CAPA's cultural events is a cooking class hosted by the CAPA faculty in Florence, so I was able to learn new ways to cook wonderful Italian food!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Being at home, it took more effort to become culturally integrated, but CAPA does a wonderful job providing remote interns with cultural events to make them feel apart of their site location and to expose students to other international cultures.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No health issues

* Safety:

East Lansing is fairly safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I would love to do another global remote internship with CAPA. CAPA helped me broaden my cultural horizons, integrate international experiences with my career path, and pair me with an internship site that genuinely cared about my career development.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Living on a student budget is difficult in East Lansing, and I was not paid during my internship, so having only a part-time paycheck became stressful towards the end of the program.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My Placement
  • The My Global Cities Events
  • Online Cultural Integration
* What could be improved?
  • Class Communication
  • Organization of Canvas
  • Connections with students from my university
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how difficult working at home would be. I assumed it would be easy but I had to develop strategies to stay productive during my work day.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!