Reviews

Will Hardage

Connect-123 is so much more than a typical third-party internship provider. Behind the forms, emails, and website, there are extraordinary people, who foster such a respectful, warm, and genuine culture. Having a resilient and qualified support network is essential for a successful abroad experience, and the staff at Connect-123 are willing to go out of their way for you to reach your goals and happiness. While having a great internship was important to me, the support, flexibility, and hospitality offered by Connect-123’s Cape Town team was seemingly priceless.

Cody Amengual

Living abroad is certainly a challenge for someone who is not completely fluent in the language of that country. Working there is even more of a challenge. The Connect-123 program helped fill in the many gaps that were hard to fill for someone who has little information about a city across the world.

Finding the internship was a major help along with a place to stay in the city. Finding all of the connections and information on my own would have been very difficult and the experience would not have been so good. The food and attraction recommendations helped me have a really enjoyable time in Buenos Aires. I am pretty certain that I would not have made such solid connections and made such good memories without the help of Connect-123 and I am forever grateful. My internship in Buenos Aires was an amazing 2 months!

Alice Runion

Studying abroad had been something I was interested in for a while, but I wasn't very excited about programs that only offered classes in other countries.  After hearing about Connect-123's internship programs, I was so excited that I would be able to have an internship position working for an organization.  I can say that, hands-down, this was the best part of studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for two months.  Between getting to explore the city and seeing the culture for myself, I also had the rewarding experience of working for an NGO that does research on economic crime in Argentina.  The internship helped me grow in my researching skills and learn how to take on a full report by myself, and I am so excited to use these skills when I return to school in the fall.  The Connect-123 program coordinators were great about making sure that everything with my position was going well without being overbearing and setting up fun activities for program participants to do.  I appreciated all of the freedom this internship provided and the experiences I had in a beautiful country.

Chelsea Temple

I have always dreamed of coming to Spain. It was a pipe-dream, really, as I never thought I would actually be able to go. So, when I found out that my school was financing an internship in Barcelona through the Connect-123 program, I was dually dumbfounded and ecstatic! My eight-week experience here in Barcelona was the perfect balance of work and play. I worked for a think tank Foundation, where I worked on a research project for the duration of my internship. I wrote a (really long!) paper comparing the 2008 Global Financial Crisis's effects on employment in the European Union and the United States, and the ensuing strategies and policies proposed and enacted by the two in order to combat the high levels of unemployment. I learned quite a bit while researching and writing my paper, as well as realizing that I have a large interest in labor economics. My mornings were devoted to work, while my afternoons I spent relaxing at the beach, exploring the treasures of Barcelona, and working out. Some weekends I took day trips--Sitges, Tarragona, Tossa de Mar in Costa Brava--and I also visited Madrid. I also got to fuel my passion for being active by hiking Mount Tibidabo, Montjüic, and Montserrat. I had so many great experiences here, and I was very sad to leave--especially because I became really close with the other Connect-123 interns while living in Barcelona. I made really great friends with whom I plan to keep in touch. Thank you Connect-123, and Lea, for helping me transition into the Barcelona lifestyle, for introducing me to some great people, and for helping me find a wonderful internship. I grew a lot in my two months. I have fallen in love with this city, and I cannot wait to come back. Until then, adéu Barcelona!  

Rana El Naggar

I grew up in the Middle East, and finished my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, in Dubai. I decided to change my career path to International Relations, and now planning to study a postgraduate degree in the UK. I decided to intern in an NGO in a different country to learn a new language, and I chose Barcelona. Spain is among the most important countries in Europe with international development entities. Connect-123 gave me a great placement in which I was able to expand my knowledge and skills in the field in a very friendly environment. I chose to find an internship with Connect-123 because of the variety of services they provide throughout the duration of the internship. Connect-123 helped in finding the appropriate internship, list of housing options and language courses that were tailored to fit my needs. I got a discount in almost all services provided through Connect-123. Most importantly for me, living alone in a foreign country was a difficult decision. Knowing I had someone to contact was very comforting! I would advise graduates in any field of work to intern in Barcelona. It is a beautiful city, lovely weather, and very student- friendly. It is great to be able to learn a new language, meet new people as well as get a head start on your career!

Lara Sepulveda Machado

I interned with Connect-123 in Buenos Aires for 10 weeks in a micro-finance non-profit organization. My internship was exactly what I was looking for and if otherwise, it wouldn’t have made my stay in vibrant Buenos Aires the same. The city has so much to offer that you are constantly finding yourself outside meeting new people and visiting new places. As for Connect-123 services, I can only say good things about it. What impressed me the most was Connect’s ability to truly listen to my needs and interests. They successfully placed me with a great organization and an amicable apartment in which I was living with other Connect interns. Their services are very personalized, which facilitates your assimilation process in the city. They are available for pretty much anything you need, and their weekly newsletters provide a great insight of cultural events, dinning experiences or simply a get together where you meet the rest of the Connect-123 family (meaning other interns).

Shannon Griel

My experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina was truly enjoyable and enlightening.  Connect-123 made the entire process easy, smooth, and rewarding, from finding me an internship in my area of interest, to finding me a great apartment in Buenos Aires.  My journey was 4 months long, and I spent 3 months interning at a local Economic Development NGO, learning about the world of micro-finance and infrastructure improvements in the impoverished provinces outside the city.  The work experience was exactly what I had hoped for, and the NGO was so welcoming to all of the interns, as well as genuinely committed to fostering an environment of mutual learning and progress. Outside of working, Connect-123 was a stable part of my life down in Buenos Aires - I knew I could count on them to respond to any questions I had about the city, my apartment, traveling, etc.  I definitely took advantage of the great social events that Connect-123 coordinated during the time I was down there, and met some wonderful people from all over the US who shared similar interests of learning, exploring, and traveling in a foreign country.  I would definitely recommend Connect-123 to anyone who wants a work or volunteer experience abroad!