Reviews

Chelsey C

Ella E

I have just left Barcelona after two months, and I already want to be back! I had the best experience exploring a city so unlike where I grew up and met introspective and wonderful people through my internship at a clinic for sick children, as well as through Connect-123. With like-minded new friends, I discovered amazing restaurants throughout the city, visited nearby places up the coast, went to a number of amazing art museums, and even went to an FC Barca game which was the best! My friends were the best, and I am even going to travel with some over the course of my gap year! Over my time working, I was able to form bonds with children struggling with challenging medical issues, as well as their parents, and doing so brought me fulfillment and awe of how such great difficulties can shape a person. All of my colleagues and the families were such lovely humans, and most of all inspired me to not take anything for granted and work through challenges with an open and light mindset. An experience I never would have found on my own, working at the clinic brought me clarity on the things I could see myself doing in the future and was lots of fun for improving my Spanish skills. The Connect-123 activities were a blast, my personal favorite was a tapas night on one of the best tapas streets in Barcelona! I am headed to the University of Washington this September, and while I will be sad to return back to the States, I am doing so with new perspectives of the world, new abilities to make global friends, and a mile-long bucket list of places I want to travel to next! Thank you Connect-123!

Dominique M

My internship was with an NGO in Cape Town, South Africa, their work was targeted toward helping empower asylum seekers and refugees. From the beginning, Carla was always available to answer my questions and provide support in achieving my goals for this internship. All her preparations made for a smooth transition to my destination and into my internship. At my internship, I had an incredible time with the staff and clients. The moment I walked through the door the staff was so kind and welcoming. I grew in many ways and developed new skills as an emerging mental health professional during my 3 months there. I was able to be a part of many programs that included counseling, psychosocial assessments, support groups, and community outreach. Carla and Connect-123 went above and beyond, not only helping us get connected with internships but also connecting us to the rich culture of South Africa. From amazing excursions to enjoying local food, I got a unique experience of what Cape Town has to offer. They made the experience all-around a life-changing one! I am so grateful to have met some amazing friends along the way and made lasting memories! My experiences with Connect-123 and my internship are ones I will not soon forget!

Sarah Eiland

This summer I had the unique opportunity to work for an NGO that aims to uplift the homeless population of Cape Town by providing meaningful job opportunities, a monthly income, and social work services. The NGO currently operates three urban gardens, a street sweeping operation in the tourist-heavy area of town, and recently opened a safe house and rehab facility outside of the city. During my internship, I had the chance to fill a variety of roles. Some days I swept with the homeless men and talked to them about their life stories. Other days I filled the role of a garden supervisor or completed reports for stakeholders. My project in the latter half of my time in Cape Town consisted of me collecting a visual story to share with donors and for the archival integrity of the organization. It culminated in an event where our pictures were hung, beneficiaries spoke, and all 45 of us in attendance ate from a giant pot of soup I made in my small apartment. My most memorable day was my first day when I visited the home of a notorious South African prison gang leader. Working with the NGO exposed me to troubles and people I would never have encountered otherwise. I learned about homelessness, apartheid, current South African political affairs, drug addiction, South African gangs, Cape Town crime, and so much more just through my daily interactions with people who are affected by these issues. My internship turned out to be much more field experience than I anticipated, but I would never have gained the knowledge and personal growth that I acquired through any other type of internship. I am forever grateful for this life-changing opportunity. It has already changed how I look at my future. I will surely think of my time in Cape Town and the lessons I’ve learned for years to come.

Danielle Zacharias

My time in Cape Town was nothing short of amazing. I made friends from all over the United States, along with those from South Africa who I am still in touch with today. I was able to explore an absolutely beautiful country while getting work experience at an internship of my choice. The staff of Connect-123 are there every step of the way, making the process of traveling to a new country much easier than expected. I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. I am forever grateful for the opportunity and everything I learned on my trip.

Polly Ratcliff

I decided to spend my summer volunteering, with a specific goal to spend this time in Dublin in an effort to live amongst the Irish culture and explore my own Irish roots further. I initially wasn’t sure how to go about it. I spent time researching online and found many volunteering programmes specifically geared toward one sector of work. Connect-123 works on a slightly different method, in that you can choose from a wide variety of career areas, and the team will work to place you in the best possible one for you. I am currently a Psychology student, with the goal of working in the mental health and social sectors. I had a Skype interview with the Connect-123 Dublin Program Co-ordinator, in which she took the time to learn exactly what I wanted to get out of my placement, and the areas I was specifically interested in. The effort and genuine care the team at Connect-123 put into ensuring that I was happy, comfortable and interested in my placement was brilliant, and they were extremely supportive during my enrolment in my chosen scheme. I chose to work at a drug rehabilitation center for women in Dublin city center. I can honestly say that I had the best summer of my life, sounds a bit OTT, but it's true. The center is a fantastic, inclusive and supportive environment, and the staff were second to none, helping me to understand addiction recovery programmes, social issues faced by many of those struggling with addiction, and a personal approach to recovery. The women I worked with were a vibrant, wonderful, funny and courageous group, and my time with them and everything I learned from them was invaluable. I entered the programme thinking I would gain experience in the workplace in terms of mental health and social care, but I left my placement with a learning experience about life, people and supporting each other that I never expected. I would highly recommend this programme, it is truly inspiring and a fantastic way to further understand issues that you may not have personally faced. It was truly an amazing place, and I will never forget my time there, nor any of the wonderful people I met along the way. The Connect-123 team was really helpful in organizing accommodation to make sure that my move to Dublin ran as smoothly as possible. I spent half my time in halls on UCD campus, and the other half in Dublin city center. In both, I met great people from across the Globe, some of which are now friends for life. The Connect-123 team made every effort to ensure that everyone on the programme was happy and settling in well, with regular check-ins and introductions to others on the scheme. They also organized social events catering to all and were really helpful in recommending other things to do such as sightseeing in Dublin city centre and trips to explore other beautiful parts of Ireland. I cannot recommend Connect-123 and the lovely team highly enough. From start to finish, my time there was made as comfortable and fun, and the team genuinely care for the welfare of those they are looking after. If you are wondering whether or not to go for it, my advice would be ABSOLUTELY DO. You won’t regret it. I am now applying for my Masters degree in Dublin, possibly to do Addiction Studies, none of which I would be doing if it weren’t for Connect-123.

Jace Grissom

Shanghai is a vibrant, fast-paced, and progressive city. My summer internship in Shanghai provided me with an endless stream of opportunity and experiences that allowed me to grow in my professional and personal goals. Working at a startup, I was given a lot of responsibility as an intern that challenged me to learn new skills and problem solve independently of reporting to a supervisor. Through my internship experience, I gained in my professional and social immersion experience by being exposed to a new LGBTQIA+ community in Shanghai in my work and my free time. Most of my days were spent in the office, but I also had the opportunity to attend social events hosted by my company at night and on the weekends.

Sarah Caplan

Living in Cape Town for two months really provided me with an immersive, cultural experience. The atmosphere in Cape Town is vibrant and lively, and I was able to gain a new perspective on what life is like outside of the US. I was able to get a full understanding of what it is like to live in Cape Town, and got to indulge in the many things the city has to offer. My internship in Cape Town provided me with skills and an experience I would not have been able to gain anywhere else. I will forever be grateful for my time spent in Cape Town and I will take the life lessons I learned there with me wherever I go!

Zoë Sernyak

When I decided that I wanted to do a gap year, I knew that I wanted to spend some time abroad. What I did not know was where I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, or how to make my aspirations of international living actually happen. When I was introduced to Connect-123, all of my questions were answered. I chose Ireland from many options, and after a discussion with very helpful people from Connect-123, I was able to find an internship. After finding a host family and making the necessary arrangements, I finally arrived in Ireland. My coordinator helped me every step of the way, by assisting me in finding my way to work on the first day to organizing fun events throughout my stay. My social work internship ending up being an extremely fulfilling yet challenging position that allowed me to attain real world experience while still being consistent with my overall career goals. By the end of my two and a half months, Dublin felt like a second home, and I never wanted to leave!

Marlowe Jackson

My time in Cape Town will forever hold a sincere place in my heart. As much as I would like to capture the essence of the experience into a few simple sentences, it is something only to be fully understood through being there in person. The indescribable feeling of the city is something I will never forget and will cherish for all my days. Cape Town is so much more than a beautiful landscape of mountains, city, and beaches; it is vibrant and home to contrasts, history, and diversity. The people are what made the experience so unforgettable and I am immensely grateful to each person I met along the way. I have Connect-123 to thank for helping me make one of my biggest lifelong dreams come true. My social work internship was everything I hoped for and much more. I savored each moment spent at my placement, an NGO for survivors of prostitution and trafficking. Sometimes life has a strange way of pulling you towards a path or place that you’re meant to journey, which is exactly what this experience was for me. If home is where the heart is, then I certainly found myself another home.

Lacee Wagner

I can't thank Connect-123 enough for my experience in Dublin, Ireland. I traveled alone to Dublin with not only the hopes of gaining experience overseas, but to learn more about myself. Little did I know that I would come across some of the greatest people I've ever met. Throughout the few weeks of being there, Connect-123 was amazing when it came to showing me around Ireland and making me feel right at home, it's truly the most beautiful place I've ever been. I feel extremely blessed to have been given this opportunity and would recommend it to everyone. I wish I could have stayed longer and can't wait to go back!

Sara Fahlmark

During my time in Dublin, I interned at an organization working with at-risk inner city Dublin kids. I worked on a program that focuses on keeping kids/youth from entering the justice system, or to keep them from reoffending. I was able to learn so many skills, and put my knowledge of things I’ve learned in college into practice. Connect-123 was extremely helpful in placing me in my internship and connecting me with support all around Dublin and within my intern host organization. Although I already knew people in Dublin, Connect-123 did an excellent job at bringing the interns together and organizing trips. The accommodation was amazing and a great location. I would highly recommend other college students to intern with Connect-123.

Ainsleigh Toth

Cape Town is one of those amazing places that you will never quite fully understand until you live in it. It is a surprising city, from mountain side to beach sunsets to city lights, it really has anything you could want to do. Cape Town definitely is a raw metropolitan, so you must be willing to explore life outside of your comfort zone. Connect-123 provided phenomenal support leading up to my arrival, and then continued to answer any questions or concerns that I had throughout my time in Cape Town. If you want support along with individual freedom, then Connect-123 is definitely the program for you. Doing a social work internship in an orphanage and townships, it certainly gave me eye opening insight to the social situations in South Africa. Being one of the most amazing places to live, its astonishing to witness the extreme flaws of the social arrangement. I had the chance to do two different internships in two months and with that came amazing opportunities to experience many diverse situations. Each experience gave me a different chance to obtain knowledge about things that wouldn’t even be imaginable at home. I am so happy I chose Connect-123 to organize my summer plans!

Alisha Webber

Interning abroad in Dublin taught me more than I ever thought or hoped going into the experience. Not only did I learn so many new things about my field in social work at my internship, but I learned a lot about myself and many other cultures. I got the opportunity to meet and live with people from different countries and made lifelong friends in the process. I come from a small town and learning about how other people live around the world was so fascinating to me. I thought going into this I would only learn more about social work from a different aspect but I never thought I would learn so much about myself and I never imagined making as many amazing people along the way. It was truly a life changing experience and I will always be thankful for Connect-123 for helping me make this step forward in my life and future career! Thanks Connect-123!

Heather Lodahl

My experience in Cape Town, South Africa was unforgettable! I had no idea what to expect out of the city or my internship, but I was pleasantly surprised with all of it. Connect-123 helped make my dream of an international internship a reality. The Cape town staff was available and helpful with all my questions and concerns as I navigated through visas, housing and the internship process. I never felt uncertain about being in a new place because the Connect-123 team are friendly and engaging. Cape Town is a beautiful,vibrant, and culturally diverse place. I enjoyed the beach, hiking, camping, biking, and an amazing road trip on the garden route (and of course feeding elephants!). More importantly, I had a great internship at a NGO dedicated to empowering women who have experienced domestic violence. This internship challenged me and provided me with insight to the social and cultural history of South Africa and its people. I really enjoyed working with my colleagues and contributing to the quality of lives of so many women. The people, scenery, and delicious food are only a few reasons why Cape Town will always have a place in my heart. Connect-123 is a great organization and I would recommend using their services to make your dreams a reality too!

Chiyvonne Shennan

I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to intern in one of the most amazing cities I had ever been to, Buenos Aires, I have travelled extensively and have to say that BA is incredible and always something for everyone to do, it is rich with culture and diversity and Connect 123 made this possible. Being a social science student and coming from Manchester, England, I found it impossible to find a placement in Argentina that would be in the same field/industry that I wanted to work in. That was until I contacted Connect 123 who from start to finish were professional and the most friendly helpful staff ever. I was matched with an addiction service in Buenos Aries which well-matched my academic interests in drug and alcohol addictions and I was privy to other addictions which I had not been exposed to before, which I learnt a lot from. I was also co-ordinated with a Spanish school which was an amazing school with amazing friendly staff that not only organised your classes but put on activity days and evenings for us all to join in. My internship lasted for almost 2 months and South America had been a bucket list dream for as long as I can remember and Connect-123 made this possible so I have the utmost gratefulness for their constant support and help throughout my time and for making this the best work experience of my life. I lived with the most wonderful family who I will keep in touch with always, they made me feel very welcome and it was a home away from home. The social events that Connect 123 arranged every other week were always great and had something for everyone. I would also like to mention that being a vegetarian in this city was easy, which I was not expecting but most of the restaurants and café bars serve vegetarian food which was fab and helped me settle in. This had been one of my anxieties. To conclude both the internship and Spanish school facilitated me to form relationships with patients, who I have learnt valuable life lessons from and also peers who were undertaking similar interns. My experience in BA was truly amazing and one of the best decisions of my life…thank you ;)

Ali Ball

My time in Dublin was a life-changing experience. For a long time, it has been my dream to travel to Ireland and when I stumbled upon Connect-123, while doing Internet searches for internship abroad opportunities, I knew that dream would finally become a reality. As soon as I submitted my application, Connect-123 started making my dream come true. The coordinators helped me every step of the way, throughout the process. When looking for internships, I wanted to find something that allowed me to work with children who had autism, but when talking to Connect-123, I was not sure if that would be possible. Connect had never placed an intern in an autism center before, but they would do what they could to find a perfect place for me. After some time, Connect-123 found the perfect internship for me at a preschool for children who have autism. With that news, I was thrilled to start my adventure and life-changing experience in Dublin, Ireland. While in Ireland, I was able to not only explore Dublin, but also much of Ireland. I spent every weekend traveling to different parts of Ireland-Giants Causeway, Belfast, Cork, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and so many other beautiful wonders of Ireland. Through different events Connect coordinated (drinks at local pubs, 4th of July BBQ, etc.), I was able to meet other Connect interns and from that, I found people to travel around Ireland with and explore Dublin with. While in Dublin, I became a more independent person and was introduced to the Irish culture. My zest for travel was met through interning in Dublin. For the month I was in Dublin, I loved every minute of it. I am so thankful for the assistance I received from Connect-123 and for the wonderful internship they found for me. After my time in Dublin, I have made up my mind to work with children who have autism, as my future career. I enjoyed everything about the preschool and the children. I met wonderful people at my host organization and discovered more about myself. Because of Connect-123, I was able to have an amazing experience!

Vicky Maier

As a social sciences student i found it hard to find internships in my field. Being an active person I really wanted something "out of the office" and Connect-123 has been able to offer me several options and I managed to do exactly what I wanted. During four months I interned in an Association helping people with AIDS in Barcelona where I had the opportunity to work alongside a team of devoted people eager to help those in need and also live in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The organizers of the internship were extremely helpful by giving information about the city and tips, organizing meetings between interns and events! It was an amazing experience and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an organized work/traveling experience!  

Victoria Parker

I really enjoyed my trip to Cape Town and can say that it was one of the most inspiring, educational and life learning experiences that I have ever had. The country is beautiful in every way; the mountains, beaches and bay, people, culture, food and way of life. Beauty at its best is an understatement.

I would suggest any student to look into interning or volunteering through Connect 1-2-3 if they were given the chance, Connect-123 really helps to open the door for a whole new experience. This experience has added so much value in my hopes of eventually earning a Ph.D in Psychology.

Michelle Cunningham

From the moment Connect-123 called me, I knew I was going to go with them. The staff worked hard to find me an internship that would fit my preferences. I had 2 goals, to learn as much Spanish as possible and to intern in the field of neuropsychology. Oh, and a third goal to check the Iguazu Falls off my bucket list. Done!! On May 29th, I left home and flew to Buenos Aires. My advisor from Connect-123 met me at my apartment after I arrived and talked with me about the city, transportation, safety, gave me a phone and set me up with loads of important information to help ease the transition from home to Buenos Aires. One thing different about traveling to Buenos Aires this summer was that I was going alone. I left my job, my family, my cats, my dog and even my fiancé (we had just gotten engaged 2 months before!). This was something new. This was something I was doing specifically for myself. My internship was great! I interacted with patients and professionals in my field and was able to ask questions and work on my Spanish! The icing on the cake was when I met the psychiatrist at my organization who had been an intern in the United States with a neuropsychologist. Not only do I now have connections in Argentina, I also have a connection in Buffalo, NY too! Connect-123 was great too! They were available to give advice, help with any issues including providing information on where my visiting family could stay to what to do when I travelled. Although I was alone, I was comforted by the new people I met at my internship, the family I stayed with, and the people at Connect-123. For anyone thinking about going abroad, my advice is DO IT! These opportunities don’t come along every day and your life will be changed for the better if you can allow yourself to be changed by such an incredible experience!