Sometimes your plans don’t work out. And sometimes your back-up plans don’t work out. Your dream internship will probably throw you a couple of curve balls, and you always have to be ready.
When I arrived in South Africa to do my research, I had several contacts at different schools confirming my visit to study and stay at their sites. My first homestay was supposed to be in the township of Zamani where I would study at the local government secondary school, Darnall. When I arrived, however, the cover pages of the local newspaper informed me I would not be heading to Zamani. The cover of the regional and local newspapers informed me that the Zamani township was rioting and in a state of a chaos over the increasing prices in taxi fares. The newspaper showed images of waves of people burning tires and police holding people back. The waitress at my hotel informed me that she had to wake up at 3:00 AM to sneak out of the township to go to work because angered people were blocking all exits to prevent taxis from entering and people from leaving.
Pictures of the riots in Zamani township where I was supposed to stay for the first week of my research. Rioters were protesting the increase in taxi fares and took violence to the streets. Luckily, I had a back up plan.
Of course, all of this upset me and unsettled me, but luckily I had a very good contact who was able to help me reschedule my plans. One of the hotel administrators and a long-time friend, Linda Russell, quickly phoned alternate schools to help make sure my research went as planned. I simply headed off to a new school and would return to Zamani after the riots quieted down. Collegiettes, here are some tips you need to come in mind while interning:
- Be Flexible: It’s simply a waste to plan everything ahead of time and become truly invested in those plans. Life’s roads are just filled with ruts, sometimes. Ruts happen, but it’s how you handle these ruts that make the difference. If you change your attitude and become more flexible, you are far more likely to be happier in your current situation and may even get praise from your boss for sticking out the hard times.
Just another example of one of life’s ruts you have to deal with. Because the township had only dirt roads, the rain created quicksand-like mud and unfortunately for me, I did not see where I was walking.
- Be Prepared Mentally: Maybe your dream internship isn’t exactly how you painted it in your head? Maybe you’re grabbing coffee and donuts for your boss rather than pitching ideas at the executive meeting? You have to mentally prepare yourself to work from the bottom in order to reach the top. You have to show your bosses that you are really passionate about your work and then, the rewards will come.
- Be Prepared Physically: Back-up your back-up plan with another back-up plan (I hope that made sense). Be punctual. Get enough sleep so you’re not yawning or disrespectful. Always have a copy of your resume and a sample of your work on hand.
- Every Contact is a Valuable Contact: Be kind and courteous to everyone you meet. AND always grab business cards- you never know what contact you’ll need later! The hotel manager I befriended ended up completely saving my research project and I had a great homestay experience with one of my university professor’s friends from graduate school. Six Degrees of Seperation always comes in handy when you’re in a new place!
Instead, I did a homestay with a friend of one of my university professors in the area. He took us to a traditional Zulu funeral and I quickly made friends with the little ones.
Collegiettes, although you may have landed your dream internship, never becoming too invested or attached to how you want things to happen. At the beginning of my trip, I quickly learned that maybe my research wouldn’t go as planned, but to me this is exciting. Maybe I’ll discover and learn something I hadn’t envisioned as part of my thesis. Collegiettes, life is unpredictable, but that’s the beauty in it!