Daniel's Internships Abroad in China, Tonga and Mongolia | China | Tonga | Mongolia
My name is Daniel and in 2018/19 I completed three Internships Abroad. My internships were with Worley in Chengdu, China, The Pacific centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Nuku'alofa, Tonga and Sustainability East Asia in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. At Murdoch I am studying a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering.
The key factors for me deciding to do an overseas Internship were . . .
An opportunity to get
international experience that will position me well for a future in
international development.
Getting out of my comfort
zone.
The chance to immerse myself
in a different culture, and create a network of friends throughout the world.
The Pacific Centre
for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) is working to increase the
adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the Pacific. While
interning with PCREEE I was charged with creating a summary of Tonga’s current
energy situation to be used in the development of investment guidelines. I also
worked largely on building the capacity of the private sector around
sustainable energy.
Worley is an international
engineering firm and its Chengdu office in China focuses on the construction and
management of chemical plants all over the world. I was a Project Control
Assistant, which meant I was involved with project scheduling and cost control.
The Chengdu office was a great environment to work in and I spent most weekends
exploring the countryside with friends from the office. I leant a great deal
about project management and correctly managing changes, such as new software
within engineering teams.
Sustainability East Asia is a
safety and environmental consultancy. I was lucky enough to be a part of a team
auditing the construction phase of Mongolia’s largest windfarm to date. It was
an opportunity to learn about conducting business in a different culture and
how cultural difference have to be taken into account when working with
colleagues from different backgrounds.
Each aspect of my program has played a role in the
path I am setting for myself. From experiencing the aftermath of landslides in
Japan, to issues around ground water abstraction in Mongolia, to the coral
bleaching and saltwater intrusion in Tonga, I have been exposed firsthand to
the effects of the changing climate and the issues related to poor resource
management. This has continually strengthened my drive and intention to work on
mitigating the causes of these issues and reduce their effects. It has also
provided me with the real-life experience that I will be able to draw upon
later in my career.
A little about Mongolia, China and Tonga . . .
Mongolia is a
beautiful country; however, the misuse of natural resource and insufficient
planning of infrastructure is degrading its natural beauty. Ulaanbaatar is the
capital city and home to around 50% of the country’s population, and all the
universities. The poorer people live on the outskirts of the city in yurts
(basically well-designed tents) and burn coal for heat, blanketing the city in
smoke during the colder months. The people are kind and food is cheap, if you
like eating meat you’ll have plenty of options, not so if you don’t.
My perception of China was completely changed after traveling
there. The major cities do have issues with pollutions but if you are lucky
enough to venture out to the countryside you witness beautiful topography, and
site of cultural and historic significance. My issue with China was its scale
and my limited time, meaning I got to see a lot less than I would have liked.
The people are loud and can be pushy, but if you strike up a conversion with a
local they are incredibly helpful and generous. Public transport and bike
sharing make getting around the city and even country fairly easy, the
difficulty is that most places don’t have English translations or English
versions of apps.
Tonga is also most exactly how you may imagine it, extremely
laid back; things do not happen in a hurry. If possible get out to explore a
few of the smaller islands, there are an endless number of beautiful beaches.
The best parts about my Internships were . . .
With the Pacific Centre
of Excellence on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Tonga I was able to
run a series of workshops in Tongan schools, engaging and promoting renewable
energy, energy efficiency and gender equality to the students.
In Mongolia, I was lucky
enough to spend some time with a rural family in the countryside. Their nomadic
lifestyle has remained relatively unchanged for decades; a tough but rewarding
life. It allowed me to reflect on my life and what is truly important to me.
Beating my Chinese
colleagues in Mahjong every time we played. No, by far the best moments were
those shared with the close friends I made during each internship. These
friends helped me adapt to my new environment and answer any questions I had. I
continue to stay in touch with them, for example, a friend from China is
helping me learn Mandarin via Skype.
Struggles and dealing with challenges . . .
I didn’t really experience
home sickness or culture shock during my internships. I think this was due to
the ease in which you are able to stay in contact with friends and family with
social media. I also made sure that a kept some form of common routine during
my travels, for example and would join the gym and keep a consistent workout
routine in each new location.
My accommodation while abroad and funding my internships. . .
In Mongolia I was fortunate enough to be
able to stay in an apartment owned by the company for employee travelling
between international offices. This was great as it was a short walk to work
each day and I did not have to pay for accommodation.
My accommodation
in China was organized on arrival, I stayed in a hotel for a few nights before
my colleagues helped me find a suitable apartment. The apartment was similar to
a hotel suite, small but nice. In china landlords need a special permit to rent
to foreigners, which mine did not have so one night I was not allowed home
while the police conducted a random check of the building.
Tonga proved to be the most difficult
location of my internships to find accommodation. I ended up renting a room off
a family. It was quite expensive but proved to be a very rewarding experience
and great way to experience local culture.
New Colombo Plan Scholarship
provided monthly stipends to cover costs associated with studying or interning
in the Indo-Pacific region.
Travelling whilst interning abroad . . .
Between each of these
program components, I was also able to travel through Sri Lanka, Indonesia,
South Korea, Hong Kong, India and Nepal.
Besides the professional
relationships, I made some great friends that I will continue to stay in touch
with from across the globe. A perfect example of this was being able to meet up
with the family of a friend I made while studying in Japan as I travelled
through Sri Lanka. The relationship I established with this family may also
lead to me undertaking research for my thesis on water treatment in Sri Lanka.
Hiking to Everest Base Camp
in Nepal was a real highlight of my time abroad. I spent two weeks hiking
through the Himalayas. The scenery is breath taking and I was fortunate enough
not to get altitude sickness, you do come to appreciate the amount of oxygen in
the air at sea level.
My advice to someone who is considering embarking on an overseas internship . . .
It will be the most valuable
and memorable time spent at university. If you are lucky enough to secure an
internship overseas, know that there will be challenging moment but things have
a way of working out. Working in abroad is the best way to experience a different
country and immerse yourself its culture.
During your overseas
internship, you will likely be able to attend events and have opportunities
that you normally wouldn’t. Make the most of these chances, say yes to as much
as possible, network and make friends. I was able to attend mining conferences and water management
workshop in Mongolia, the Australian Innovation Dialogue in Chengdu, and
interview different Ministers and change makers in Tonga.
We all worry about our
future and that of our children – hoping that we will be able to provide for
them and give them the best possible chance to have a happy life. These
realisations make bridging gaps between cultures and countries such an
important task. Overseas internships, study and travel is a great step breaking
down barriers.
- Daniel completed an Internships Abroad in China, Tonga and Mongolia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Murdoch University Study Abroad & Exchange - Outbound
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTACT US!
EMAIL: studyabroad@murdoch.edu.au
PHONE: +61 8 93607836
VISIT: Murdoch University, Student Centre, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150
FIND US!
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/murdochoutbound
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/murdochoutbound
