When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? What I mean to ask is when was the last time you did something that really made you nervous, something you spent late nights worrying about? Something you wanted to push yourself to do, but kept changing your mind because of a gut feeling telling you to stay in your comfort zone?

Daniela Quiroz was a 3rd year Health Science major at Simon Fraser Unversity when she participated in the Semester in Development in Uganda.

It had always been Daniela's dream to travel to Africa, and as she moved through university, she started to feel like she needed to gain some relevant field work experience abroad. It made sense for her to start looking into programs that would take her to Africa.

As a student of international development, you are are exposed to a wealth of knowledge on the topics of world issues, poverty, aid, and the global political economy. But reading heavily-worded academic papers night after night can be a burden, and all too often you find your eyes burning into the same line for 15 minutes straight without actually intaking any information. These nights often end with you falling asleep at your desk and drooling all over that 30-page peer-reviewed paper. 

This blog was written by Sophia Okunsky, a Summer 2017 Semester in Development participant. It has been edited from its original version.

My traditional Eastern European parents have become immune to my constant desire to step outside my (and their) comfort zone and hop onto a plane to who knows where.

I remember participating in both of Insight's pre-departure orientation sessions before leaving for the Fall 2016 Semester In Development program. Through these sessions, us participants were informed about the list of things we'd need to do before departure, as well as what to expect upon arrival in Kampala. One particular phrase that was mentioned in one of the sessions was “manage your expectations." This statement was repeated throughout the duration of the program, but the first time I heard it, I had no idea what it meant.

Challenges and Strategies for Success in an International Internship

Interning abroad has its benefits: you develop professional skills, open yourself up to new job opportunities, gain new perspectives, learn about the world, and grow immensely as a person. However, working abroad isn’t without its challenges, and making the most of your internship abroad can sometimes be difficult. Not only are you starting a new job, but you are also thrown into entirely unfamiliar professional and societal environments.

Teachers,

Social justice can be an intimidating subject in the classroom. You might be worried about how to approach sensitive or controversial topics with your students, or you might be struggling with what social justice even is! To try and alleviate some of the fears about introducing social justice topics in the classroom, we've compiled a list of some of the best educational resources about social activism in the form of websites, books and videos.

A Look into 3 Diverse Internships in Kampala, Uganda