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

A lot of students can be hesitant to do co-op. Maybe it’s the costly fees that are preventing you from signing up, or maybe your friend had a really bad placement. I had a lot of the same fears before I registered for co-op at Simon Fraser University. But since enrolling as a co-op student, I’ve had the opportunity to attend invaluable workshops and been given access to jobs that I could never have found on my own.

If you are like me, you probably have a lot of causes that are near and dear to you. You might have pursued international development with hopes of giving back to the world, only to be dissuaded by the harsh realities that are exposed by this academic field.

Evan Mitchell Beck was a 3rd year political science and psychology student at Queens university when he participated in the Semester in Development in Uganda.