Do you prefer getting your hands dirty rather than making copies during your internship? How about doing an independent research project that takes a deep look into a culture that is different than your own? ISDSI is just the place for you!
After completing a semester program at ISDSI, students are able to stay and do an integrative cultural research project or intern at a variety of ISDSI’s partner organizations. It is an opportunity not many get to experience, as it’s where interning and research meets innovative and hands-on study abroad. Most of all, it’s an experience not to be missed.
ISDSI intern alumni have worked with organic farmers, elephant mahouts, tattoo artists, research organizations examining the ecology of the Andaman Sea, rock climbing companies, children’s shelters, villagers running a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project, Free Burma Rangers, Karen blacksmiths, forest conservationists, and more.
Each of these experiences provides students the opportunity to learn more about a part of society or ecology that they find intriguing, and to develop strong relationships with Thais in a field of work that’s relative to their area of study. Many alumni even return to Thailand for further research opportunities in the future or to visit the people they connected with on a deep level. The opportunities are nearly limitless as long as a student can present a proposal demonstrating their independent research or internship is educational and valuable.
However, it’s not for the faint of heart. Rather than going to buy ties, skirts and business casual attire, ISDSI’s interns and those doing independent research projects are often looking for clothes that they won’t mind getting dirty, worn-in and possibly torn. High-heels are replaced with snorkel fins, dress shirts are replaced with quick-dry shirts, and computer bags are replaced with backpacks.
You won’t find any alumni complaining that they spent their summer or winter break making copies. However, they may tell you that the best study abroad experience became even better when they decided to go the step farther after the semester program was over.
Are you ready?
