Recently, Education without Borders was fortunate enough to have our very first intern. You know you have really started to make it as an organization when you start getting interns. Colleen Sanderson, from Victoria Island, British Columbia, joined the team at the beginning of December for a two month program that melded practical application and work experience with a research project. Carving out a little time out of her busy schedule she sat down with me and our journalist in training Anele Masiza to find out a little more about her and her time here at Education without Borders.
(Courtney Lemm)- Why did you decide to intern for EwB?
(Colleen Sanderson)- I wanted to have an all around experience in South Africa, and I think I could only have done that through working with the underprivileged people that make up most of the population. Also, I just wanted to help out.
(CL)- How did you find the experience?
(CS)- I found it amazing. I learned a lot not only through research, but many practical skills as well, such as public speaking, building a curriculum, and more about the culture of Cape Town.
(Anele Masiza)- What is your dream and what else do you wish to achieve?
(CS)- Eventually I want to be a family psychologist, so I want to do family therapy. I also want to travel the world using this expertise in places that need it. Basically, traveling and making a small difference in people’s lives is a huge goal.
(AM)-Do you think the career you chose is suitable for you?
(CS)-I think it is. I like working and helping people, and being a good listener on top of that makes me think that this is the right career path for me.
(CL)- As the first EwB intern, what challenges did you face?
(CS)-I would say I dealt with not being able to reference any one else’s work. Without someone to compare my work with, I was sometimes unsure about the expectations.
(AM)- Where do you study, and how many hours a week do you study?
(CS)- I Study at UBC (University of British Colombia) in Vancouver, Canada. Per week, I would say 30-40 hours. At least 4 hours a day, depending on the circumstances. Although during exam time it is usually more.
(CL)- Last question, What were your responsibilities while at Education without Borders and can you also tell us a little about the research project you have been working on?
(CS)- My responsibilities included, creating an english curriculum, teaching math and english, assisting with entering information into the data base, and researching how EwB can become a South African NGO. In terms of the research project, I was able to find out how EwB can become a South African NGO and formulated a plan for them to do so, found potential partnerships for EwB, analyzed these organizations and looked into the state of international partnerships. I also included a reflection of my experience as an intern for EwB.
(AM)- Well thank you for taking the time out of your day to talk with us Miss Sanderson. See you in class!
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