Dear Future Intern,
I am finally writing my love letter to you, to the learning journey you are about to embark on, and the people whose lives will touch your own in ways you can’t anticipate yet. I didn’t know I’d be saying goodbye to a community in Jakarta when I left CIPS and then Indonesia – but that’s what CAPI is all about really: community and connection.
If you have already said yes to your internship, and are trying to wrap your head around the 6 months you’re about to have, probably feeling a mix of eagerness and nerves – I am so so excited for you!!! You’ve made a good choice, and you will be grateful to yourself later, for having the courage. If you are unsure about applying – do it, put aside a little time even if school is busy and submit it. Talk to past CAPI interns, talk to Robyn. Find out where you want to go and take the first step in making it happen! I guarantee you every placement has its own reasons that it’s worth it. If you have received an offer – accept it. You don’t need traveling experience or the “right” work experience – only a willingness to try, and a passion for learning.
It doesn’t matter if you feel “ready” for Jakarta or wherever you may be going – it’s ready for you. If you are coming to Jakarta, you’re in for a delicious time. That city and its country have carved their way into the precious place inside where I keep everything I love. I came across so much good there. Inside and outside of CIPS, which is an organization filled with the most wonderful people, I witnessed and received kindness that marked me. The goodness of others will inspire you to be more generous, more open and caring. Even in a huge metropolis like Jakarta, there is so much community to be found.
I know you might be hesitant because you’ll have to miss a semester, or you want to graduate right away, and you’re scared of getting “off track.” Maybe you’re anxious that in some way this isn’t “part of the plan” for you. I know because I had those kinds of worries once too. But, respectfully, I want to grab your shoulders and shake you. There was a moment I mentioned in my last blog post, when I was riding a bicycle through the outskirts of Yogyakarta in Central Java, against the backdrop of the setting sun, and a kind of wonder struck me. It was the feeling of knowing that there was no place I had to be instead of there, no single most correct plan I should have been following. With that welcome clarity, I was suddenly awed to be where I was, and so thankful I had taken the chance. Relieved I wasn’t missing out on it. The world is big, and there is not only one path for us in it. The doubts might come, but I think the sureness will too. And I think you’ll be proud of yourself and your choice then. You’ll have to trust me that this is too amazing of an opportunity to pass up for too small a reason. (This is coolest thing you will have done that also goes on your transcript – I cannot express how much it beats sitting in Cornett for a 3-hour lecture.)
When you go, you’ll have to do it your own way, though you might be hoping for a little guidance from interns past and those around you. I can’t tell you exactly how to be an intern, and I don’t want to try and tell you how to “succeed” because I think that’s the wrong way to look at it. But I can encourage you to be inquisitive, to learn as much as you can, to absorb what feels right and let the rest pass through you. Visit your fellow interns and invite them to come to you. Try every new dish you can. Practice your camera-ready smile – Robyn ins’t kidding when she says you will end up in many photos with locals. Be your kindest self and assume the best of people. Please don’t be too afraid to look silly – it’s part of the learning (and the mess-ups make for funny stories). Make an effort to get down some Indonesian conversation basics. Order that drink in Bahasa Indonesia, ask your motorbike driver a question. Your language skills do not need to be perfect (mine were very much beginner level) and the effort will be appreciated. You’ll never regret putting time into something that helps you connect with others.
Your assumptions will be challenged left, right, and center, and questioning them will be the most astounding growth you do all year. You’ll have to face your own privilege head on, and this too you should take as a fantastic opportunity to grow (this is one thing I regret not sharing much about in my blogs). Almost all of what you learn, you’ll learn from the people you meet. Put care into those relationships, and they’ll carry you through. After spending time at CIPS, it’ll be impossible to leave without new friends, without a reason to go back someday.
This experience will be yours, and it will also be shared. My only truly definitive piece of advice is this: put your hand out before you cross the Indo roads – for this there is a right way.
With love,
Ana
