This is the story from our interns, Quentin after the six weeks of internship in Malaysia :
My development internship in Malaysia was an experience from which I gained a lot and that had changed my way of thinking about cultural understanding forever.
The project in which I took part consisted of going to schools and shelter homes around the area of Kuala Lumpur to raise awareness amongst the youth about environmental and sustainability issues. As part of a team of other international interns, I had to conduct workshops about Malaysian environmental situation (which is much worst than in Europe) in order to make the students more concerned about those issues. Besides this, we had also to do some voluntary work for some local NGO’s in order to impact positively on the environment.
On the one hand, I had the opportunity to share my ideas about sustainability for which I’ve always very concerned, and on the other hand, I could work in a multicultural environment along with the other international interns, the local organizing committee of the project and the Malaysian students. Indeed, Malaysia’s population is composed of a mix of Muslim, Chinese and Indian cultures that makes the country diverse in all senses of the word.
Of course I have improved my communication and project management skills, but what I will remember the most is the experiences that i have gained when I take part to a common project for which I believe in, along with other AIESECers from all over the world. And the simple fact of acting all together to impact positively on society helped me to create strong friendships that I would have never expected.
The MIRACLE project team - Jan to Feb 2011
Quentin
