So I've been looking in to the idea of travelling, something that has been at the back of mind since I left school but I've never really thought about it too much. I figured, one day it will happen but it hasn't yet. I know I chose to go to University anyway so that kind of ruled out travelling for a while but now I'm thinking about it again. I don't mean a year of travelling Australia, Newzealand and America, more a couple of months doing something that justifies me going travelling while studying and University. I googled, Journalism Internships Abroad.
There were so many websites, programs, countries to look at and I must admit it overwhelmed me a little. There are so many opportunities out there, not just journalism related but if there's something you want to do in a particular place I guarantee Google will find it for you. I spent about an hour reading through different journalism internship programs in different countries and the more I read the more excited I began to feel. The experience would be invaluable.
I've been told many times that in the journalism industry it's your experience that get's you places and I know that, this experience in another country would make it twice as invaluable. One program in particular caught my eye, it's based in a wine making region of Argentina called Mendoza at a leisure magazine. I found it on a website for a organisation called Travellers Worldwide. Volunteers get the chance to write and research articles, assist with proof reading, assist with graphic design and photography and you get the chance to travel around the area to find things and places to write about.
It's also mentioned that in some cases you may have to go out on leisure days such as skiing and horse riding in order to write about them!
The idea is that you stay with a host family, which will almost always cook for you and care for you while you are there. Admittedly, staying with complete strangers in different country where you don't really speak the language scares the hell out of me, but that's all part of the experience isn't it? As well as all this you can opt to take classes along side your program in, Salsa, Tango, Spanish and Photography. Personally, it would be between either Spanish or Photography. I have always loved the idea of photography and obviously it goes hand in hand with journalism but at the same time Spanish would be a brilliant language to learn but I don't think I would grasp it easily, it would be a struggle. I haven't learnt a language since I was about 14 now, I regret so much not continueing to learn French, speaking another language is always such a benefit in anything that you do.
It sounds amazing doesn't it? An experience never to forget, will look amazing on my CV, I would learn so much, improve my writing and help me achieve all that I want to do. Then I come back to reality and remember that I can't just fly to Argentina and get on with it, I have to pay for the program, my flights, Insurance, Visas, some transfers and I need money while I am there. Doesn't sounds so easy anymore does it? To go travelling, in any shape or form you need money and the reality is that from July I will be paying rent every month to live in a shared house to continue my degree, I have to pay for the rest of my New York trip in December and I have to pay to live in general.
I'm not going to forget this idea, I'm going to work hard at everything I am doing and I am going to earn some money and then I am going to aim for the next two summers to come. If I can't afford it this summer I'll aim for next summer, I'm determined to make it happen. Not necessarily in Argentina, the opportunities are endless. It could be China, Australia, Ghana or Kenya. For now I'll stick to seeking work experience in this country, in June I have a weeks work experience with Perfect Wedding Magazine in Bristol and I have a possible chance to contribute to an English magazine in the Alicante area of the Costa Blanca in Spain. I'll start small and see where I end up.
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