PARENT PERSPECTIVES: Volume 1

Brian and Lauren know they will always get a good conversation started when people find out they sent not one, but both of their children abroad. Everyone wants to hear the details of their travel experiences. These veteran school teachers from northern Indiana in the US are the proud parents of two recent college graduates. Their youngest, Brett, recently finished a semester abroad at the exclusive Sophia University in Tokyo, while their eldest, Bree, recently completed an international internship at the British Museum through Global Experiences.

“It took us some time to warm up to the idea of sending our daughter,” says Lauren. “She did a lot of research and was provided with great support from Global Experiences.”

What was your biggest concern sending your children abroad?
Brian: Safety. I wanted to know where they would be located and who they would be living with.
Lauren: I didn’t want my daughter acting as the office “coffee gopher.”

Were you happy with the placement that Global Experiences provided for your daughter?
Brian: Bree and Brett's grandparents are originally from Europe. I was very excited to send our oldest daughter to a place that was very important to her heritage. Internships gave them an experience that they wouldn’t get in college. They make your resume stand out against other students.

Lauren: It was eight weeks well spent! Bree needed a customized placement that would provide her with the tools necessary to excel in her career field. She carries the reputation of the British Museum with her wherever she plans to work.

From an educator’s perspective, do you think an international internship is valuable to an individual’s academic experience?
Brian: I feel that it should be mandatory that students participate in an international internship. Good grades do not necessarily give you the tools you need to be able to work with people in the real world.

Lauren: An international internship gives them personal and hands-on professional experiences. Also, a professional internship can be a great way for students to figure out if they would even like their career field. As an elementary teacher, I see the pressure that is put on children at a young age to succeed. Many students go through college never finding what they truly love to do.

Do you feel that your daughter’s Global Experiences internship gave her more confidence in her abilities?
Brian: As a parent of a daughter with hearing and visual disabilities, I am aware of the many physical and emotional obstacles students face each day. Bree has always been a confident person, but her internship opened up so many new doors for her and strengthened her resolve to create new career goals.

An international internship connects you to the world in ways no other experience can. “While I can understand students wanting to be compensated for their labor, I think an internship is the perfect way to give back to the community," says Brian.

Are you a parent sending your son or daughter abroad? These experienced parents have been there and offer you some advice:

• Make sure that you have done your research on the company that places your child
• It is a good idea to look for companies that specialize in international internships
rather than study abroad or Au Pair programs
• Know where your son or daughter is staying
• Give your son or daughter the room to gain independence
• Visit them in their host country

Do you think the international experience helped your son and daughter get a job?
Brian: Definitely. My daughter’s international experience gave her the confidence to take a different career path and my son is currently working as an interpreter for the largest auto parts provider in Japan.