Written by Brittnee Young
Choosing to intern in Indonesia was one of the most transformative decisions I’ve ever made. I chose this internship as I wanted to build resilience, independences, and global awareness. At the end of this trip, I found that I had grown as a person and returned home stronger, braver, and more open to life.
These cross-cultural collaborations are amazing opportunities to learn. These experiences blend professional growth with independent travel and development.
While many internships are based in dynamic and massive cities like Jakarta or in creative hubs like Yogyakarta, my program was located in two less known places, Surabaya and Lampung. While all programs cater to different student needs and offer a variety of cultural and academic experiences, I preferred being placed in these less known and travelled areas. Working within these areas allowed for direct and meaningful cultural exchanges with colleagues, interesting interactions with locals, and fun and vibrant travel experiences and mishaps.
Through spending four weeks in Indonesia, I experienced life in another culture and met many amazing and kind people. Professionally, this experience surprised me in the best way and allowed me to see the privilege of being Australian and the universality of information and record practices. We were able to contribute to real projects and situations, observe how libraries and archives are run in Indonesia and how these practices compare to Australia, directly share experiences and knowledge with likeminded individuals, and collaborate and participate in community programs. Every situation and encounter required us to adapt to a different culture with different cultural practices and languages and was an amazing opportunity for growth that pushed me to think more introspectively.
Overall, this experience was valuable in shaping and supporting my professional identity. The experience of working in Indonesia broadened my understanding of the information profession and highlighted the transferability of core skills across sectors and countries. Most importantly, this experience reinforced and strengthened my commitment to the information profession and my future as an information professional.
But, the best part of this internship was the people I had the pleasure to meet in Indonesia. The kindness of our Indonesian counterparts, the support from my group members and support staff, the laughter and fun that was shared during this journey, and the unforgettable connections that were made with every person that was a part of this amazing experience.
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