Internship that changed my life
By Jessie Ho

Ross Dickson says his five-month teaching internship in Araraquara, a small Brazilian town, taught him to relax and enjoy what he had.

He arrived there in July 2013. Things were hard at first and he struggled with loneliness. “I had never been so disconnected from everything familiar so I really had to try hard to engage with the people around me,” he says. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise – where some might have withdrawn and done only the bare minimum for their job, he learnt to be more resilient and proactive. “I [had to] reach out to people to make the most of my time in Brazil,” he adds.

The differences between the local culture and that of his native Canada helped deepen his understanding of life in general.

“Brazilians are warm and friendly. I attended lots of parties, bars and social gatherings. They have such a zest for life… My biggest learning from Brazilian culture was to relax and to enjoy what you have. Canadian society can be a lot more anxious. I always worry about different parts of my life – my grades, my job, my problems – but I should take the time to relax and enjoy life.”

Dickson is one of thousands of young people who have served with AIESEC, the world’s largest youth-run non-profit organization. Its global internship program offers over 24,000 volunteer and work internships annually “I decided to go in 2012 after meeting other people who had gone on exchange through AIESEC,” says Dickson. “They all talked about how their perspective on life had changed while abroad and I wanted the same thing. I also talked to a lot of people from other countries who were living in Toronto and they gave me a taste of what the world has to offer. I knew I had to experience it for myself. By going abroad, I knew I would become a stronger, more independent person.”

While in Araraquara, Ross taught English at Trinity English School, a company that offers English education to children and adults. As there weren’t so many foreigners there, he became more of a cultural ambassador during his exchange experience.

The internship also gave him the opportunity to learn from his fellow teachers, all accomplished professionals with more than 10 years of experience. “They cared deeply about their students’ education and how it would lead to their future success,” says Ross. “They taught me to teach effectively.”

As he gained experience, he took on his own classes and helped out as a substitute for other teachers when needed. Teaching abroad provided an opportunity for him to learn and grow. “I learned how to communicate effectively, connect with students of various ages, address the diverse learning needs of people and deal with conflict,” he said.

Ross is currently national vicepresident of marketing and communications at AIESEC Canada. He says his exchange experience has catalyzed his ambition to further cultural relations in Canada. “I never really thought that I cared much about Canada before going abroad, but now I appreciate my home and my culture’s values so much more,” he says. “It makes me want to build my country and build stronger ties with other countries. International communities can seem so isolated from each other, but after having seen how similar we are as people, I want us to grow together.”

Jessie Ho is Blog Editor for AIESEC Canada (http://aiesec.org/)