Why did you decide to intern abroad with Global Experiences in London?
Yusuf: I decided to intern in London for the many opportunities London can provide. It's a very large city with an efficient transport system and has a large array of activities and events anyone can do. I thought about the multi-cultural aspect and thought about the very open environment with a little mix of the different nations of the world. My choice had initially stemmed with the thought of continuing my education overseas so I looked at London as a centre rich in knowledge and research. So I thought London could provide me with a lot of different perspectives and branches in relation to my profession (architecture).
I also thought that the social scene in London would bring about a lot of unique social meetings where you could find just about any groups that had similar interests in many places around London. My visit there hadn't changed my perspectives and only enhanced the general vision with the greater opportunities it provided.
What made this internship experience unique and special?
Yusuf: There were so many things in London that were highly unique and different from all the other places I've been to. The many different cultures fused into one massive metropolitan society definitely had a taste of its own. There are so many different sides to London where you've got the serious more gloomy side and then you've got the festive colorful and bouncy side and the contrast of these different aspects of London tend to be higher than other places. The experience for the individual that visits London would likely be very different and it depends on the things you do in London, the people that meet and how you expect things will be (state of mind and perspective).
I've realized that London can provide me a great many opportunities in my career field in regards to my education and knowledge base and so it gave so many places and areas to explore in regards to architecture. With the constant shifts in perspective in London, a person would become more open-minded leaving London than when first entering it.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Yusuf: The many different possible opportunities London has provided me has put me on a number of different roads on life. It reconfigured my goal in what I want to do in my career with architecture and made me think to explore the other related areas I could look into and so instead of trying to become an architectural designer, I wish to look into the management and research aspects of my career which could provide a far more beneficial outcome to my goals. My internship in London had given me a lot of insight to how my field plays out in workplace and I've become more aligned with how things would or could be done in regards to my profession.
I had decided to apply for a grad school in London and with that, I was accepted about 2 months after. London had really changed a whole lot in my life and I've not an inkling of regret for doing my internship there.
What is the one piece of advice you would offer someone considering interning abroad in London?
Yusuf: The best advice I could give for those going to London is to create a balance between your vision of how you think it will be, and to also leave some room to enjoy and notice everything you can of what London can give you. It's easy to be overwhelmed in London if you don't go in with a prepared mind that allows for shifts and changes during your stay there. It's rich in a lot of activities and events and you might often want to change plans and schedules but with that, you'd have a lot of fun.