Modern day internships in the States normally consist of typical secretary office work, or so I have heard. Picking up coffee, doing chores around the office, an occasional small assignment and most of the time unpaid, why wouldn’t they want the extra “help.” The occasion where you find work that is relevant and paid is a rare occasion, which is pretty inconsistent with the idea that internships give you real life “experience” in your field.
Samantha (left) with friends in Israel
Machol Shalem Dance Studio and the Lerner Institute for Sports Medicine both give me the chance do valuable work and feel appreciated. At Machol Shalem, I organize their upcoming International Dance Festival. Every morning I am greeted with genuine conversation and am given constructive criticism on my work. Then, I head to the Lerner Institute where I observe physical therapy procedures and edit articles to be published. In the office I am a colleague, always introduced to his patients at an excellent intern and asked questions throughout procedures.
I work 8-hour days, Sunday through Wednesday. Every morning I wake up relentlessly, excited to go to work. This being the last summer before I graduate is a big deal. Next spring I am graduating with a BS in Kinesiology and a minor, hopefully, in both biology and psychology. My résumé consists of the usual extra-curricular activities of a college student. Two internships abroad, which are pretty unusual, embellish my résumé, and more importantly, makes me a better-rounded professional.
The next step in my life will be graduating and honestly I am not 100% sure what the future holds; what’s beautiful about this experience is that it gives me motivation to keep growing.
Samantha (right) in Jerusalem with roommates on the Boston Onward Israel program
Feverishly type away
Infrastructure built with the tips of my fingers
Thought flowing, searching for this labyrinth’s exit
Finding home in action taken
Time’s presence is known
At day’s end, work is done
Never the less important
Samantha Weinstein, UMass-Amherst ’14, traveled to Israel with CJP – first on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, and then on their Alternative Spring Break program – and is interning this summer at the Machol Shalem Dance Studio during her time with the Boston Onward Israel 2013 Jerusalem program.
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