{"id":12871,"date":"2016-09-20T11:01:31","date_gmt":"2016-09-20T16:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.studyabroad101.com\/?p=12871"},"modified":"2022-08-10T11:08:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T15:08:57","slug":"5-reasons-to-intern-abroad-in-cuba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studyabroad101.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/5-reasons-to-intern-abroad-in-cuba\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons to Intern Abroad in Cuba"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Capitolio
Capitolio building in Havana, Cuba with vintage American cars<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the historic visit of President Barack Obama, along with numerous other celebrities who have flocked to the \u201cPearl of the Carribbean\u201d, -including The Rolling Stones, Beyonc\u00e9, Jay-Z and the Kardashians, to name a few,- Cuba is a trendy place to be. Here\u2019s why you, too, should consider not only a visit, but an internship abroad on the beautiful island.<\/p>\n

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  1. Take advantage of the historic moment<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    After over 50 years, commercial flights from the U.S. to Cuba have started again just this year, as The New York Times reports here<\/a>. There\u2019s no Starbucks on every corner (yet) and no McDonald\u2019s either (also yet).<\/p>\n

    For some fields, such as journalism, this is a particularly exciting time to report on Cuba. By completing a journalism internship abroad in Cuba, you can get a head-start on your future career, and return home with a portfolio of published work about a country that is continually in the news.<\/p>\n

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    1. Boost your CV with a great adventure<\/strong><\/strong>\n

      \"TRINIDAD
      On the way to Trinidad, Cuba, a UNESCO World Heritage city<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      An internship abroad will boost your CV and increase your chances of getting hired<\/a>, as a recent IES study reports. Combine that with a great adventure, traveling to a country that has<\/p>\n

      been off limits to the general U.S. population for such a long time. Those who have visited Cuba will be able to tell you it is like traveling back in time; cowboys, horses, carriages and more still abound in colonial cities like Trinidad.<\/p>\n

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      1. Gain international experience and improve your Spanish<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Interning abroad in Cuba is not the same an interning back in the U.S. An article in Entrepreneur.com<\/a> reported that \u201cthe average internship at home doesn’t even begin to compare to living\u00a0in a foreign city, learning new things and enjoying cultural differences while gaining invaluable career experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

        International experience can give you a head-start when it comes to future job applications. In upcoming interviews, you can cite examples of the cross-cultural communication skills you acquired when collaborating with the locals, which is particularly useful in career fields such as non-profits, international agencies, and can even come in handy at bilingual law firms, which brings us to the next point.<\/p>\n

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        1. Improve your Spanish skills<\/strong>\n
          \"Portrait
          Portrait of a Cuban woman in Havana, Cuba<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

          Spanish is more and more widespread in the U.S., and in some jobs, a requirement. We particularly recommend staying at \u201ccasas particulares\u201d, meaning family-owned homes,\u00a0throughout Cuba. Here, you will have a Cuban family at your disposal at all times, allowing you to gain insight into their local culture, and helping your practice your language skills. Many of them are keen to learn English, so you could even do an \u201cintercambio,\u201d meaning that you speak to them in English for 30 minutes, for example, and then they speak to you in Spanish for another 30 minutes. Be curious and ask lots of questions!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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          1. Experience the local Cuban lifestyle and landscapes<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \"Camaguey
            Camag\u00fcey, Cuba, another UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
            \"Beautiful
            Beautiful white cabriolet vintage car at the beach in Cuba<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

            Cuban people are some of the friendliest in the world, as many tourists will tell you. Here\u2019s just a few ideas for what else you could be doing in your free time in Cuba. Some internship programs, such as those we run at RGNN Academy, include many of these directly in the program:<\/p>\n