Work

IAESTE enabled me to do an internship at the University of Malta at the Chemistry department. At first, I was unsure because I did not study chemistry, but the position was advertised for biomedical scientists, so I just applied. It was the best decision! I was allowed to work in a forensics lab for 6 weeks. In this laboratory, a wide variety of samples of suspicious substances were tested every day. Mostly illegal drugs. After a very short time I was doing tests on quality, quantity and (im)purity on my own. I quickly made friends with my colleagues and supervisors, and everyone tried to teach me as much as possible. I couldn't have wished for a better internship. I think many people underestimate the value of gaining international experience. Spending time working abroad in a different country to your own helps you better understand different approaches and have a better appreciation of what each person brings to a team. For me it was a great chance to discover my strengths and to broaden my network. It also helped me to develop myself, both personally and professionally, by learning skills that will be valuable throughout my life.

Experience

The summer of 2022 was one of the best I've ever had. I visited, lived and studied in multiple countries so far and Malta was one of my favorites! What made my internship so perfect is that I absolutely identify with their way of living. I love the way Maltese do things, their social codes and traditions, their music, their festivals and celebrations, their history, their art, and not forgetting their food! Malta is rather small compared to other countries, but nevertheless I never got bored. Above all, on a small island you are never alone. Since the national language is English, in addition to Maltese, the most diverse nationalities, cultures and religions meet in Malta. What impressed me most is how peacefully everyone lives together. In a short time, I had friends from Algeria, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, etc. and of course from Malta. One was warmly received by all of them. I lived with 4 other IAESTE interns in a shared flat, which was provides by the Maltese IAESTE team. The crew of IAESTE Malta was very helpful, arranged weekly activities and was always available if there were any problems. Living in and working in Malta was an enriching experience it was an amazing opportunity to learn and develop as a person, I discovered things about myself that I haven`t known before; my beliefs, my passions and my character.

Discover

In my free time and on the weekends, I tried to see as much of Malta as possible and to visit the islands Gozo and Comino. Most of the time I was accompanied by my roommates. I was blown away when visiting Malta. I didn’t realize how fascinating the history of this little island is. When traveling in Malta, it’s easy to see the blending styles of Italian, British and North African in cuisine, language, culture and architecture. Being central in the Mediterranean means (very) warm climate and beautiful beaches. 😊 Malta is a good place for those who love medieval cities and castles, it really has its own charm. As an avid scuba diver, I was overjoyed to be able to complete my advanced open water certificate and take a closer look at some of the famous shipwrecks. I adore Malta and everything that comes with. I`ll definitely come back again!