Marija was one of many interns at Willingness. She shared her company experience during her time in Malta. She delves into all the knowledge, skills, and professional guidance that was received during her time at Willingness.
My Summer Internship Journey
Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know, what you’re going to get.
Forest Gump
This sentimental quote perfectly describes my experience in this internship. I had no idea, what it would truly bring into my life. However, as I reflect on it now, it fills my heart with many beautiful memories. The lovely sight of a church on a hill, which greeted me every time I arrived in Gozo, will always remind me of the mornings I have spent dancing with children and Sig the Sloth. I paid close attention when the children were explaining to me the importance of emotion regulation. And how proud of them I felt, as each one of them breathes in so much air that their cheeks fully bloat, just to show me mindful breathing exercises.
Respectfulness and staying mindful of each other is deeply rooted in the teaching of Camp Willingness. I felt like I was going together with the children through their daily struggles, for example in situations like someone does not want to share their toy with another. Guiding them how to communicate their feelings and needs in a respectful manner, was not easy. But my heart melted each time I would see them trying their best and finding a way to solve their problems. There are no little or small problems in my perspective anymore. To each one their problem seems like a big encounter.
I will also carry the memories of seeing the little faces of kids at the camp light up as they find joy in tiny things like gardening or making cardboard boats that miraculously float and are powered by glittery sails. The freedom they have to be creative, and space to be heard in small classes, where each one of the students gets personalised attention, was truly a heartwarming sight. And it was an honour to be a part of it. A part of guiding children through new experiences and knowledge, a teacher and a friend, who had a chance to make a difference in their lives.
Besides the experience at Camp Willingness, I was also working on a clinical audit together with my team. As I was interviewing and researching about company culture and how it affects the climate of an enterprise, I found myself wondering, how ironic it is to write a clinical audit about something I feel affecting me in daily life. Some days felt overwhelming, but the people in the Willingness Team kept me going.
Everyone always offered me support, guidance, and feedback through this process.
The box of chocolates Willingness Team offered was full of different flavours: you could try out Chat Bar, helping out at festivals, working at the clinic was a treat, the camp is a must have and the clinical audit was the cherry flavour piece you usually save for last. And all of the treats came with a spice of Maltese culture to enrich the taste. The chocolates melted fast as the 2 months just flew by. So, to sum up the entire internship into one sentence: it was a journey through a myriad of enriching encounters, leaving me with a treasure trove of memories and valuable life lessons.
Written by Marija Sinde Monteiro – Psychology intern at Willingness