Elżbieta 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
My adventure in Malta began quite unexpectedly. I’ve always valued stability and life balance, which is why my life, work, and studies in Poland were fulfilling enough for me. However, as they say, the people you surround yourself with can have a significant influence on your choices. It was through this influence that I found myself in Malta, accompanied by my friend who lives life to the fullest, constantly seeking new adventures and life challenges. I am truly grateful to her because, without her, I wouldn’t believe that I could manage it all, that I could leave behind my entire previous life and get to know a completely different world.
In the beginning, I was worried about my internship at Willingness because it was my first time working in a psychological clinic. But after just my first day there, I realized that I didn’t need to be so worried.
The way they planned out the internship for each of us was really impressive.
I’m happy that we had a wide variety of things to do during our time there – like working with kids, taking part in festivals, writing for the blog, and getting to know how the clinic works. Something I found super helpful was that they asked us about our goals. This meant each of us could say what we wanted to learn and do during the internship. Because of this, they could give us tasks that matched what we were interested in. It felt like they really cared about what we wanted to get out of the experience.
At Willingness, each day’s work looked different, which taught me to be prepared for new challenges. It helped me develop strong problem-solving skills and the ability to thrive in diverse situations. It showed me how psychology operates in a different country and provided me with fresh insights and innovative approaches.
The time I spent working at Camp Willingness was truly eye-opening. I didn’t have much prior experience with working with children, so I was curious about how it would turn out. The process of getting to know each child personally was nothing short of amazing. It became evident that tailoring our approach to each individual child was crucial, given their distinct personalities, needs, and temperaments. While the work could be demanding and energy-consuming, the reward came at the end of each day. Seeing satisfaction and happiness in the children’s eyes affirmed the value of our efforts.
After this experience, I feel like I’m no longer the same person I was a few months ago. The journey abroad has opened up entirely new horizons for me and allowed me to view my life from a broader perspective. It took me out of the mundane and provided an opportunity to see what and who truly matters in my life. While I’m still in the process of finding my life path, after this trip, I sense that I’m getting closer to uncovering the direction I want to pursue.
Written by Elżbieta Tobiasz – Psychology intern at Willingness