A record five international development students from Avondale College have completed independent overseas internships during their midyear break.

Michelle Davis, Mirri Leven and Cameron Reid visited Vietnam, India and Burma respectively, a first for the course, while Charlene Luzuk and Alex Mohanu visited Cambodia and Nepal. All worked with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

Lecturer Brad Watson says the trips put class theory into practice and give students some say about what and where they learn.
"Previously, students often elected to go overseas as part of a group tour," he says, "but in recent years, it's become more popular for students to choose their own destinations and travel individually."

Mr Mohanu spent three weeks developing a proposal for micro-relief, humanitarian-style assistance in Nepal. "I had a lot of fun and could not have asked for anything better," he says.

An evening interviewing beggars at Siam Reap changed Ms Luzuk's outlook. "My view on what to do when you are confronted when someone is needy has changed," she says. "When you realise they are a victim of circumstance, you can't help but feel for them."

Ms Davis's confidence has improved after working on a reproductive health project in Cao Bang. "I felt scared before I went, but I learned I was capable of completing some of the project work."

The three-week internship has increased Ms Davis's interest in the international development course. "I now have more passion to help people," she says.

However, Mr Reid discovered not all the trips go as planned. "Burma was a very restrictive country, probably unlike anything I would ever experience again," he says. "We had police and soldiers with machine guns following us around."

Ms Leven's trip to India also did not meet expectations. "I thought it was going to be all perfect, but people have to understand it's not always going to be like that."

Ms Leven did see the Mumbai floods and a tsunami project site. "I've learned that international development is definitely what I want to do," she says.

Mr Watson acknowledged the variety of experiences.
"This course involves a commitment to different cultures and to travel," he says. "Some students find the experience pretty tough; others thrive on it. So, the timing of the internship halfway through the course is good because it allows the students to reassess if they're on the right track."