Svea did field work and an internship in Cambodia
Why did you decide to do an internship abroad?
"I dreamt about doing the data collection for my thesis work abroad for a long time, because it is such a special way to get to know a country and culture and learn about my field of studies from a more international perspective.
Also, I knew it was gonna be a challenge for me and I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone from time to time.
I did my internship with the International Water Management Institute Southeast Asia remotely for several months, so the opportunity to actually visit my study area in Cambodia was great."
About Svea
Home country: Sweden
Programme at Lund University: Water Resources Engineering (MSc)
Destination: Cambodia
Host organisation: International Water Management Institute Southeast Asia
Duration: 2 months
Grant: Crafoord Foundation travel grant
What are your three most important lessons from your stay abroad?
"My most important lesson for sure is that you should test your equipment before going on a field visit. While I turned mine on beforehand and it worked, I did not do an actual measurement (of the water level). When trying to do my first measurement in field, the device could not detect the water. It was broken.
My second lesson is to consider safety in a new country. We like to walk around as if we are in a European country, not thinking about risks. I was warned by several locals when walking around alone when it was already dark, so I learned my lesson when it comes to thinking of my own safety.
My third lesson is to listen to the locals. This is closely related to the lesson above, but it also involves other aspects. Only if you open yourself up to the locals and trust them, you get a completely new experience of getting to know a country. They for example told me about how tips are normal and show gratitude."
Do you have any tips for other students that are considering to collect data abroad?
"Don't be scared to collect data abroad by yourself. Just go and you will learn a lot! There will always be people who join and help you on the way."