Engineering Internship Abroad: French Student's Internship Experience in Bali

Their decision to come to Bali began with the requirement to gain experience abroad, but both students had personal reasons for choosing the island. Noé was interested in the turtle conservation program partly because it was completely unfamiliar to him. He had little previous knowledge about sea turtles and saw the placement as an opportunity to learn about a new environmental subject while practicing his English. Riwan, meanwhile, wanted an internship that felt more human-centered and would allow him to meet people from Bali as well as participants from other countries.

That choice gave their engineering internship a broader dimension. Their placement was not centered only on technical work or industrial processes. They became involved in the daily operation of a conservation organization, learning how an association functions while participating in activities such as caring for the turtle tanks, supporting visitors, giving tours, and working alongside Indonesian and international volunteers. For students whose previous understanding of professional life had largely been shaped by France and by more conventional company environments, the experience introduced another way of organizing work and another type of workplace altogether.

Riwan later reflected that working in an association was particularly interesting because it was something he had hardly experienced before. He noticed that working in Bali felt different from working in France, not only because of the setting but also because of the mentality and the way people interacted within the organization.

Traveling alone to another country for several months can be intimidating, particularly for young students who are still early in their professional and academic lives. Noé said having a friend with him made the experience feel easier and safer, while Riwan saw another advantage: being together often helped them meet even more people. One person would start a conversation, another connection would follow, and their social circle gradually expanded.

Their life outside the conservation center became an important part of the international experience as well. With afternoons and weekends available, they explored different parts of Bali, including Nusa Penida, Lovina, Amed, and areas in the north of the island. They surfed, played football with Indonesians, spent time at the beach, and traveled to places that were too far to visit during the working week.

These experiences also brought them closer to aspects of Balinese life that they had not encountered in France. Religion was one of the cultural differences both students noticed most strongly. They were struck by how visible religious practice is in everyday life, particularly when visiting temples and seeing people praying. They also found it easier to speak casually with strangers in Bali than they were accustomed to at home, something Riwan associated with the friendliness they experienced throughout their stay. And, in a slightly less serious cultural observation, he developed a considerable respect for the Balinese tolerance for spicy food.

For Riwan and Noé, the three months in Bali eventually became several experiences happening at the same time. Academically, they completed the international internship required by their engineering studies. Professionally, they experienced a workplace outside the type of company environment they already knew. Linguistically, they used English every day until communicating became more natural. Environmentally, they learned about the life cycle of sea turtles and the threats created by human activity. Socially, they worked alongside Indonesians and volunteers from different countries. Personally, they traveled through Bali together and learned how to navigate a very different cultural environment while still having the familiarity of a close friend beside them.

Their experience also reflects something useful for other young engineering students considering an internship abroad. An engineering education does not have to limit professional learning to one particular type of workplace. Understanding systems, organizations, communication, teamwork, responsibility, and the social consequences of human activity can happen in many environments, including organizations working in conservation and community-based projects. For students specializing in areas such as industrial management, seeing how different organizations operate can be as valuable as observing another production line or corporate structure.

Even the process of reaching Bali taught them something about planning an international experience. Noé had initially tried contacting companies independently in different countries but found the process difficult. They eventually chose to use Bali Internships because they wanted more certainty around finding an appropriate placement and practical support with their arrival. Once in Bali, assistance with accommodation, airport pickup, a local SIM card, and the steps leading up to the placement allowed them to focus more quickly on the internship itself.

Asked near the end of their interview to describe Bali in only three words, Noé chose “friendly, spicy, and sunny.” Riwan started with “friendly” and “chill,” but struggled to find a third word that felt right. “Amazing,” he decided, was too easy.

After thinking for a moment, he found something better:

“I think it’s a human adventure.”

For two best friends who came to Bali to complete an engineering requirement and ended up learning about conservation, language, work, culture, and each other along the way, that may be the simplest description of the experience.