Thank you 2025

Last week, we came together as a team to close the year with our annual Bali Internships gathering, a tradition we have upheld for many years as a way to honor the people behind the work. This gathering is how we mark the end of the year, by slowing down, sitting together, and acknowledging the effort, care, and consistency that have shaped our work over the past twelve months.

For us, this gathering carries the spirit of a selametan, a shared feast rooted in appreciation, goodwill, and togetherness. Food, conversation, laughter, and simple rituals come together as a way of expressing thanks and offering good intentions for what lies ahead. It is a reminder that meaningful work is sustained by people who show up with responsibility, heart, and commitment, and that those contributions deserve to be recognized openly and sincerely.

We gathered at Warung Nads, a place that has hosted many of our moments over the years, sharing generous plates of Indonesian food and time around the same table. Stories from the year surfaced naturally, games sparked laughter and friendly competition, Secret Santa gifts moved from hand to hand, and photos captured the ease of an afternoon shaped by familiarity and trust. Interns joined alongside the team, conversations flowed across roles and experiences, and the space reflected relationships built through working closely together over time.

The gathering also reflected the natural movement within our team. This year, we welcomed new team members who stepped into their roles with care and commitment, while also saying goodbye to colleagues whose time with Bali Internships had reached a natural turning point. These moments were shared openly and respectfully, acknowledging that an organization like ours is shaped by people who come, contribute, grow, and eventually move forward, while the work itself continues through shared values and collective responsibility.

Energy filled the afternoon through interactive games that we intentionally use to bring people together. The challenges were physical, playful, and competitive, with everyone fully engaged and focused on winning the grand prize, a bottle of wine that quickly became a shared goal. What began as simple games turned into moments of concentration, teamwork, and laughter, adding lightness to the gathering and reinforcing the importance of joy and connection within our working culture.

While the focus of the afternoon was togetherness, it was impossible not to feel how much 2025 represented for Bali Internships. Throughout the year, we continued to welcome students and participants from across the world, including England, Martinique, Estonia, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, Switzerland, Ecuador, the United States, and Indonesia. Each person who arrived brought their own background, questions, and expectations, and each experience added another layer to the work we continue to do across our programs.

One of the most meaningful moments came when Rima shared a few words with the group, reflecting on her years with Bali Internships and the journey she has taken alongside the team. She spoke about the people she worked with, the responsibilities she carried, and the learning that shaped her growth over time. Her reflection resonated across the table, offering a reminder that what we build together often becomes part of how people grow, extending well beyond roles or timelines.

After sixteen years of running Bali Internships, this gathering reaffirmed what continues to sustain our work. Consistency, care, and quality remain at the center of everything we do. Team members come and go, programs evolve, and contexts change, yet the core remains steady. Our commitment to meaningful programs, strong partnerships, thoughtful guidance, and high quality experiences for interns, students, volunteers, professionals, and everyone who crosses our path continues to guide us forward, with gratitude for what has been built and confidence in what lies ahead.