I interned in Malaysia, and I can’t stop thinking about it…

I love travelling. It is one of my greatest passions in life. When I found out there was an option to study, travel, and gain work experience through the UTS global shorts program – I jumped at the chance.

But to be completely honest, Malaysia was not the first destination on my wish list. Nor was it the second, or the third, or… well, you get the idea. But how wrong I was! Embarking on an international internship in the beating heart of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, was an experience of a lifetime.

I decided on KL as I wanted to the most of my winter break and knock over an elective that conveniently would whisk me away to the eternal summer of the sweltering tropics. As far away as possible from the creeping chill of Sydney’s bleak and damp winter.

I found myself in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. KL is a vibrant late night kinda town. While it has all the makings of a relaxed southeast Asian city (hustle and bustle, street markets, incredible cuisine), it is also chic, modern and cosmopolitan. Historically, Malaysia was the epicentre of global trade and the reverberation of its history is evident through its diverse population, the majority of whom are Malay, Chinese and Tamil/Indian. There really is nothing quite like the melting pot of culture within KL.

Here, I was lucky enough to intern with the Freedom Film Network (FFN), an NGO that empowers marginalised communities through the power of filmmaking to create social change and combat censorship issues in Malaysia. I was immediately drawn to work with FFN as they are a matriarchal organisation creating boundary breaking social justice reforms through storytelling. As a journalism and social & political science major, this work experience would be invaluable to my development as a future journalist.

The women at FFN are strong, courageous, and smart as hell. They mentored me in so many ways, beyond career development. I learned how to archive, create content and how to create nuanced discourse about sensitive topics. All the while championing marginalised voices and effecting real change. Inspirational would be putting it lightly. Not to mention, Malaysians are the most kind-hearted and generous people I’ve ever met. They are always prepared to welcome you into their homes or take you to their favourite lunch spot. It was not hard to make friends with my colleagues who immediately welcomed me into their fold.

A day in the life of an UTS intern in Malaysia is short of heavenly. I would leisurely start my mornings swimming in the pool of my hotel, looking out at the KL skyline watching the sunrise. Followed by my breakfast obsession of roti telur, a moreish flaky egg-soaked flat bread that got me out of bed every morning

On my way to work, I would pick up my morning Starbucks and weave my way through the flurry of morning commuters to the train station. It was a daily ritual that cost less than $6 and made me feel like a wealthy ex-pat retiree.  

Outside of the high-flying intern life, I made the most of the weekends exploring the cultural touchstones of Malaysia’s long and fascinating history. A particular highlight was my weekend in Penang, an old trading port. Exploring the colourful streets of George Town, a heritage listed part of town home to the mansions of the British India Trading Company. Traipsing through the ornate mansions of Peranakan families, peering into the rich history of the first Malay Chinese descendants that would come to create some of the most iconic Baba/Nyonya cuisine.

All in all, Malaysia be on the top of everyone’s dream holiday destination. Better yet, combine it with an internship and spend 6 weeks completely immersed in one of the best cities in the world.

Madeleine McWilliam
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Global Student – KL Internships, Malaysia
New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient