Insider Insights: My Journey to Arusha, Tanzania as an Intern Abroad Program Manager

Jambo! I’m Sarah, and I’m the RISEWAYProgram Manager for internships based out of Tanzania. I recently returned from a trip to Arusha where I spent time connecting with our in-country local team, checking out our internship placements, staying at our intern accommodation, and exploring everything and anything the beautiful city has to offer! Read on to find out everything you need to know ahead of an unforgettable internship experience in Tanzania.

Why I traveled to experience Tanzania

As the RISEWAYProgram Manager for all internships in Tanzania, it’s important for me to travel to Arusha to ensure I always have first-hand knowledge and experience, when it comes to supporting our interns with this program. Knowing what the food, transport, culture and customs are like means I can better manage expectations and support interns in their personal and professional development.

Personally connecting with some of our interns on-the-ground, spending time with the local team face-to-face, staying at the intern accommodation, visiting the internship placements on offer, and also meeting supervisors there, puts me in the best position to help other people who are considering Tanzania as a destination for their internship abroad!

My first impressions in Tanzania

Tanzania is very hot! Coming from a cool 16°C back home in New Zealand (about 60°F) to a whopping 29°C in Arusha (or around 84°F) was initially a shock to the system! It didn’t take long for me to sweat through most of the outfits I brought.

As the culture is relatively conservative in Tanzania, we advise interns to dress appropriately wearing - for example - long skirts or pants, and tops that cover the shoulders and décolletage. Given a hotter climate, it’s best to ensure that your clothes provide good coverage but are also cool and breathable, so that you can stay as comfortable as possible.

While fans are common in local restaurants and cafes, air conditioning is not, so it’s really important to stay hydrated. I was soon drinking up to 3 or 4 liters of water a day! Despite the warm daytime temperatures, evenings and early mornings are actually much cooler, which thankfully makes sleeping at night quite comfortable.

When spending time in Tanzania, the attention I received from others was a little unexpected. People seemed very curious about me, wishing to learn about what I was doing in Arusha, how long I would be visiting, how my family was, etc. Locals would approach me wanting to know everything and anything. Being somewhere new, I was initially unsure why they were so interested. However, I understood that their questions came from a place of genuine curiosity and interest.

While some cultures can be a little more guarded, relationship building is considered critical in Tanzanian society, and it would conversely be considered unusual not to have an understanding of one another and their families. Tanzanian people uphold a strong reputation of being incredibly gracious, kind and warm people - so, in my experience, you will end up making a lot of new friends and acquaintances!

Visiting our popular internship placements

Medical internships are very popular international internships - a lot of the college students and recent graduates that come to Intern Abroad HQ, are seeking medical internships. Therefore, when I traveled to Tanzania, I prioritized visiting the various hospitals and clinics in Arusha, which can host our medical internships.

Our Social Science Internships are a close second, prompting me to also spend considerable time visiting various schools (including preschool and primary), mental health clinics and rehabilitation centers. I also got to explore new placement opportunities, which could potentially host interns in the future. We are always eager to expand our placement options, so exploring new internship opportunities was incredibly valuable!

Getting around Arusha

Getting around in Arusha requires an adventurous spirit! Dala Dalas (or minibus share taxis) are the cheapest, and therefore the main form of public transportation, used by Tanzania locals. Packed with as many passengers as possible, you’ll need to get in quick to nab yourself a seat. This means comfort comes second to getting where you need to go. Be prepared to get up close and personal with other passengers as you make your way along fixed routes, calling out when you need to get off!

For me personally, taking a Tuk Tuk was much preferable to transport via Dala Dala. Also, it was my choice (and recommendation to interns) knowing it was one of the safest ways to get me from one place to another.

If you’re not familiar, a Tuk Tuk is a three-wheeled motor rickshaw. You can hail a Tuk Tuk from almost anywhere in the city, or you can download the Bolt app (via the app store) to order a Tuk Tuk to your exact location. Tuk Tuks can carry 3 people at a time so are a lot more comfortable. The cost is determined by distance, but if booking via the app, the price will always be communicated ahead of time (ensuring you don’t get charged more for being a tourist!). I loved taking Tuk Tuks around the city! Fun, convenient and surprisingly fast, they provide an amazing view of the world going by as well as a welcome breeze during the hottest parts of the day!

Internship accommodation

The program fee for internships in Tanzania, in addition to select meals, also includes your accommodation. Just like our interns, I stayed at our local team’s intern hostel. I felt incredibly safe the entire time, as the accommodation itself was situated within a gated community, with 24/7 security staff. The hostel also had its own housekeeping staff including a cleaner and a cook.

Our local team would regularly check in at the accommodations to ensure interns and staff were feeling happy and supported. The vibe was amazing! Very relaxed, social and inclusive with many interns going out in the evening together for salsa dancing classes, painting nights or a casual drink or two. Sometimes people ask me if they will be alone on the internship program - the answer is no! Internships in Tanzania are suitable for people looking for a fun and social environment.

While I had reserved a private room for myself in advance, the standard internship accommodation consists of shared bunk rooms, which can sleep from 4 to 8 guests, at any given time. While standard accommodation provides the shared rooms, we do have accommodation upgrades available, for people (like me) who want to book ahead for a private room (and possibly, a private bathroom also). You just need to be organized, since the private rooms are limited and subject to availability.

The internship accommodation includes shared bathrooms, WiFi and communal living spaces - lounge, dining, courtyard and kitchen. The location was great, as I was only a 20 minute Tuk Tuk ride from the main city center.

Meals

Internships in Arusha include breakfast and dinner, prepared and served Monday to Friday (at the accommodation). For breakfast, I enjoyed the choice of tea or coffee, eggs, toast, crepes and - my all time favorite - fresh fruit, like pineapple, mango and watermelon!

Dinners often consisted of chicken with rice and vegetables, potatoes, beans, salads, samosas, curry, chapati and fresh fruit for dessert.

Portion sizes were definitely smaller than what I was used to, but that’s only because lunch is often considered the largest meal of the day. For this reason I purchased my own snacks for when those after dinner cravings set in!

For all internship participants, we always recommend that you budget extra spending money for snacks and treats. There were so many options to choose from when it came to eating out. Whether I was in the mood for something local, or a taste of home, there were plenty of cafes and restaurants that offered a mix of traditional and western dishes.

My favorite cafe of all time was Kitamu Coffee. From pasta, pizza, soups and salad, to fresh fruit smoothies, juice, and delicious local coffee, it really offered a bit of everything!

Support for interns in Tanzania

Interns have several layers of support when they’re interning in Tanzania. To start with, I act as the Program Manager at Intern Abroad HQ. I receive applications from people who express their interest, then help interns to plan and prepare, after they have confirmed their participation. I remain as a point of contact, from start to finish! However, when interns travel to Tanzania, there are other layers of support who are also involved in facilitating this comprehensive experience:

In-country local team: Once you confirm your participation, to intern abroad in Tanzania, you will also be introduced to the team who are physically based on the ground in Arusha. They are absolute experts, assisting RISEWAYwith all practical arrangement of internship placements. They make airport pick up/drop off arrangements, accommodation bookings, host arrival orientations and provide comprehensive support.

Placement supervisor: Each intern will report to a specific person at their internship placement - this is their site supervisor. This supervisor will integrate them into their team, providing guidance, tasks and feedback throughout the internship duration. When your internship is in-progress, for any questions or concerns regarding the internship itself, your on-site, in-country supervisor(s) is available as a first point of contact. Of course, the in-country local team are also on-hand to help you too.

Assisting interns to overcome challenges

Part of my role, as the Program Manager for internships in Tanzania, is to help prepare interns for some of the challenges that might be part of this international experience. The culture and customs of Tanzania will probably be different to what you’re used to back home - that’s one of the amazing things about travel - it can really open your eyes, making you more understanding and open to different perspectives and ways of life.

One of the biggest differences for me, through my own experience in Tanzania, was having to adjust to different concepts of timeliness. For example, I noticed that a local estimate of “5 minutes” could be closer to 30 minutes. Something guessed closer to 45 minutes, in reality, may have been more like 2 hours. Need to order food at a restaurant? Make sure you’re not famished in advance! As your order could sometimes take between 1-2 hours to arrive at your table. Needless to say, I had to practice a lot of patience and be prepared to enjoy a few drinks and good conversation before eating!

“Pole Pole” is a popular Swahili saying and it means to go slowly and gently. The “slowly slowly” way of life in Tanzania - the laidback, “what’s-the-rush?” outlook - can take some getting used to, when, in contrast, your own culture is prone to a fast pace of life (which, let’s face it, can also be stressful at times!)

This is just one example of a difference which travelers can experience. As you develop your cultural intelligence It’s important to master the art of noticing differences, without casting judgement. This is something that RISEWAYvalues, so it’s part of the reason why all of our internships abroad include an experiential learning program, with weekly reflection tasks.

Language barrier

Sometimes people ask me if it’s possible to intern in Tanzania, even if you don’t speak the local language. During my time in Arusha, I found that the vast majority of Tanzanians spoke and understood basic English, as this is commonly taught as a second language in schools. This was a relief because - try as I might - I just couldn’t seem to get the hang of the Swahili language beyond some basic greetings.

As part of my orientation, I was provided an hour’s Swahili language lesson at my hostel which - even for a short lesson - was a massive help! I was taught some of the most common phrases and how best to pronounce them.

While there is no expectation from RISEWAYfor interns in Tanzania to be fluent in Swahili, having some words up your sleeve is still very helpful! Interns can make a choice during their program, to continue with some language lessons during their stay, or not. Of course, I recommend that all interns make the choice to keep learning some Swahili. Why not? It’s an amazing opportunity that will certainly enrich your overall cultural immersion and enjoyment!

Free time activities in Tanzania

Every intern who travels to Tanzania wants to know - what can I do on my weekends? What can I do in my free time? I’m here to tell you that there is NO shortage of amazing activities to get involved in during your free time!

During my own visit to Arusha, I really wanted to make the most of my time abroad, so I opted to take part in an overnight excursion to the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, a Maasai Culture tour and a 2-night, 3-day Safari. Seeing the “Big 5” had been a Bucket List item for me forever, so being able to explore Ngorongoro and Serengeti National Park and witness animals like elephants, giraffe, hippos and rhino in their natural habitat was unreal. Camping out in the open and hearing the call of hyenas while camping overnight (while a little scary) was really a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget!

These activities and so much more can be arranged by our Tanzania local team, so it’s reassuring to know that they can offer safe and reliable options - as the number of safari companies in Arusha offering different packages can be pretty overwhelming! There really is no better destination to gain greater insight into the culture and customs of the local people, while also enjoying some outstanding natural sites. If you’re planning to intern in Tanzania, then please plan and budget for these amazing experiences in advance - need some advice? Just let me know! I’m all ears and would love to make recommendations for you!

My final advice for internships in Tanzania

Internships in Tanzania are best suited for those who are openminded travelers, with an adventurous spirit. It really is a destination like no other I have experienced before! From the food, transport, language and climate, to the culture and customs of the local people, it is so different to everything I am used to back home. For this reason, adopting a flexible mindset is key! Approaching every situation with a positive frame of mind will go a long way in shaping your experience as an international intern, so be prepared to step out of your comfort and embrace the unfamiliar!

If you need help or advice to plan your own internship in Tanzania, I’m just an email or phone call away. Our step-by-step guide on how it works provides you with more information on how to get started. The process is user friendly - just submit your application to begin. It doesn’t cost anything to apply and won’t take more than 5 minutes. However, your formal expression of interest provides the foundation for us to help you take the next steps.

APPLY FOR FREE