Bula!
My name is Salma, and I joined Think Pacific as a Business Development and Enterprise intern in my first year. I’ve always been fascinated with Fijian culture, and the internship was the perfect way to learn more about it whilst working on my own skillset and building my CV.
The internship was entirely remote, and there were over 100 interns from universities all over the world. We hit the ground running from the first week, familiarizing ourselves with the platform, the different projects we could work on, and learning more about Fiji. It was a fast-paced and exciting start, and all the Think Pacific members were very supportive along the way.
I was also assigned a mentor (who was actually living in Fiji at the time!), and we met online every two to three weeks for a brief review of my work, any questions I may have had, and planning next steps.
For the project I worked on, I developed a business proposal for a merge between a Fijian enterprise and the Fijian Ministry of Health. I had to opportunity to develop my market research skills, gauging the needs of prospective businesses and its customers, as well as data analysis to help build a competitive and strategic business plan that benefited both businesses.
Culture is at the heart of Fijian enterprise, so ethnographic research was also an important aspect of my project. The reading, the virtual coffee breaks, and the storytelling sessions all gave me a thrilling in-depth look into the traditions and values that shape everyday life in Fiji.
It was a pleasure working with the Think Pacific community, and I would definitely recommend this internship to all those interested in Fiji, business, or simply developing research skills and meeting new people. It was a lovely experience, and I only wish I could have travelled to Fiji for the duration of the internship!