We follow Daniel’s intern journey at WeFi…
Daniel Garza (20) is the very first recipient of the Nicholas Feinstein Technology Internship Scholarship – awarded annually to one of the University of Northern Colorado’s top business and technology students.
Daniel touched down in Cape Town at the beginning of June for two months, to work (and learn) alongside the team at our Stellenbosch-based WeFi Innovation Hub.
As he gets set to fly home, we find out what this whole experience has meant to him, taught him and how he thinks it will inform his future career plans…
How has living and working in South Africa impacted your personal and professional growth?
Living and working in South Africa has very positively impacted my personal and professional growth. Ever since coming here in June, I have been more focused than usual on doing extracurricular coding and studying. It has been a very refreshing experience to switch up my routine and be able to start anew in a sense. In terms of professional development, this work opportunity with WeFi was fantastic. I feel that I had the opportunity to do a little bit of everything with this internship and that this experience helped to develop my technical and soft skills.
What were some of the biggest cultural adjustments you had to make?
I think for the most part, there wasn’t too many drastic cultural differences that I experienced in my trip. The biggest one for me was probably the currency. Whenever looking at a menu, I always did the mental math to convert it to US dollars. The second cultural adjustment I had to make was using a messaging app like WhatsApp rather than using just the native message app on my phone. These little differences took some getting used to.
How did you find the local work/life culture compared to back home?
I found the life culture over here to be a fair bit different than back home. I grew up and currently live in a more rural area in Colorado, so it was a unique experience being able to experience life in Stellenbosch for an extended period of time. The work culture in my experience was pretty similar to what I am accustomed to in Colorado.
What were some of the most memorable experiences you had during your stay?
Some of the most memorable experiences I had during my stay were seeing penguins, my first demo of the project I was working on, as well as the last demo for the project. I really like penguins, so it was super cool to see them. That was actually one of the things I wanted to do the most in South Africa. The first project demo was memorable because of how frustrating it was for me. The last demo was also memorable because it was the opposite of how the first one went and it left a lasting impact!
What advice would you give to future WeFi interns based on your experience?
I would say workwise, my advice would be to be proactive in your project. Don’t wait for someone to instruct you on what needs to be fixed every single time. You should be able to identify bottlenecks and potential issues and have the curiosity and energy to work on fixing them. To future WeFi interns, more specifically to those who will intern at the Innovation Hub in Stellenbosch, I would say to take advantage of the novelty of the environment you will be in. I found that working and living in Stellenbosch for two months was refreshing for my personal studies and creativity. Use this time to begin studying a subject or start a project that you have been putting off. In that same vein, I would also say to not completely be absorbed in your studies and computer. Go out and experience something new!
How has this experience influenced your future career goals?
I would say that this experience has made me want to become a software engineer all the more. Before this experience, I was pretty evenly split on either entering IT or software development, but after this I am leaning more towards software development. It has also made me understand that there is still a lot for me to learn in order to become industry-ready.
Would you like to return to South Africa at some point?
Definitely. Even with being in Stellenbosch for two months, I feel that I have only seen and explored a very small amount of South Africa. It would also be nice to return during another season because it was pretty rainy here for a good portion of the time I was here.
What are your plans after returning home? What is the first thing you’ll be doing after you land?
My main plans for when I return home are going to consist of coding, gaming, working out, and work until school starts up again. The first thing I will be doing after I land will be hitting a workout and hanging out with my family!
What do you believe is the most valuable aspect of an international internship experience?
I would say the most valuable aspect of an international internship experience is that it really expands your perspective on how much of the world there is to explore. With an
international internship, you get to experience a new routine, meet new people and experience new things that you otherwise would have never have gotten to.
What parting message do you have for the WeFi Innovation team?
Thank you WeFi and the Innovation team in South Africa for making my stay accommodating and memorable. I really appreciate the invitations to go out and how the WeFi team made it a lot easier for me to explore South Africa. The project I was assigned to was a lot of fun to work on and I am glad I was able to contribute to an innovative project.
Thank you once again, the Innovation team. This was a great opportunity and I had a lot of fun!
Read more about Daniel and what he’s learnt and accomplished during his time at WeFi:
Read more about Daniel’s time at WeFi:
Part 1: From Intern to Innovator
Part 2: A New Way of Life
Part 3: The Sky Has No Limit
Part 4: Daniel On Camera
Part 5: The Final Countdown
Follow Daniel’s journey with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefitec/
Click here for more about the Nicholas Feinstein Technology Internship Scholarship, and read how one honouring one young man’s legacy has led to a life-changing opportunity for another.
