Post 9 Final Reflection

1.       Think back to the beginning of internship. What were your goals? Did you achieve these goals? If so, what did you have to consistently to achieve the goals?

My goal were try to do different things and learn how to work with horses and kids. I achieved these goals when I helped people as much as I could.

2.       What are the most important ideas or skills you’ve learned in the last 10 weeks?

I have learned to groom horses, put equiqments on horse, sidewalking with riders and leadwalking. Adjusting quickly in any suituation is important as well.

3.       What has having a relationship with a professional employee such as your supervisor/mentor meant to your personal development? How have you grown as a student and/or youngadult in this relatively new country?

First of all, respecting each other is extremely important. Second of all, helping each other is necessary.

4.       What were the highlights (memorable moments) of your internship experience?

This first time I groomed horses and led horses were memorable, because I was excited and scared at the same time.

5.       What are your thoughts about jobs, careers, or the professional world in general as a result of having spent 125 hours working in it?

I think when you really focus on doing something, you would be expert on it. Especially when you want to learn more and do more, you would be successed.

6.       After high school, what do you want to pursue for a career? Are you more or less interested in college as a result of your internship?

I want to pursue master degree of businese administration. As a result, I am interested in college because I would have more time to learn and try different new things.

7.       What were your biggest challenges to overcome and how did you handle those challenges?

MY biggest challenges was the dusty enviroment. I tried my best to get used to it, and it wasn’t too bad after few days.

8.       If you were to start a brand new internship next week, what are at least two things you would do differently?

I would try to ride a horse and be a leadwalker as much as possible.

9.       Think of two to three pieces of advice you could offer a new interm at your site.

To be helpful and respectful is always important, learn to enjoy working with horses, you would find it it is fun.

10.   What will you miss about your internship?

I will miss all the horses and people that I met there. 

Post 8 - Updated Resume

QI QI LIANG
1737 W. 4th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11223 646-248-2507 qliang@inths.org     

Education             International High School at Lafayette
4/2010 – Present      Brooklyn, New York
Expected Graduation Date: June 2013

Experience
3/2011 – Present      Volunteer, GallopNYC, Brooklyn, New York

·      Led horses and side-walked with riders

·      Groomed and equipment horses

·      Organized riding equipment

7/2011 – 8/2011       Cashier, Eternal Chinese Bakery, Brooklyn, New York

·      Sold bread and made beverages

·      Served satisfied customers

Honors
6/2011                  Honor Roll, International High School at Lafayette

·      Awarded to students earning an A average

Certificate of Achievement in Science

International High School at Lafayette

·      Awarded to students doing well in Biology class

Activities
11/2011 – 12/2011   Shorefront Y

·      Organize and teach science lessons geared towards elementary aged students in after school setting

10/2011 – 5/2012     New York Cares/Kaplan SAT Prep course

·      A program for helping high school students on SAT test

10/2011 – Present    iMentor, International High School at Lafayette

·      Participate in technology-based mentoring program for high school students

·      Develop an ongoing relationship with an adult volunteer mentor via weekly emails and regular face-to-face meetings

Skills                     Computer software applications, researching skill, poetry and        journal writing skills, illustration skills

Language             Fluent in Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), conversant in English


References available upon request

References              Sean Burke
                                Internship teacher
                                International High School at Lafayette
                                sburke@inths.org

                                Ellen Lee
                                iMentor
                                ellen.s.lee@accenture.com

Post 7 - Thank You Letter

Dear Ellen and Sarah Jane,

I had a great time during my internship weeks. I am really appreciated what you have taught me and relied on me as a helper. I love working with friendly and patient people like you. Before this internship, I had never been around with horses. After your teaching and training, I feel like i am a little horses expert. During the internship, I found that it is very important to offer help and work carefully. Because we work with special riders and animals, we need to take care of them so that things go well. This is a good chance for me to learn how to work carefully, because I don’t always pay attention to details in daily life. When I work at the stable, I had to make sure everything I did is correct, and learn to adjust quickly in case something bad happens. 

I am not sure if my horses experiences would help me to get a job in the future. But I am very happy that I had interned at this stable, I met great people like you and I did many new things. Even though the environment was challenging, but I feel it is so meaningful when I saw many happen faces from riders. Thank you for offering such great internship. I would love to continue interning when I have free time.

Best Regards,

QIQI LIANG

Post 6 - Photo Essay

These are the saddles that we use on horses. Before we start our class, we would let those horses come out from the stall and let them roll on the ground for few minutes. Then we need to brush their body. After that, we put a blanket on their back, then we put the heavy saddle on them. 

This stable is kind of old. So the doors are broken. Sometime horses just like to bite the door. That guy is cleaning the stall and feed horse with hay. You can see the environment is dirty and dusty. So This is very challenging for me in the beginning. But now , I am okay with it. Some people give me a weird look on my way home because I get dirty and smelly. Haha! Arcelia is leaning on the wagon. We put all the things we need in it before we go to the park. Such as helmets, bucket, toys, cones and rings, poop bags, lead lines..etc.

This is my responsibility in this internship. I am a side-walker. It means when the rider is riding the horse, I have to walk beside the horse. So that I can make sure the rider's safety. There are always two side-walkers with on rider. Sometimes only one is needed when the rider is good at riding.( I am so short, compare to another side-walker. haha!) By the way, it is harder to hold the rider when they are riding on a big horse.(This horse named Marshmallow.)

Usually instructors like to do some warm up before they start the class. Like "Simon says" and ask riders to name parts of horse's body. I learned many new vocabularies when they name parts of body. From the picture you can see, I think she is touching the horse's bottom. But they don't say bottom, they say hind-quarter.

Sometimes I need to hold horses because there are not many volunteers. It is not hard to hold a horse as long as they can eat grass. (This horse named Fudge. The most tame horse.)

When the weather is nice and warm. We don't stay in the stable, we go to a small park to have class. I enjoy working here. Big enough for horses and comfortable.

Another photo of the stable.

As I said, it is not hard to hold a horse.But it is hard to stop them from eating grass!!!They are much powerful and stronger than us, so we need to be careful. Because some horses bite and kick. (My face is too funny, so I am not going to show you)


I planned to take a picture of me collecting up the poop. Because it would be so classic. But too bad that they didn't poop at all on the day I had the camera. Haha. Anyways, I enjoy interning here. I met many nice people and children. I earned my special experience in here.

Post 5

1. Duty 责任

The task that a person needs to responsible for it based on his occupation.

My duty in my internship is to make sure the safety of the rider.

2. Employee 职员

A person works for another one to get pay.

I used to be a employee in a bakery.

3. Evaluate 评价

To determine the value of something.

He evaluated the value of this company based on its achievement.

4. Harassment 骚扰

Disturbing or abusing 

She got sexual harassment by her co-worker.

5. Initiative 倡议

Willing to take step forward and make action.

She was disappointed by his lack of initiative. 

6. Novice 新手

Someone who is new to do something.

She is a novice digital artist.

7. Proactive 积极主动的

To initiate something instead of reacting.

When you want something , you need to be proactive.

8. Qualifications 资格

Having required conditions to do something.

he doesn't have the qualifications on teaching kids.

9. Recommendation 推荐

To recommends of a person or thing as worthy.

She gets the recommendation letter from her teacher.

10. Reference 参考

To refer something.

We need to make reference when we are doing the science project.

11. Reliable 可靠的

A thing or person that you can reply on and trust.

My co-worker is reliable.

12. Colleague 同事

A person who you work with.

My colleague told me that we are going to have a long vacation.

13. Task 任务

Works that you need to do as duty.

My task in my internship is to be a side-walker.

14. Discrimination 歧视

Disrespectful attitude to something or someone.

Discrimination shall not be exist in the world, because we are all equal.

15. Criticism 批评

Examination and judgmental on something.
There are so much criticism on this product.

Post 4 - Midpoint Reflection

The mission of GallopNYC is to improve the lives of children and adults in New York City facing developmental, emotional, social, and physical challenges through the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding. Riders improve the growth of functional and mental abilities through the interaction with horses. The responsibility of my internship isn't unexpected. I was ready to be patient, willing to offer help and spend time with children. What is different from my expectation is the enviroment. I thought I would intern in a big stable or park. The workplace enviroment is totally different from IHSL’s environment obviously. The stable is dusty and smell. Hay and horses poop are everywhere. My mentor and co-workers are volunteers in this organization. They are helpful and friendly. And we respect to each other.

Since my internship is special, we don’t need to dress professional. Everyone is just casual. I don’t actually need to talk a lot, what I need to do is body language. Because we usually play little game with riders, so I don’t know if my communication skills have improved. I already get used to do routine work, like organizing tools, helmets and being a side-walker. The first time I got to the stable, I didn’t like the environment. There is smelly and dirty. My nose has a bit allergy to this place, because it is so dusty. After few days, I started to get used to it. The other challenges is bewaring when I walk around horses. There were two volunteers get hurt so far. So I need to be careful.

My internship schedule is pretty relaxing. I am missing few hours, so I will look for weekend program to see if I will able to make it up. In the rest of five weeks, I hope I could learn to lead a horse, and to be a lead-walker. I think it will be a special skill for me since I had never been around horses. New York City is definitely a big city. It contains diverse culture and organizations. Interning helps me to know more about this city.

We started having classes on Bowling Green since Spring has came.

(This horse named Spin Doctor :) 

Post 3 - Vocabulary

1. Word / Phrase: Whoa 
Meaning: Tells the horse to stop
Context: I heard my supervisor make this sound when she needs the horse to stop movement.


2. Word / Phrase: Walk on
Meaning: Tells the horse to walk
Context: I heard my supervisor say "walk on" when she needs the horse to move. 


3. Word / Phrase: Trot on
Meaning: Tells the horse to run slowly, like jogging.
Context: My supervisor say this word when she wants the rider to sit up and down on the horse.


4. Word / Phrase: Roll
Meaning: Horses need to roll themselves on the ground  before they start to work. 
Context: The first day I went to the stable, I saw horses rolled on the ground, and other volunteers told me that they need to roll for relaxing. 


5. Word / Phrase: mane
Meaning: The hair on horse's neck and back. 
Context: After riders get on the horse, my supervisor usually ask them to name parts of horse's body. So I know some words about horse's body. 

The Interview

Sarah Jane Casey - Instructor 

1. How long have you lived in New York?

I have been living in New York for 11 years.

2. Where did you go to high school? What kind of student were you in high school? What were your favorite classes/least favorite? What sports and extracurricular activities did you do?

I went to a high school in New Zealand. I was a talkative student. My favorite subject was Human Biology and Geography. I like swimming, running and horse riding.

3. Did you go to college? Graduate school? If so, where? For how long? What degree(s) did you earn? Are you interested in going back to school? If so, what do you plan to study?

I dropped out of college after I study one year for nursing in New Zealand. I might going back to school, I want to study psychology. 

4. How did you choose your current occupation?

I was teaching regular horse riding, then someone told me that there is such therapeutic horseback riding, so I choose to work here.

5. How long have you worked here? Have you worked In different capacities at this job? What jobs at this company have you done in addition to the one you do now?

I’ve been working here for 3 years. I have worked in different capacities at this job, but it is almost same thing as this one.

6. What is your job title and what are the three tasks or responsibilities you do most often?

My job title is Therapeutic horse riding instructor. I need to take care of horses, riders and volunteers.

7. Who is your direct supervisor and what is his/her job title? How much do you interact with him/her on a weekly basis? How many people do you supervise?

My direct supervisor is the president of Gallop, Mr. Alicia. I visit her couple times a week. I supervise about 16 people.

8. What are two examples of challenges you face working here?

I have to face the dusty environment and deal with people.

9. What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is Seeing riders and horses interact together.

10. What is something you would like to change about your job?

I would like to change the environment, make it more clean.

11. Did you work somewhere else before this job? Where ? For how long? How was that job similar or different?

I am also a actor , I started to be a actor when I was 22-23 years old in New Zealand and Australia. I have been teaching in horse stable about 7-8 years in America. 

12. What do you see as your future at this company? If you plan on changing jobs, what will you do?

I will stay teaching, I like to teach therapeutic horseback riding.

13. How do you hope I, a high school intern, can most help your company or organization?

I hope you can be helpful, willing to do anything and afford help.

14. What advice would you give to teenager interns (such as myself) getting ready for college?

I would advice you to stay focus on what you want to do and what you want to learn.  

Photos references :

http://www.sarahjanecasey.com/

Post 1 - First Impressions

My internship site : GallopNYC

I have more than two supervisors. Two of them are Sarah Jane Casey and Ellen Dry. 
Sarah Jane is  from New Zealand. She is an experienced with horse. She knows how to handles horse well.  Every time I saw her working, she is energetic and happy. Sarah Jane shows her enthusiasm to work. She is friendly and patient.

The place where I intern is a stable. It is not a very big. But it feeds more than 20 horses. The size of the area that allow activities is big as two classrooms in IHSL. The ground is full of straw, hay and poop (of course). So it is smelly and dirty. When horses run or walk around the stable, dust from the ground would fly all over in the air. Horse stay in the fence that made with wood and iron. About three or more volunteers work there everyday. I can see different riders and their family too.

I learned how to be a side-walker, talk to riders and feed horse carrots.
My sechedule is 1:30-5:00 on Wednesday, 2:30-7:00 on Friday. Start on March.17th, 9:00-1:00 on Saturday. I need approximately one hour to arrive home.


This internship is meaningful and special. Helping people is fun and make me happy. Even though I will be smelly after the work. But this is the first chance that i can work with horses It is special experience for me! :D