EIGHT MEANINGFUL MONTHS AS AN INTERN AT TIC - AZWA, OCT 2025
After spending eight incredible months as an intern with Tengah Island Conservation (TIC), I can truly say this experience has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life. What began as a simple internship turned into a journey of growth, learning, and self-discovery.
Throughout these months, I’ve had the privilege to be involved in a wide range of activities from reef and seagrass surveys, turtle nest monitoring, and hatchling releases, to marine debris management, guest engagement, and even learning new skills like 3D photogrammetry. Each task, whether big or small, taught me patience, teamwork, and the value of dedication in conservation work.
For me, 8 months with them on Tengah Island made me feel that I am with my real family. Never thought that I could be close with them and feel comfortable as I do at home. With less time with my family throughout this journey did not make me feel lonely at all. I could feel comfortable with them, showing them my true colors.
I would also like to appreciate Brahh, Bratty, Mazola, Iman Sabariah, and Mala for giving me new experiences in handling a mother turtle, from facial ID, metal tagging, and retrieving the eggs right away from the cloaca. Then, have to do the night beach patrol, waiting for them to lay eggs, handling the eggs inside the hatchery, have my nest check, and also being excited when the baby turtle have already emerged. Ohh, I’m gonna miss all of this for sure.
I am not good at expressing my gratitude and love with words but I am really happy to be here and be part of TIC members at Tengah Island.
To Aiman Suhami, Aiman Aziz, Fatini, Izyan, and Siva, thank you for your continuous guidance, trust, and encouragement. I don’t know if any of you will ever read this, but I want you to know that there was never a single morning when I woke up and didn’t want to do my job. Every task, no matter how small, brought me joy because I genuinely loved what I was doing and who I was doing it with. I never felt the need to be calculative in carrying out the tasks given because I truly enjoyed spending my days here. You guys really give me happy moments and a rainbow throughout my internship journey. Thank you for your presence, and till we meet again in the future. Please don’t forget me and my sense of humor.
To my fellow interns, thank you for all the laughter, teamwork, and unforgettable memories from sunrise patrols to late-night nest checks. Every moment was special because of all of you. I still remember how we struggled during our early internship period on the second day of Ramadan, but we had each other’s backs and kept cheering one another on to get through the days. It was a month full of physical challenges, yet we made it through together. I love you guys so much
It was quite sad that Syad was the first to leave, as she had to continue her master’s studies and couldn’t extend her internship with the three of us. Still, I’m grateful that she remains a part of my sweet memories here.
I’ll always carry this experience close to my heart and remain grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a passionate and dedicated team.
And lastly, I want to thank myself for staying strong, for embracing every challenge, and for making it to the very end of this journey. I am deeply proud of the person I’ve become through these eight months a little braver, a little wiser, and endlessly grateful.
My inner child smiles softly, holding onto the memories of Tengah Island, the whispers of the waves, the golden sunsets, the quiet joy of watching hatchlings find their way to the sea. She will keep these moments close, like seashells tucked safely in her hands.
I know my younger self would be so proud knowing that I have lived the dream she once wished for, walking barefoot on the sand, learning from the ocean, and finding a piece of myself in its tides. Tengah Island will forever be a part of me a gentle reminder of growth, courage, and love for the world beneath the waves. Azwa, TIC 2025 — signing out. Peaceee