Shandjeelago Amushelelo

Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)

Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences
Namibia University of Science and Technology

September 01 – November 30, 2025

At work

I completed my internship in the Food Biotechnology Research group at the ZHAW, located at Campus Reidbach in Wädenswil. Initially, I focused on mastering laboratory techniques and equipment operations, which I was able to achieve successfully with the guidance of my brilliant mentor. Throughout my internship, my responsibilities included media preparation, supporting research projects, collecting and reporting data, and compiling detailed reports on my findings. Moreover, I contributed to various research projects involving fermentation processes, microorganism isolation on selective growth media, and identification using methods of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/ Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and DNA sequencing. One of my final tasks was preparing cryotubes for long-term storage in the laboratory’s -80°C strain collection. It was truly an invaluable experience to work and gain knowledge in the fields of food biotechnology and food science.

During my time there, I worked alongside an incredible and dedicated team filled with so many great individuals. My colleagues consistently made me feel welcome, which brought about a warm and supportive atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed lunch breaks as they allowed me to engage with my team and build connections. Furthermore, I appreciated the collaborative environment, where colleagues were always willing to offer support and guidance. My experience in the food biotechnology research group stands out as one of the highlights of my life.

My Swiss host family

During my time in Switzerland, I was fortunate enough to have two amazing host families. For the first half of my stay in Switzerland, I lived with Martin and Ursi. During my time with them, I was introduced into a world of fitness as they are both very health oriented. From that experience, I found my love for walking and hiking. The memories of my host dad’s humour and my host mom preparing various Swiss foods are two things that will stay with me forever.

I spent the rest of my internship in Switzerland living with Mathias and Jasmin, along with their children. I really had an incredible time with this family. In the evenings, we would play games and have interesting and engaging conversations at the dinner table. Moreover, my host siblings were extremely welcoming and on some occasions my host siblings and I would even take the family dog, the sweetest dog on the planet, out for a walk. During this time, I also got to interact and bond with my host siblings.

Finally, both of my host families showed me so much love and my time in Switzerland was extremely memorable because of them. They both introduced me to a world of fitness, Swiss culture, art and cuisine, along with a whole new world of amazing scenery that Switzerland has to offer. I'm very grateful for the time I spent with both families, and I will forever cherish the memories we created together.

Highlights and challenges in Switzerland

During my time in Switzerland, there were many highlights. I got to explore various parts of Switzerland such as Crans-Montana, Cumbel, Lausanne and Zurich. I saw and noticed differences in magnificent architecture in different parts of Switzerland. Another highlight was trying different Swiss cuisines such as raclette, Bratwurst, and many more with my host families and fellow interns. Moreover, going on long walks in Crans-Montana and Cumbel, along with seeing snow for the first time in Falera with my host family, will always be the most calming experience of all. At certain points, my fellow interns and I travelled to Paris, Bern, Basel and Milan which all had amazing scenery and architecture. Using Switzerland’s great transport system, once I learned to navigate it, was also very enjoyable for me. Finally, all the time I got to spend with my host families and colleagues/friends at work was definitely a highlight as well.

One of the major challenges for me was adapting to the Swiss dialect of German, which ended up being a good thing because I was able to learn and understand basic phrases. Initially, it was also challenging using the transportation system in Switzerland and being away from my family and friends back home in Namibia.

My future plans

I plan to complete my bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. After the completion of my bachelor’s degree, I would like to specialise in the fields of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology or Molecular biology with the aim of becoming a full-time researcher one day.

Personal message

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to B360 education partnerships for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I’m grateful for the support from the organisation, my host family, mentor and colleagues who have made my stay in Switzerland extremely comfortable. Additionally, I am thankful for all the support, guidance and knowledge I have gained throughout my internship. This experience has truly been life changing, and I can say with all confidence that I have grown both professionally and personally during my time in Switzerland.

This opportunity made me realise that it is important to always be open to new experiences and opportunities, because certain opportunities will not present themselves twice. It will always be worth it!