Two Newcomers, One Hive: How Arfi and Hadeel Found Their Wings at FundingBee
What does it take to build a career far from home? The best answer comes from the people who have done it.
We sat down with two young members of our team: Arfi, a business administration student from Indonesia who joined our team in Malaysia for a work placement, and Hadeel, a media and communication student from Yemen who joined our marketing team on a service contract. Different countries, different degrees, different reasons for coming. Both found what they were looking for here: real experience and the confidence that comes with it.
Here are their stories.
Learning the International Workplace: Arfi's Experience at FundingBee
Arfi is a business administration student from Indonesia who came to Malaysia to complete an internship at FundingBee.
In Indonesia, overseas internships are unusual. Not every course requires one, and most students are placed with local companies. Arranging a placement abroad can also be hard, from visas and paperwork to living far from family.
That is why Arfi sees this placement as a rare opportunity.
"I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to do my internship in Malaysia; it gave me a chance to experience the international job environment."
Learning Business by Doing
Arfi wanted to strengthen skills in business development and marketing and see how ideas from a business administration degree work in real life. The mission also mattered: FundingBee helps small businesses that struggle to get large loans.
The internship offered experience in several areas at once, including collections, customer interviews and marketing.
Growing in Confidence
Asked how the experience changed them, Arfi points to confidence first, especially when speaking with customers and colleagues in different languages. Beyond that, the placement built practical skills:
- Better time management
- More accurate record-keeping
- The ability to handle several tasks at once
- Stronger writing and editing through marketing work
Living abroad had its own effect.
"It made me more independent and more open to new people and ideas."
The Most Enjoyable Part, and the Hardest Part
The most enjoyable part of the internship was marketing. Arfi learned to place articles on a Content Management System, from drafting articles in Bahasa Malaysia through refining the wording and proofreading.
Filming and editing videos and designing posters were also highlights, as were company events where interns and supervisors got to know each other in a relaxed setting.
The toughest job was collections, especially reaching customers who did not answer calls or had difficulty paying.
"At first it was hard to handle objections and encourage on-time payments while staying respectful."
Arfi worked out the best times to reach each customer and combined manual calls, automated messages, and reminder letters. Feedback from the manager and team has helped Arfi improve every week.
A Friendly Team, Real Targets
What surprised Arfi most was the atmosphere.
" The workplace was so friendly and supportive, even though everyone works toward real targets and deadlines."
Company activities such as happy hour and sports sessions helped Arfi get to know colleagues from other teams and feel part of the FundingBee family. Arfi also learned how much small details matter:
"Every small task matters, because each record I update affects how customers are contacted."
A Message to Future Interns
"Be curious, take initiative, and learn more than your placement requires. Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for feedback, because your supervisors and colleagues are there to help you grow. Treat every task as a chance to learn, even the ones that seem small."
Finding the Right Place to Start: Hadeel's Journey from Yemen to Kuala Lumpur
Hadeel is a media and communications professional from Yemen who joined FundingBee's marketing team, bringing a passion for content, video and storytelling.
Despite the Challenges, Hadeel Pursued Opportunities Abroad
Hadeel is direct about where she comes from. Many people in Yemen want to go abroad, but it is far from easy. The war has made education and work opportunities hard to find at home, and flights are expensive, so moving around is difficult. Even so, many people try to leave to study and work, to improve their skills and their lives.
Two Hundred Applications
Hadeel's search for the right opportunity was not simple.
"I applied to more than 200 companies."
Along the way, she considered many opportunities, but finding a position with a salary that could support living in Kuala Lumpur was not easy.
Location became a deciding factor. "If you're located somewhere good, you have so many chances around you. If you're isolated, it can be harder to find them.” Kuala Lumpur offered the chance to build connections for the future. The role was also in marketing, the field she most wanted experience in.
A New Perspective: Discovering a Multicultural Workplace
Two things surprised Hadeel after she joined. First, FundingBee is not a purely local company.
"I thought wherever I went I would be surrounded by local people. But it's a Japanese company, so people are very comfortable with English, and it isn't really necessary to know Bahasa Malaysia."
Second, the working environment.
"It's quiet, and it's a good environment for people to get their experience."
Discovering New Skills and Growing Through Experience
One of the biggest learning experiences was creating videos using AI, something she had never done before. FundingBee gave her access to editing tool, letting her explore new possibilities, build her skills, and work more efficiently. Since then, she has created a wide range of media and marketing content.
"That's what really surprised me about myself."
While learning AI video generation was challenging at first, she gradually became more confident and comfortable with the process. Along the way, she discovered various tools and websites that helped her improve her work on advertisements, TikTok content, and other marketing materials.
Looking back on her progress, she reflected, "I think I improved a lot."
Some of her most enjoyable moments came from filming and taking part in events such as coffee chats with FundingBee Agents.
"I like to make new connections, talk to new people, and hear about other people's experiences."
A Message to Future Interns
"Don't rush. Take your time. Apply to many internships and find the right one for you. Don't compare yourself with other people, whether they started before you or after you. Keep to your own path, focus on your own journey, and don't look at others."
What They Have in Common
Arfi came from a country where internships abroad are rare. Hadeel came from one where leaving is hard. Both arrived in Kuala Lumpur and found a team that was open, supportive and willing to give real work.
For both, the experience was about more than the tasks. It was about trying new things, learning in public, and growing into someone more confident than when they started. Their advice to future interns is the same in spirit: stay curious, be patient, and treat every opportunity as a chance to learn.
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