By sdemetry
Hello again!
To those of you who are reading my blog for the first time, please allow me to reintroduce the program I am taking part in and the internship that I am chipping away at.
I arrived in Berlin in August to study for the academic year with the IES Abroad Berlin Program. We take classes at a German University, live with host-families throughout the city, and are lucky enough to call what we're doing a "full immersion" type of experience.
It has been absolutely amazing thus far, and I would recommend it to anyone. Not only to study abroad, but to make sure that you do it for an entire year. No matter how corny it sounds, it is absolutely true that the majority of students will never have an opportunity like it again- and it is DEFINITELY one worth having! It seemed like as soon as the semester students were gaining their footing, they were back home for Christmas. Though it was difficult to spend the holidays alone, it was also an exercise in reflection and appreciation, and if confronted with the decision again, I would always make the choice to trade one family-free holiday season for a year of growth and cultural adaptation.
Even though the German culture is totally Western, there are stark differences in personalities and customs that take a while to identify, and an even longer while to adapt to. But that learning curve is one of the greatest things about studying abroad- you're forced to question yourself along with every value you were raised with, and really hold a mirror up to your own culture, which can lead to more appreciation as well as more revulsion.
But, I digress.
The main reason I am appointed to blog for GW is to share my experiences interning in Berlin. I was lucky enough to carry on an internship acquired in DC last year to the Berlin branch of the same organization, and that has been what I have devoted a large chunk of my time too whilst abroad.
The organization is called The Nation Conservancy, and they are the largest environmental nonprofit organization in the United States. My tasks in DC vary greatly from what I'm expected to do here- whether that is a sign of cultural difference or just more responsibility coming with more hours worked, I'm not sure. But, I've been tasked with some pretty major projects since I started my time here, and it has been an unbelievably worthwhile experience thus far.
In general, I help out where needed, receiving assignments on the fly rather than weeks in advance. However, I am also tasked with one large project after another, which I do in the background of whatever pressing tasks arise. So far I have completed three major projects, and they have been utilized in professional settings around the world.
The fact that anything I have done has left the desk of my boss has boggled my mind. In DC, I was never trusted with a task larger than scanning old legal files and shredding them. Nothing I did was given much credit, and I felt pretty disposable. But the work environment is much different in the Europe office, and not only am I fully appreciated for my work, but I am also given advanced tasks that require diligence, creativity and brainpower.
So, now you know what I'm doing in Berlin. I think I've cleared up everything possible for the time being.
Please check back for some more in-depth posts in the coming months!
Until Next Time,
Stephanie