This past summer I interned with the United
Nations Environmental Programs (UNEP) Convention on Migratory Species in
Bonn as part of the AIB’s SABINA language + internship program. It was
an unforgettable experience and I learned more about Germany, the UN,
international business and myself than I ever expected to.
At the core of my experience in Bonn was the AIB. They are the
primary reason my time in Germany was so incredible. The AIB staff is
very professional, passionate and organized. They meticulously
coordinated a number of fantastic outings and excursions throughout my
program, including, a Rhine cruise, going to the chocolate museum in
Cologne, wine tastings in the Mosel region and trips to the theatre.
More importantly the AIB staff makes you feel very much at home. You can
tell that they love what they do and they are always there for the
students. I felt very comfortable approaching the staff as well as the
native German student workers with any question I may have had.The AIB has an amazing network of host families who are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Although I never had any problems with my host family I knew exactly who to speak with if I ever had any problems. My host family was so kind and helpful that I could not have hoped for a more positive experience. They have been hosting students for years and they truly enjoyed having us in their home. While I was in Bonn there were obviously times when I missed home and missed my family but it helped having a host mom who would always tell me to have a good day on my way out the door and having a dinner with a loving family at the end of the day even if it wasn’t my own family.
Before I started my internship with the UN I spent five weeks at the AIB taking an intensive intermediate 6 unit German course that was followed by a weeklong excursion to Erfurt, Dresden and Berlin. It was a fantastic way to start my time in Germany and I was able to learn a lot of German in a very short amount of time. During that time I also got to know my fellow students, most of whom were from Texas A&M. I was born and raised in northern California and did my undergraduate degree in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University so I am a Californian through and through and by the end of my six weeks at the AIB I learned just as much about Texas as I did about Germany. It was a fantastic group of people and our time together went by too fast. When it the end came we were not ready to say good-bye.
During my time at the UN I worked for the Convention on Migratory Species, which protects any animal species that migrates across international borders. I worked in the Fundraising and Inter-Agency Liaison department. It was a very dynamic and interesting department to work in and it gave me the opportunity to work on different types of projects. My boss and I were essentially in our own department so we worked very closely together. Our two main tasks were to find funding for CMS and to oversee current and potential partnerships. One of my main tasks was researching foundations and charitable organizations globally to find relevant grants for CMS’s partner non-profits who implement CMS’s policies on the ground at the national level. I also did a lot of research into potential partnerships with a variety of organizations ranging from energy companies to major cereal brands to professional sports teams. Towards the end of my internship I was part of the pre-drafting process for CMS’s new Strategic Plan effective 2014. My work on the Strategic Plan involved reaching out to partner conventions and interviewing those who were responsible for the planning and drafting of their organization’s strategic plan. I then synthesized that information so those involved in the Strategic Plan drafting process had some guidance from experienced hands as they began their drafting process.
Although my boss and I were essentially in our own division, I was able to spend a lot of time with the other interns working at the UN. Everyday I would meet all of the interns for lunch in the lobby. We would go to eat at the various cafeterias in the businesses near the UN like DHL and Deutsche Welle or on sunny days we would eat packed lunches by the river. There were always interns coming and going at the UN and during my two and a half months at the UN I met interns from England, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Belgium Ghana, the Netherlands and Spain. With such an international group of people we were more different than alike but we quickly discovered the things which connected us were much more important then the things that separated us. By the end of my internship I had a number of great friends from all over and I know that if I ever end up in their neck of the woods I will have a place to stay.
Living and working in a different country opens your eyes to a different culture and a different way of living. You learn to see your own culture through the eyes of another. When you return to your home country you begin to notice things you never noticed before. Through comparison you understand more fully the things your culture values, what you like about your country and things you wish your country did better. The study abroad experience is not always easy. It is an adjustment and it can be uncomfortable at times but you come out stronger, more independent and more confident. There is so much to be learned about other cultures and yourself. It is a truly once in a lifetime type of experience. Study abroad provides a safe way to become immersed into another culture. Germany is a fantastic country and Bonn is a truly wonderful and international city. Bonn is right in the middle of Europe so it is a perfect jumping off point for most European destinations, which are only a short plane ride or train ride away. Aside from the trips the AIB organized, I was able to go to Paris, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Cologne, Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Luxembourg during my time in Bonn. I cannot say enough good things about my time Bonn and I encourage any student who has the opportunity to study abroad to take it. The AIB provides a perfect opportunity for students to take that first step in a safe, enjoyable and meaningful way. I would challenge anyone who has the slightest interest in studying abroad to do so.
