 When my supervisor's assistant, Lala, introduced me to everyone in the office yesterday, she kept referring to me as the new "Stagiaire." Needless to say, I was very confused. I thought perhaps I was signed up for the wrong position. Clearly I am not up on my French lingo.
Today, Lala explained to me a little bit more about what my duties will be at IDF Europe. She told me that I will serve as a liaison between IDF Europe and the European Parliament by attending meetings at Parliament and coordinating information exchange between the two. Since there has been a recent changeover in MEP's, IDF Europe is focusing on attracting new MEP's to join a working group and promote diabetes awareness. I have to attend my first big meeting at the European Parliament on Monday morning with a few MEP's and some of the leaders for different Diabetes organizations to discuss the events for the upcoming World Diabetes Day which is to take place in November. I have included in this entry a photograph of the building in which I work. It is a "green" building...very popular over here in Europe.
Today I did a lot of research on the different political parties of the EU to learn more about which parties and committies are likely partners for IDF. I particularly enjoyed reading about the Greens, for some reason. They seem sort of Hippy-Chic haha.
During my lunch break, I spoke with my supervisor, Lex, about his newly acquired mobile home. He told me about his plans to take it to Holland, his homeland. What a great way to take advantage of the different cultures and histories that are within driving distance over here in Europe.
Before Lala left for the evening, she informed me that she has "dinner parties" every Wednesday evening, and invited me to join sometime. Unfortunately, I have class every Wednesday evening, but I hope to attend at some point. At the very least, it was a very thoughtful invitation.
I officially started my internship in Europe today. I am working as a communications intern for IDF Europe. The office is situated in a business and residential area south of downtown. Not quite as business-like as the Parliament area, but not nearly as touristy and chaotic as downtown. It's very strange to me to join the morning rush to work, hopping on trams and buses with real business people. It is even more surreal to me that I have my own desk and computer! I almost feel like an imposter...The office is very sleek and sophisticated, complete with modern black and red furniture. There's even a dishwasher and coffee maker! On top of a lovely setup, my co-workers are very friendly. They come from all over the globe - Madagascar, the UK, Holland, and other incredible places. I am excited to work with them and learn from them. I will undoubtedly encounter diverse perspectives that will open my eyes to new ways of communicating and thinking. Just today, one of my supervisors, Lala Rabemananjara, was filling me in on her travels to the US. She spoke of her visit to New York City with utter amazement and delight. She told me about how it just seemed like a city where anything is possible, where a city could rise from the hands of man and become something so majestic and inspirational. The cathedrals, she said, looked so historical. And there was so much to see and do, and so many sights at which to marvel. But the way in which she described the feeling of New York made me a bit homesick: "Anything and everything is possible....such freedom and liberty!" It made me smile to finally hear a positive perspective about America from someone who lives in Europe. I have heard a number of negative comments about our materialism and ignorance, but this was a refreshing perspective. America may not have the long and tumultuous history that Europe boasts, but we have ambition and success. We are far from perfect, but I appreciate our history and our culture. Especially now.
So back onto the work track, today was a really positive experience overall. Ms. Rabemananjara filled me in on the upcoming schedule for IDF Europe, and told me that I will be assisting with EU relations and communications as IDF Europe seeks new MEP's to promote diabetes legislation and awareness. After reading up on the cause and the background of IDF, I have a strong appreciation for their desire to promote healthy living and educate the public about this worldwide issue. It will be exciting to delve into the work and come to better understand the role of communications in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) and the world at large.
 Yesterday, my roommate Ashley and I decided that we wanted to be tourists in Brussels. Both of us begin our internships this week (unlike many of the other students on the trip), so we thought it would be best to stay close to "home" and skip the group trip to Antwerp.
After searching for a Bank of America compatible ATM along Avenue Marnix with no success, we ventured over to the Royal Palace to scope out the site. Admission is free (always a plus), and it will only be open for tours through August. The grounds are beautiful with maze-like gardens and intricate sculptures. It is a magnificent piece of property unlike anything I've seen in America. Upon entering, we were told to leave our bags with some ladies at the entrance in a purse check. Being the paranoid protector of my beloved Christmas gift purse that I am, I got antsy. Luckily, Ashley had similar sentiments. We wandered through the rooms along a carpeted pathway of ogling tourists, and stood in awe of the luxurious surroundings. We saw countless paintings of monarchs and Belgian scenery. The light fixtures along cost significantly more than my college career, I'm sure. I commented to Ashley that, while it was a beautiful museum, I could not imagine settling in with my Cheerios at a fancy marble table in a plush satin chair under a chandelier of diamonds and bopping around to Shakira. It got me thinking about how maybe stuffy people aren't really so stuffy, they're just conforming to their environment. There is no way I could be chill in that place. Now mind you the king resides in a different palace with his family, but I am sure that it is no less extravagant.
Anyway, I was soon reunited with my purse and belongings (much to my relief), and we continued on to the downtown area via the metro. Of course we got sucked in to buying a few school supplies to help us stay organized, and this led to a few clothing items to keep us warm and fashionable in the coming months. I even purchased a beautiful scarf of bright turquoise and pink and silver from a woman on the street for only 5 euro! Scarves are all the rage here right now. Girls wear them everywhere. We made it home after a short walk from the Merode metro and a grocery stop. After reading and tidying up a bit, we declared it a movie night. We watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith because it was on TV in English with Dutch subtitles. Nora decided to go out on the town after her day in Antwerp, but Ashley and I opted to stay in and watch a very bizarre movie that happened to be in English and involved a magic 8 ball and a highway and the girl who played the Pink Power Ranger. We ended up watching the whole thing because it was just too strange and terrible to turn away from.
Today has officially been declared a Lazy Sunday. I finally finished reading Winston Groom's "A Storm in Flanders" for our trip to Bruges in a few weeks, so now I just have to write the outline for the assignment. I found the book fascinating considering history and I don't usually get along too well. I'm anxious to see the trenches and the sites that I read about.
The rest of the day is full of homework and leisure. I am making a special tofu dish for dinner, so I'll post the final verdict on the outcome.
My internship starts tomorrow and I am ridiculously nervous. I haven't the slightest idea what to expect. But that's what adventure is all about. Right?
My laptop has already self-destructed after being in Brussels for only a little more than a week...fabulous. My roommate Ashley and I ventured across town to the Apple store. After much confusion and a few befuddling direction requests with the natives, we finally stumbled upon the shop. The woman simply looked at me and said, "Oooooh it is very expensive to fix in Europe. You have to call Apple and send back to United States." So basically, Apple support is no good over here. Wonderful.
On another note, I started my Vesalius career today with my 3 hour "Communication Theories" class. There were only two other US study abroad students in the class, all the rest were Vesalius students from Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, etc. They described their summer holidays in Croatia, Italy, Spain, and other beautiful spots. Us Amurricans simply said we were at home in the States over the summer, working and saving up money so we could actually get to Europe. So blah. Throughout the class, my professor made reference to the shortcomings of American media, and how there are limited resources and we are all brainwashed by Fox News. Wonderful. I am already perceived as a dumb robot. It will definitely be interesting to hear more about the European culture and media because I don't know much about it. There is a lot of reading to do in the class because it is an upper level with mostly students in their final year, but I feel that I will learn a lot and get a perspective not available at home.
Tomorrow is the big interview day for the internship! Fingers crossed that I do not get lost and that all goes well!
Another update soon to come...
|
RSS Feed