This is It

Well after seven VERY short weeks our internships are coming to an end today. I am happy and sad to say that this is the last day that I will be at the European Policy Center. Happy because I got to experience working in this great organization and sad to leave the people and the work that I have done here. Out of all the things I will miss about Brussels, I will miss my job most. I really loved all of the work that they gave me to do and feel as though I have made very good contacts and met some very important people, like the President of the European Council! I have realized through my work and through others that the EPC is a very important European organization and they are fully committed to the work that they do. I also worked in a very connected area of Brussels. The EPC is located in the Residence Palace right off of Schuman Circle where many EU institutions are located. I even met some friends who worked in the the European Parliament and another AU intern and I were able to go on a tour of parliament! I also worked very close to three or four other AU interns and we were able to have lunch a few times a week. All in all it was a great internship, and needless to say when I start to look for jobs next year, I will start with the EPC!

Alsace Adventure

Last weekend Katie Van Geem, Katie Hageman, and I flew to Geneva, Switzerland. From there we rented a car and drove north along the French/German/Swiss border to Strasbourg, France. After touring the city, the three of us decided that we wanted go to a winery since the Alsace region of France is pretty well known as a wine hub. Unfortunately, the first two wineries we tried were closed. However, our Dutch TomTom with a British voice and apparently equivalent sense of humor suggested a third and final location that appeared to be more wine distribution center rather than tourist trap.

Hesitantly, we walked into a courtyard and building that resembled someone's home rather than a place of business. We asked one of the gentlemen who seemed to be puttering about the court yard if we could buy wine, he responded "Oui". We were ushered into a basement and presented a wine list and bin of pretzels. We asked for two wines, tasted them, and then none of us really understood what to do next. Both of the Katies had been to wineries before but i think the combination of the environment and language barrier threw the three of us for a loop. Our hostess, a middle aged French woman sort of just hovered over us waiting for us to make our selection of bottles to buy but we didnt quite understand what was going on since the room we were in resembled a dining room...Were we supposed to sit their and enjoy our wine, take it with us? When do we pay?

After all the confusion was over we bought two bottles and left. It was great wine though, and the people at the winery were very gracious considering our awkward behavior. I'll definitely be coming back someday!

A new experience

So I have been in Brussels for almost three weeks now and I have had quite a myriad of experiences. This is my 2nd time in Brussels and this time around, I have had a chance to learn more about Belgian culture and mores thanks in most part to Dr. Sheridan. My internship has actually been very demanding and takes up a substantial amount of my time. My boss is very helpful and the work I have been doing since day one has actually been very substantial work. I guess I expected to do "intern" work, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of responsibility I have been given - not a day has gone by where I sat in the office and twirled my thumbs, I am literally always working on a project.

I have unfortunately not had the time to go out an get better acquainted with the city and with other European cities like I initially anticipated I would because of the academic component of this program which takes up my weekends. The work is reading intensive and we have an assignment due every weekend, so I spend my weekends doing homework. With work and homework, it is difficult to find time to travel around Europe. I will post pics of our group trips to Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges soon! A bientot!

A Different Kind of Brussels Experience

Well I’ve been to Brussels, interned in Europe, hold a full time job while going to grad school in the US, and travel transatlantic for work often, so while I had a number of new experiences and adjustments to make, they seem not to be the same as others in the group. I took some meds before we boarded the flight from DC to Brussels and ate a large early dinner, so I was fast asleep before take-off and slept a solid 7 hours (yay for no jet lag!). I also got to work very early that morning, so I was already ready for bed. The guy next to me said, “You missed all the food!” when I woke up and then nicely handed me a diet coke and bag of pretzels. He said I must have done this before since I had all my sleeping gear within an arms’ reach (warm socks, a stuffed animal, eye mask, glasses case, and ear plugs). He also asked if I was traveling with anyone else, and I replied “Yes, the loud Americans you can hear a few seats back.” Oh, America, how I’ll miss you but welcome the break. 

My short previous experience did help me navigate the city during my 7 internship interviews over 3 days. The city is actually quite small and some of the roads and landmarks came back to me. Many of us ran into each other on our way to and from the interviews so that was nice. Interviewing for internships was something I’m not used to. I am, however, used to interviewing prospective interns at my job in the US so I think that experience helped. I can also understand how monotonous it is to explain your organization 100 times in a day, so I tried to ask unique questions so the interviewers got the chance to talk about something else. I got one of my first choice internships at the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network. It is so nice to do research work all day since I usually have to give that interesting work to my interns! I do find it hard to focus on one thing, or even multiple projects but all research based, all day. The office is also small and quiet which is very different from the American offices I’ve worked in. I find it calming.

Probably the biggest transitions for me are (1) the language, (2) living with a family again and (3) not having my job in the US. I speak some French so I am improving a lot, but it can sometimes be exhausting to hear it all day because you are constantly having to think (as it doesn’t come naturally to me yet). My host sister feels the same way about English. She is studying English and is great at it, but at night sometimes she’s like I can’t think and messes up things she knows and just speaks to me in French. My host family is incredibly nice and accommodating. They all try to speak to me in English which I so appreciate and do not expect. My host mom does my laundry, makes amazing meals and they invite me to do everything with them. They have the cutest dog that follows me around and a pool in their backyard. I completely feel like one of their children. I am enjoying someone cooking and doing my laundry, but it is a change from being completely independent since I was at least 18 (paying own rent, cooking own dinner, etc). I’ve definitely had to relinquish some control and alone time in exchange for being taken care of so well!

My schedule is also very different here. While I don’t stick to a specific schedule in the US, I generally work every day during the week and can’t leave until it’s done (plus blackberry work). As an intern, I don’t really have that responsibility. And I use all my extra time to study. Because I’ve done some tourist things in Brussels and have a friend visiting the last week that I need to save some things for, I feel less pressure to make every free moment count. This is a welcome change from my life in the US. While in Europe, I am traveling every single weekend. I’m a flexible traveler and should be able to keep up with everything. So nothing is too different or jarring for me, but I could complete my day in the US with my eyes closed (probably literally), so the cascade of little but still significant new things every day is a welcome challenge!

Exciting traveling opportunities

Hi all,

I am not use to blogging like this but it is definitely worth a shot. I cant believe that two weeks have already passed in Brussels and by this time next week my program will be halfway over. So far I have really been able to do a lot in such a short amount of time. About 10 days ago, everyone travelled to Antwrep, Brugge and Gent, and got to explore the Flemish side of Belgium. I love that it was included in the program because it gave everyone here a chance to socialize but also a chance to explore.

Last weekend, 10 of us here in Brussels decided to go to Amsterdam for one night. In my opinion, one night was all that I really needed it. We had tons of fun and it was definitely an adventure. I went to the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank house, plus the city was just beautiful with all of the canals and bridges. If it wasn't raining and freezing I would have gone on a boat tour of the city. The group decided to go camping (because it was cheaper than a hostel in the city) and that turned out to be quite an adventure with cabins in the woods (about 40 minutes outside of the city) and there was no heat! After that experience, I think I want to stick to weekend trips in warmer regions.

I am so excited to travel. I have already booked tickets to Greece and Morocco. I also plan on going to Luxembourg, Germany, Paris and the Belgian North Coast. Even though studying abroad can be really expensive (and its never fun to work for free), there are so many great opportunities in Brussels and around Europe. I am graduating this December with my MA from AU so I don't know the next time an opportunity like this will present itself again. I think everyone here is planning to make every second of these 7 weeks amazing.

Two Weeks into the EUropean Experience

This morning I realized I have been at my home-stay for two weeks. Two weeks, in reality it is such a short time, but looking through the stack of brochures, memory cards of pictures, and ticket stubs, I have done so much! With my apologies for leaving out details, I am going to try and give you a sense of the whirlwind these weeks have been.

I left the United States on May 13, 2011 at 8h40 EDT and arrived in Brussels, Belgium at 12h50 local time. After a short 50€ cab ride to our hotel meeting place, I discovered a new energy and decided to explore a small section of Brussels for some basic necessities like an ATM, grocery store, and of course a Starbucks. While finding the first two were fairly simple with the help of some random Belgians (thank God for my French), I was completely dismayed upon learning that there is no Starbucks in Brussels (just one in the air-side terminal at BRU). Thus, a small European café had to do in helping me stay up for the 32 hour marathon that is transatlantic travel. Yet, with my café and adrenaline, I was ready for my orientation with Dr. Sheridan and the rest of my colleagues.

The the rest of the first weekend was stressful. I arrived to a foreign country without any knowledge of where I was working, where I was living, and what my daily routine would be. In essence, my flight over the Atlantic was a figurative and literally "leap" of faith! However, by the end of the first Monday, I met my wonderful host family and had a list of interesting internship interviews scheduled for Week 1.

For anyone who has gone through an interview process, having 6 interviews cramped into a three day period is daunting. Put this together with jet lag, the difficulties of learning a new city, and the inevitable language barrier (even if you've had 10 years of French) and this first week is crazy! To future Brussels participants, I strongly urge you to buy a STIB monthly metro pass at your earliest possible convenience; while it takes you almost an hour (if not more) to get, having the card gives you unlimited access to the Brussels metro system for 45,50€. (Note: bring passport size photos with you from the states or else you will be forced to shell out another 5€ for bad pictures that you won't use again!) Even though this week was stressful, it was a great way to learn about the city and discover places you and your new friends will frequent over the course of the next 6 weeks!

The first full weekend took the group to Flanders, the north of Belgium and the cities of Anthwerp, Ghent, and Bruge. What an amazing place! Belgium is a truly fascinating country with a rich history, but it is also a country with a sad reality. While one in name, the country is actually split almost down the middle due to the language barrier. The north speaks(from their Dutch connection) and the south speaks French. Traveling north really gave Flemish meaning to this reality; what a different place. Bonjour, moniseur and merci was ineffective here! Experiencing what you are learning is the best way to appreciate the reality of the lesson. Plus, we had an excellent tour guide, Dr. Sheridan!

After an exhausting but enjoyable weekend, we traveled back to our new homes in Brussels to get ready for Week One of work. I am interning at the Atlantic Treaty Association, a NGO in the NATO structure that facilitates dialogue among member countries on key issues. It seems to be a promising internship that will really add to my academic experience and help facilitate my entrance to the professional world of international affairs.

After my brief time here, I have to say that Belgium is a beautiful country. It certainly helps that the weather has been fairly good. A word of advice, check the weather daily: the mornings are cold and often cloudy, but by the afternoon it is extremely comfortable and often sunny.

I would love to write more, but we are slightly overwhelmed with the work from our internships, the work for class, and the associated traveling that comes with spending time in Europe....

Till next time...

After a crazy first week of meeting everyone, getting settled in our home stay, going on multiple interviews all over the city, and visiting Antwerp, Ghent, and Brugge I thought that the first day of work would be a nice change of pace. Finally I would be settling into a routine of work, well I was wrong from the get go. Right after I arrived at work my boss said that we would be attending a trade fair in Kortrijk to check out the exhibitors and determine if any of them would be a good fit to join Agoria. Then we drove back to the office for an hour where I set up my internet connection, got my security badge and was given a huge stack of reading. After that we went to a conference given by the Royal Higher Institute for Defense. Here I listened to the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia speak about strategic threats in Asia. This was followed by a reception where I met the Defense minister for Belgium as well as many other higher ups. What a whirlwind of a first day.

Over the course of the day a couple of things became clear to me. The first is that I need heels. I know this sounds like a small detail, but difference in height was very obvious. Of the few women that I met all were wearing heels and the men were all very tall. If I am going to continue to meet individuals in the security field, which my boss, Dany, has assured me that I will, I defiantly need the heels. They are more formal as well.

The other thing is that I need to take a crash course in Flemish and French spoken language. Most of the people that I have met in the past two days speak Flemish, French and English and can easily switch between the three. Many of the conversations that I listened to yesterday were in all three languages. If I want to come back here and work after grad school this is going to be a must because I like to be able to participate.

Last of all, I need to make a stack of business cards. These connections are going to be incredibly important when I begin looking for jobs.

After the first day, I am quite excited to see where the rest of this internship will go. Even though security issues aren't my area of expertise, the way that this organization is set up - as an intermediary between business interests and government - is exactly in my area of interest. I hope to apply what I learn about the structure to the rest of my studies in international organizations and diplomacy.