The Heart of Europe

Looking back at my young career, I always remember my time as a trainee/intern at the European Commission with very fond memories. I spent six months in 2008 living and working in Brussels, the very heart of Europe, learning the ins and outs of one of the European institutions all the while immersing myself in new cultures and getting to know an incredibly vast array of people from all corners of the globe. It definitely was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that enriched my career as well as personal development. To this day, I still consider this as one of the most important accomplishments I have achieved so far because of the unique access to learning and observation in addition to the odds I beat to get there. I will never forget the sheer elation I felt receiving that email notifying me of my acceptance into the program. The majority of internship positions at the European institutions are reserved for nationals of the European Union. Only a small percentage of the few selected are from outside the EU. Moreover, I think it was a particularly impressive accomplishment that I was only 22 at the time, fresh out of college with my Bachelor’s degree while most of the other interns were in their late 20s and had graduate degrees. Rereading my motivation letter, I simply wanted the opportunity to learn through immersion the operations of an institution leading in the shaping of global affairs and getting to know the policy making of a major partner in transatlantic relations. To back this up, I had also dedicated my undergraduate studies to European affairs, spent summers volunteering in France, and had recently interned at the British Embassy in Washington. I thought if one can intern at places like the UN, AU, and other international and regional organizations, interning at the EU should be possible too. So, I tried my luck, sending in my application at the final hour on the day of the deadline. The rest is history. Professionally, the experience introduced me to the unique and fast-paced world of multinational organizations. From my time there, I learned how the EU conceives and implements projects as well as its strategies of inclusion, enlargement, and partnerships. I learned how to thrive in a very multi-cultural workplace and how to deal with the winding red tape of bureaucracy, among so many other things. For the six-month duration, I worked with the Directorate General of Research in creating from scratch a website promoting and showcasing the mission and accomplishments of the unit on innovation and capacity building. I was given complete freedom to conceptualize the layout of the website and build its contents. The key feature was an interactive map of the EU that highlighted all the completed and ongoing research projects that gave very specific details on funding and implementation. This website I envisioned and for which I created blueprints, was up for many of the following years and provided the framework for subsequent updates and iterations. After the traineeship, many of the trainees found their way into longer-term or staff positions at the Commission or other institutions. Some continued in other avenues for other organizations with pro-Europe leanings. Others, like me, applied the experience to help bolster a career in international/government service. I look back with immense gratitude for my internship supervisor for taking a chance on me—an outsider, an American. Undoubtedly, this was an opportunity that opened many doors even many years down the line. It gave leverage and an impetus for devoting a career to the international public sector. And most importantly, it was an experience that gave me friends who are some of my closest confidantes today.