Interning Abroad Personal Statement

Interning abroad allows for one to deepen their understanding of the world around them through unfamiliar cultural and life experiences by way of learning a new language or linguistic style, being immersed into a new workspace, or adapting to an entirely new way of life. For these reasons, I am elated that my first internship will be in a city that I am so deeply in love with. Prior to my internship with with the non-profit African Foundation for Development (AFFORD UK), most of my work related to the nature of the organization has been facilitated through my work as a grassroots organizer in my roles through the Virginia Student Power Network of New Virginia Majority and Mason DREAMers. Moreover, my roles as a STEP Mentor for the Office of

I stepped foot on unfamiliar soil for the first time in London, followed by Paris and Versailles, and then the major cities and islands of Italy. While there on an educational tour, I was fully immersed in cultures I had only read about in history books and blog posts. However, in that brief time, I found that I had developed a stronger sense of community. During the educational tour, we were taught the history of each city and as I walked through the halls of the Tower of London, there was something uncanny about walking through a former prison that was now a tourism site. Incited by the forgotten oppressions once perpetuated in these cities, I found myself interested in international human

I chose London as my intern destination for a specific reason. England, as a whole, sits in a very salient position within the global community. It has served as both a catalyst for social degradation, as one of the largest colonial powers, and yet, as a catalyst for progressive social change. As a global affairs major with a concentration in global inequalities and responses, this is a significant place of interest for me. This internship will allow me to examine scholarly works for my future research and publications, as well as how to better understand the intersections of social constructions and identities in various countries. As I prepare to visit London for the third time, I have been looking at the surrounding area, making note of anything that is familiar to me via google maps, as well as mapping my way from the tube station to the apartment building. I have also been looking for the closest grocery stores, as I have started planning my weekly meal preps while price checking everything on my list in Tesco, Sainsbury, and