Adapting
to a fresh environment far from home takes a certain kind of fortitude.
Yesterday was my first day interning at the U.S. Grains Council and only my
second day in the District of Columbia.
Although I am just removed from four months abroad in Latin America,
D.C. is a different kind of beast; it is extremely easy to be intimidated by
the complexity of the situation. For example, the metro is the only legitimate
means of transportation for anyone non-local into the city, and the outlandish
cost of living forces subtle poor students like me to the margins of the
metropolitan area, thus making for a long commute. Not to mention, when all is
said and done I will be 7 months removed from home.
Despite
any intimidation or lack of comfort, I am well on my way to the independence I
desire and I am definitely experiencing a honeymoon period with our nation’s
capital. I have been spending any of my free time mastering the metro and
exploring my neighborhood of Fairfax, I have yet to see any nationally recognizable
monuments even though I can literally see the Capitol from my office. There
will be plenty of time for exploration, but for now it is essential I get
settled into my living and working situations. George Mason University (which
is across from my townhouse) is satisfying enough for my exploration needs, at
least for my first week.
As for the
Grains Council, I have to admit my honeymoon period has a lot to do with the
people in my office. Although I have only been here one day, the people have
been unbelievably great to me and I earnestly believe in their open door
gestures. While the office has many different personalities, they have all made
me feel at home already and I am comfortable working with any of them formally,
informally, and socially although it has only been one day.
As for my
duties, I have just only begun to learn the ropes, thus I have only mastered
small office duties like the copy machine and processing invoices, but soon I
will be doing all sorts of things I could only of imagined about. As a
international studies minor I am ecstatic about one opportunity in particular,
in August I will be coordinating (in large part, by myself) a trade team from
Japan which will include not only hosting them but educating them on grain
production in the United States which will include various tours and meetings.
Various other responsibilities will be assigned to me as worker confidence
grows, but I earnestly just want to make everyone’s job here easier whether
directly or indirectly.
Even
though it has only been a short time, I already have subtle experiences I
struggle to put into words, like Robert Brault said “Enjoy the little things,
for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
The U.S. Grains Council is hosting James Keating of
Ogallala, Neb., as their first summer intern supported by a partnership between
the Nebraska Corn Board and USGC. David is a senior in political science at the University of
Nebraska – Kearney. He will be working with policy, assisting with international
trade teams and helping to develop promotions and international relations.
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