This past weekend was the first weekend I spent in Paris since the first weekend. Although I did not do much over the weekend, it was nice to sit and enjoy Paris. The preparation for the Olympics is starting to take over the city, so it is difficult to travel around knowing what the city looked like before. Yes, it is still a breathtaking city, but there are stadiums appearing everywhere, making the scenery a little more dull than Paris usually is. My favorite parks have closed, and walking on the Seine has started to feel more like walking through an arena. I love this city more than I have loved any city before, yet I am happy to be leaving before the chaos of the Olympics begins.
There is already a lot of drama brewing surrounding the Olympics in Paris. Most Parisians are not emphatic about having thousands of tourists running around the city, along with their daily commutes being cut off and not having access to all aspects of their city. The government, however, is going all out for the games. Their plans for the placement of the events have obviously been expertly decided. My favorite event placement is the horse races in the Versailles gardens, because the gardens are so beautiful and the idea of horses running around in that area reminds me of how it probably used to be when people lived on the grounds. The event that has caused the most issues is the swimming races in the Seine. Apparently, they have spent the summer cleaning the river and trying to make it suitable for the Olympians to race in it. From what I have seen, the river is still dirty with currents that are too strong to swim in. There are plans for President Macron to swim in the river to prove the cleanliness of it; however I do not see this happening. Overall, the Olympics will definitely be a boost for the businesses in the area, but is a deterrent for the people who call Paris home.
In terms of my internship, one of my main goals was to develop my leadership abilities. Before my internship, I always saw myself as a leader. In group settings I tend to be outgoing and take charge of situations. My leadership style before this internship was to be respectful of everyone’s ideas, always make sure to express my support for good ideas, and try to take charge of situations if I felt they needed some guidance. One example I can think of where my leadership skills were truly highlighted was in my acapella choir at school. The group only started when I was a sophomore; therefore, it needed a little boost to grow and become better. After the last executive board graduated, I tried to step up and show my love and support for the group without being disrespectful. However, I have not had a lot of professional chances to grow my leadership skills. In work situations, I am used to doing what I am told to do and only presenting ideas when asked for them.
My internship abroad has changed my view on leadership because my company is very open to people taking charge and presenting their own ideas on projects. In my past internships and jobs in the United States, I am usually at a lower level and therefore not presented with the opportunity to take charge of situations or present my own ideas. Therefore, it was an adjustment to learn to be able to present my ideas without anxiety of deterrence. For example, on my first few projects, my supervisors asked me for my opinions and ideas on how to make the project better, which surprised me at first. After these experiences, I tried taking more initiative and presenting my thoughts and my work without being asked. I took charge over my own projects and was more confident in my work as a result. Even if my company did not use one specific format for a project I was working on, they always respected that it was my work and my project. Because of this, I feel it will be easier to take charge in professional situations when I return to the United States. This will also allow me to feel more confident in myself and the work that I put forward.