I have completed my internship with the Hertie School for fundamental rights in Berlin Germany. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to do an internship internationally. Over the past several weeks I have worked with all different kinds of people and teams. I now found myself reflecting on the skills that I have learned during the past several weeks. Not just professionally but also on a personal level working internationally for the first time.
When i first arrived in Germany I was very filled with curiosity and excitement. I was looking forward to applying my academic knowledge in a working environment. Being in a different part of the world I knew the workculture would be very different. I have had to learn to adapt from my past work experience in the United States and learn how to be efficient in the Germany work place. Over the weeks I have discovered that being successful did not just entail being able to complete tasks or meet deadlines. What was more important was learning adaptability, cultural awareness, and to navigate language barriers with coworkers. I think that as a political scince major with an interest in going to law. It is important to learn these skills as it related to the constant change in the political and legal feild.
At the started of my internship I was welcomed by the Centre for Fundalmental Rights branch of the Hertie School. This branch alins closes with my interest in politics and legal issues. This opportunity give me a chane to see politics in a different perspective being in Germany. The tasks given ranged from conducting legal and policy research to assisting event planning and public communications. Each assignemtn that I was given was reinforced with the idea that workplace was for critical thinking and discussion. This also included working with non-profit groups in different parts of the city.
On a personal level I have grown in my ability to navigate new and unfamiliar situations. Living in Germany for the past couple of months has forced my to step outside of my comfort zones on a personal and professional level. I have had to learn to adjust to the different cultural norms of the country. In the German work place the emphahisis and direct and critical feedback from supervisors was a change. Compared to the US where communication is given a lighter tone and with much apporbation. I have learned over the weeks to become more direct in my speech when talking with other coworkers. This was the same with emails to be quick to the point and level out small talk.
During my time in Berlin I have learned that adaptability is a crucial skill. When i first started the first few weeks with assignment and groups projects were slow. Going into week three and so on the tasks and groups projects started to increase. This also require having good time mangagmenent with assignments. Being able to prioritize certain tasks helped me stay on top of deadlines. Working with groups was also important because it taught me the value of communication. Making sure that everybody knows what there role is and when to complete their part make the project successful. Reaching out to people for help is very important to help with anything that might be unclear.
On a personal level lining in Germany I have had to learn similar skill to my professional experience. Being in a different part of the world you have to adapt to your sourrounding. The first week during orientation our group was given a tour of the city. This gave us an opportunity to meet fellow students that were doing the program. We also had time to build a connection with our in country coordinator and ask question. The first few days we were given a basic German language class where we learn how to make small talk. This I found to be helpful when going out in the local areas. We also learned about certain rules to follow. One thing that I noticed was the strict rule on jaywalking. The ticket was quite a bit from what I can remember. I found this interesting in Germany. Usually when crossing an intersecting if it clear you can quickly go across. Many German just waited the light out.
Looking back on my experience there are skill that I have developed during my time in Germany that I can utilize back in the US. Skills that are both from my academic and professional use. Global competency is a large one. Habing the ability to understand and work across different culture is essential in today’s world. I also think that going into law or politics this is essential when dealing with international work or dilpomacy. Adaptability to a rapidly changing envrionment. Working in a academic environment with multiple projects and events has taught me to be quick and direct with coworkers. It has also taught me the importance of time management with work assignments.
Agrawal A #01