Before
joining the IJM team in South Asia a month ago, my understanding of what this
internship would look like was blurred at best. I spent the 7 months prior to
this trip doing other internships and working a basic office job. My days were
filled with sorting and scanning files. Or assisting with a massive audit. Or
entering voter registration information into a finicky database. Occasionally I would receive an assignment
requiring some level of basic brain function; but for the most part, I spent
those months listening to awesome YouTube videos and mechanically worked my way
through all of the thankless tasks that fit into the blessed/cursed title of
“Intern”. Given these experiences, I arrived to this office with the subconscious
expectation that this year would be one of humble and inconspicuous, head-down,
mouth shut, do-it-all-with-a-smile dirty work for the sake of something bigger
than my dignity. Besides, that is why organizations hire interns, right?
Thank
goodness my subconscious world is not reality.
In
the last month, I have met with every member of the office. I have put together
multiple PowerPoint presentations that have already been used by staff members.
I have gotten to read lots of super interesting labor legislation and have long
discussions about the complexities and implications of fighting bonded labor. I
was allowed to write a proposal. I have been invited to meetings for my input,
and not for my note-taking capabilities. I have had a chance to use all forms
of Office and have been able to (occasionally) put my hard-earned scanner
skills to use. I have had brainstorming sessions with certain departments and
have been invited to help host visitors. I have been able to be a support in
event planning and have been used by the Director to work with information that
is confidential to the rest of the office. I have edited communications
materials. I have even been able to plan Valentine’s Day activities and help
with leading the morning bible study. In short, I have become a part of the
team.
Typical
IJM interns focus their support in one of three areas: administration,
communications, or investigations. Any of those positions would be an honor to
have, but since I am this office’s first intern, I get to constantly dabble.
One day, I wear the Communications hat; the next day I am an administrator; the
very next day I get to be a part of Government Relations. There is so much work
to do in each department that every member of the office is eager to have my
support. It seems that I have been given
all of the long straws in this deal.
By
the time I was beginning my senior year of college, I had developed what some
would call a very low view of my ability to do things like think critically or
contribute in a meaningful way to any cause in the academic/public sphere. Senior
year, I was blessed with a student government advisor who encouraged me to
begin thinking in constructive ways about how to use my strengths, instead of
constantly trying to compensate for my perceived failures. It seems simple, but
making that mental shift has taken time. One of the cool things about this
internship is that it allows me the space to continue trying to do just that
while serving the staff at IJM. And, thankfully, the staff make space for that
mental shift! Today, one of the staff told me that she has been chatting with
my boss about ways to use me this year. She concluded by saying, Alice, “you
have some blatant strengths that I want to harness.” That’s so cool!
Don’t
get me wrong. There have been boring moments. There have been plain-flavored
hours of normalcy. But it’s pretty cool to be slowly learning how to own the
fact that I might (someday) have something to contribute to this big, messy
world, in a way that I also find thrilling and worthwhile. My title is
Administrative Intern. If this is what it means to be an intern, then I’m all
in.
Where
is hope? Hope is in the fact that this internship is about so much more than
supporting an organization I believe in. It’s about contributing on an
authentic, dynamic, all-in, and completely engaged level in order to tangibly
improve the lives of real people who really need the help.
Sincerely,
Alice
p.s.-If
you pray, pray for physical health of the office members in the upcoming weeks. All but two of us have caught
a nasty cold!
Alice! The part that stands out to me: "By the time I was beginning my senior year of college, I had developed what some would call a very low view of my ability to do things like think critically or contribute in a meaningful way to any cause in the academic/public sphere."
ReplyDeleteThere is something about college, I think, that leaves us convinced of our inabilities - no matter how wonderful that college and the experience may be. I'm so glad you're able to use your talents. It sounds so interesting, and I know what you're doing is worthwhile.
And thanks for giving something specific to pray about!