A few years ago, I would never have imagined that in a few weeks I would be preparing to go to the other side of the world in a 2-month adventure that I know will teach me more than I could ever imagine. Not one to stay in my comfort zone, I have been in many adventures in the past, from being an exchange student in Tennessee to leaving Guatemala to go to boarding school in Virginia when I was 17. Now a sophomore at Tulane, I am studying Economics and Finance and pursuing a Master of Accounting, and I am about to take a major step in my professional and personal advancement.
I have the fortune to have my first internship in Shanghai, a goal I have pursued since I started learning Chinese four years ago. For two months, I will be in the perfect setting to advance my Chinese language skills while also applying the concepts I have learned in my Economics, Business, and Liberal Arts classes in the workplace. I will also be able to immerse myself in the local culture and learn about different worldviews. Before coming to the U.S., I had formed ideas about how the U.S. would be from what I had seen in movies and other media sources. After four years of being here, I have come to understand the country and culture in a much deeper level, realizing that many of the ideas that I had were not accurate. Before living here, how could I tell? I have many Chinese friends who tell me about their country, but I am excited to learn about the culture in a way that you cannot unless you are there.
My internship will also be a great way to learn about how people approach work in China. To have this opportunity so early in my career is amazing, as it will provide an ideal setting for me to explore ways in which I can approach work or inspire others to approach work. Additionally, this internship will challenge me to work with others in new settings. Being flexible and adaptable is important in every aspect of life, and I will make an effort to adapt in the best way I can as well as to adapt the lessons I learn during my eight weeks to other experiences I may have in the future.
During my time at Tulane, I have become a part of the Newcomb College Institute’s mission of educating undergraduate women for leadership through programs the NCI offers as well as through being a part of the Newcomb Scholars 2019 cohort. One of the many settings in which women exercise leadership is in the workplace, and they do so in different ways in different cultures. This internship will allow me to understand how women in China exercise leadership in the workplace, and living in Shanghai for two months will also be a time for me to explore how women exercise leadership outside of the workplace.
Though I am nervous about going to a foreign country whose language I do not yet master for the first time, I am excited for the many lessons I will learn during my time and the thousands stories I will have to tell. This adventure will be an adventure of a lifetime, and I will make the most out of every moment of it.