Camaraderie, From the Office to the Field
By: Roodarnley Pierre-Louis, CAS ’26
Roodarnley with coworkers after their first soccer game!
GRIP: Social Impact in Buenos Aires
Coming into the internship in Buenos Aires, one of my most prominent concerns would be how I would navigate the workplace environment given that my Spanish wasn’t the best. I was met with one of the biggest surprises of my summer stay in Buenos Aires. The workplace I was in was incredibly hospitable and nice.
From the first day my coworkers and supervisors were sharing cups of hot steaming matte with me while asking me dozens of questions about my life and interests. I found quickly that my coworkers had an unfettered curiosity with not only me as a person, but also all my interests and hobbies- similar to my curiosity for Argentina. Over the course of our lunch breaks in the first week- some of which went on longer than we intended- I genuinely got to bond with my coworkers on a deeper level as we became more than just work colleagues.
The biggest relief was that language was less of a barrier than I anticipated and more of a challenging and fun part of our conversations. My coworkers were thrilled to teach me Argentinian slang and get me accustomed to the cultural nuances of the city of Buenos Aires. In no time I found myself using phrases like “che,” “re,” and even “boludo” during our lunch breaks.
As my language improved so did my relationship with my coworkers. One of the highlights of the internship experience that really speaks highly of the company I worked for was our company soccer matches. While I was initially nervous at playing football (soccer was not a word to be used lighty in South America) with a group of talented Argentinians (the world champions at the sport nonetheless!) I found that they just wanted to have fun on the field and didn’t care if I was as great as Messi or horrible at the sport.
By the end of the internship I had learned more than just the hard skills that the company had imparted upon me. I also learned about the type of workplace that I would thrive in and would like to work for in the future. One where the work environment is incredibly vibrant and my coworkers were super amiable. One where there is a focus on challenging your skills and peer mentorship. Lastly, a company where every once in a while we can put down the work and enjoy a nice friendly game of football!
Â
The Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer. Participants gain career-enhancing experience and global exposure that is essential in a global workforce.