GRIP, Internships Abroad Finding a Global Community From Home

Fundación Instituto David Hume - Buenos Aires, Argentina

As the Indian sun burned my skin, I barely registered my discomfort in the city of Chennai when enthusiastic girls shouted “Akka!” (“older sister” in Tamil) as they raised their hands in hopes of being called on. Smiles consumed their faces as they listened to stories about female leaders. After hearing me tell them that they too had the potential to become fearless leaders, their expressions changed to a mix of disbelief and hope. I founded EdGift Foundation as a sixth-grader with the goal of empowering underprivileged girls in India and America to become change agents in their communities. In teaching leadership workshops on opposite sides of the globe, I have observed that students internalize knowledge differently, yet are unified the instant they learn that girls on another continent are being empowered the same way they are. This desire to use knowledge as a tool to connect members of a global community is the impetus for my interest in International Relations and Social Impact work.

The GRIP Program for Social Impact in Buenos Aires is the consummate intersection of my academic and professional interests. As an International Relations major with a concentration in Latin American politics, the opportunity to intern in Buenos Aires is invaluable as it will provide real-world experience in the region I am studying and further my practice of Spanish, which is especially welcomed as I pursue a minor in Hispanic Studies.

While it would have been wonderful to be physically present in Buenos Aires for my internship, I have been pleasantly surprised to find myself still building a global network despite being online. Whether it be speaking with other GRIP Buenos Aires interns during our cohort calls or speaking to my supervisor in Spanish, it has been remarkable to have an international experience from my computer!

GRIP has allowed me to spend valuable time with my family, while also getting the chance to complete meaningful work for my internship. In fact, I talk to my family so much about my internship that my dad was inspired to start taking Spanish lessons from yours truly!

As a student of action, I have always forged my own path in school and life. The GRIP Program for Social Impact in Buenos Aires has provided invaluable opportunities to continue my scholarly journey and create an indelible impact on our world. If given the chance, the Argentinian sun will warm my skin in the near future as I work with inspiring people I hope to call my hermanos y hermanas.