Penn Abroad Ambassador Linda Xu

Programs:

• GRIP: Lien Centre for Social Innovation

Ask me about...

Living and working abroad for the first time, speaking in a different language on the daily, working remotely while abroad, and planning solo/small group international travel!

My Experience:

As someone working toward a career in law, social sciences, and/or general social advocacy both in the US and abroad, my internship experience gave me valuable first-hand insights into the most pressing social issues that exist in a different political, social, and cultural environment. With the Lien Centre's opportunities to directly work with existing social programs and even plan and execute our own initiatives to address the social inequities of Singapore, I was able to approach both familiar and unfamiliar issues from a global perspective, broadening my thinking and helping me to develop practical skills for communication, creative thinking, and problem-solving in a new cultural context.

Other Highlights:

• Working in a small, close-knit team environment with people of different professional and cultural backgrounds

• Trying lots of delicious new foods

• Meeting many new people and making new friends, both Penn and non-Penn

• Experiencing my personal identity (Chinese American) in the context of Singapore

• Having the chance to travel around Southeast Asia