The Power of Conversation
By: Briana Carvalho, CAS ’21
Volta Branding Studio – Porto, Portugal
When applying to GRIP, my intention was to gain a unique cultural perspective and improve my Portuguese. My program, titled Wine Production in Porto, did not come with a job description. Despite this, my motivation to spend the summer in Portugal was sufficient to eagerly apply.
Throughout the month of May, as I was in touch with my boss and gathering details about my internship, he asked me, “What would you want to do?” Taken aback by such an unbounded question, I thought to myself, “How can I be expected to answer this without stepping foot in your office?”
I replied, “I want to do work that will benefit your company.”
Once I arrived at VOLTA Branding Studio in early June, it did not take me long to understand the culture and the way the design team operated. They receive proposals from Portuguese wine companies who want to rebrand or design a premium edition wine bottle. VOLTA has an organized, yet loosely structured process of completing projects. My coworkers are talented and creative individuals, two adjectives I would not apply to myself. Nonetheless, I was eager to learn as much as I could from this unique field.
The week I arrived, my boss expressed curiosity in what it means to be “sustainable” in the design and wine industries. This excited me, as I have a strong interest in understanding climate change. He explained to me that not many traditional Portuguese companies concern themselves with being “eco-friendly.” He wanted to be a leader in this conversation. He had a bold vision and confidence in me to find the answer to the question, “How can we decrease our carbon footprint?” With just a desk and a computer, I took to Google and Penn’s library database to search for reliable studies amidst the abundance of climate change media articles.
My biggest lesson learned throughout this experience is the value of talking to those around me. Since my colleagues each had their own responsibilities, I did not want to bother them with my questions. However, I learned more from our occasional conversations than most hours of reading studies. I understood the Portuguese environment better from engaging with them than reading the UN’s report on Portugal’s carbon footprint. My coworkers had deep knowledge about Portugal’s trees, forest fires, and glass industry, which was the background information I needed to understand this country’s carbon position. In my future endeavors, I will prioritize getting to know those around me, because I believe the most insight lies in each other.
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. Placements and funding awards are available.