Until Next Time Paris!
By: Lina Oumera, MPH ’23
Lina with the Director General of UNESCO
UNESCO, France
Before I began my internship, I was nervous about what the work environment would be like, I did not know what to expect. However, I was positively surprised! Although at times I would get assigned boring tasks, the times when I got to do things I enjoyed made the rest worth it. It was mind-blowing for me that I was able to attend some of the IBC committee sessions and witness them discuss and debate until they all come to an agreement. It was especially interesting for me to attend meetings where representatives of different organizations such as WHO, OECD, EU commission presented their year’s work, and another meeting where the IBC discussed their work in relation to the pandemic. These types of meetings were most interesting to me because they directly related to my field of study and it was amazing to see the lessons I have learned in classes take action.
Interning at UNESCO has been an amazing opportunity. I am very grateful to have been able to gain experience, connections, inspiration, and knowledge from this internship. I got along really well with everyone on the team. They are very welcoming, helpful, kind, and friendly. I felt very respected and appreciated during my entire internship. I loved the conversations I had with colleagues, they shared so much advice, and I learned a lot from them. I hope to stay connected with them all!
My time in Paris has been unforgettable. One would think that three months is more than enough, but it passed by so fast. This is my last week here and it is very bittersweet. I have done so many things on my list of things to do, I had my grandparents visit me for a week, my mom and brother for another week, I went to concerts, ate at so many different restaurants, visited all the touristic monuments, went on boat rides, kayaked on a river, visited museums, went hiking, went to amusement parks, my list is so long. That’s what I loved about Paris, there is so much to do, it is endless. I recommend anyone going to Paris to buy a pocket guidebook. The guidebook helped me discover local restaurants, narrow down the places to visit and organize my touristic days. The book also provided me with a map of Paris that I will keep as a souvenir!
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.