Internship: Complete

Korrin B.

August 13, 2010 - 9:45 PM

August 13 officially marked the last day of my internship at The Carter Center this summer. On Tuesday, I will be on a plane heading back to the Pacific Northwest and, like every big trip I have been on, I will be returning home with a changed mindset.

In terms of my career interests, I have learned more about what qualities I hope to have in a future position. I know now that I need a position that allows me to interact more with the people I am serving. I have also learned that my position needs to be with an organization that truly intersects with my interests and passions. I am excited to get back to Eugene and continue with the research for my thesis on homelessness policy. Being in Atlanta has solidified my interest in homelessness, as I have gotten to observe its characteristics in a new environment. No one in a country as wealthy as our's should have to live on the street. While I have been in Atlanta, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness published the first federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. This is such a huge achievement and I'm looking forward to reading it once I return.

In terms of life, I believe that the state of Georgia has taught me something as well. First, I now know the true meaning of comfort food. As with many of my travels, I think that I have managed to eat my way through Georgia, creating warm places in my heart for foods like fried okra, black-eyed peas, biscuits, pickles with grilled cheese, Chick-fil-a sandwiches, the Flying Biscuit's cream dreamy grits, fried pickles, mashed potato pancakes, muscadines, and the list could go on. Secondly, in terms of life, Georgia has taught me about living simply and slowly. I think it might have to do with the heat, but being here in Georgia made me feel as though spending an entire day sipping lemonade on a porch was a day well spent. It made me never want to hurry to anything, but to just enjoy the time it takes to get somewhere. This summer, I left most all of my possessions at home and lived out of what I could fit into a single suitcase and carryon. I lived with what I had and it was plenty (although I must admit that I will be happy to be reunited with my shoes back home). My life in Georgia was full of good food and slow, simple living.

My internship this summer truly was an exceptional opportunity and I think my best learning points were the ones that were the most unexpected. I am grateful for each part of this summer experience, both good and bad, but I think that mostly, I am just grateful for the people I met. Good friends can be hard to come by, but I'm definitely leaving with a few, as well as many contacts to inspiring professionals in the nonprofit world.

Tuesday, I am homeward bound. My internship is complete.