Jordan Bernard
How does studying “abroad” in DC compare to studying abroad elsewhere?
By Jordan Bernard
Spring 2014
Me with some of my coworkers from the VA
In Summer 2013 I was lucky enough to spend my time in Dublin, Ireland on the BU Summer Internship Program. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life and the entire summer went by in a blur of fun. My internship was great, the city was great, the bars were great, and the culture was great. But at the end of the day my time spent there was incredible because of the experience I had immersing myself in a country that was new to me and most likely not going to be in my itinerary in the near future. It was an opportunity to forget that I was a rising senior and was going to return to America to a whirlwind of job searches and squeezing in those last minute requirements. I chose to come to Washington, DC my last semester at BU hesitantly in a last-ditch effort to figure out what I wanted to do when the dreaded May graduation date rolled in. As the final weeks in the program approach, I can honestly say that all the fun I had in Ireland could not even come close to competing with my experience in Washington.
My internship in Ireland was at the Irish Cancer Society working in the fundraising department. The opportunity was priceless, as it was my first internship, but as I walked out the door on my last day, I realized I did not have a single person’s contact information. Despite the two months I spent establishing relationships with my boss and co-workers, I left the Irish Cancer Society empty-handed and, to be honest, not all that upset about it. My internship was an opportunity for me to learn the Irish counties as I mailed out t-shirts or perfecting saying “33” with an Irish accent. I did not go to Ireland to build a network and I left with only the contact information of the Americans in my program. This is the main difference in the Washington program and other BU abroad programs. In my short time at the Department of Veterans Affairs I have racked up an impressive collection of business cards and promises of letters of recommendations from multiple superiors. I have not dared miss a day and have happily stayed late most days because I know this internship is my step into the “real world.” I will leave DC, or maybe not leave, with a new sense of purpose and the confidence that I am ready to collect my diploma and say good-bye to my time at BU.
While studying abroad across seas allows you to discover a new place for a couple of months, studying in Washington gives you the opportunity to discover a place that opens doors for careers and possibilities after your time at BU is over.
