Seeing as I’m actually not just in Asia to
go on vacations and try weird food, but I am here for my internship at the U.S.
Consulate, I figured I’d blog a bit about my role in in Wuhan. On July 1, we
had an Independence Day banquet. The staff had been working very hard on
planning the huge event for a long time and they had me host alongside a
coworker. This meant we stood on stage in front of all the guests, introduced
various videos and speakers, discussed the theme of the event, etc. It was nice
to have a role in the event even though I am “just an intern. The food was good
too (and I may or may not have taken home a few boxes of leftovers).
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Mr. Mai's |
I was also given the opportunity to speak
at Mr. Mai’s Coffee Shop, first at his Wuchang branch and second in Hanyang. Mr. Mai and his wife opened their coffee shop 11 years
ago as a comfortable environment to practice English. I spoke at each of
his stores and gave a presentation on American college life and compared it to my
experience studying abroad in Shanghai. This was very helpful
for those planning on studying abroad in the U.S., but also for others to get language practice. It was a fun opportunity to share my experiences while helping others.
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"Home" |
Last week, I traveled to Changsha, the
capital of Hunan Province, to give the same presentation at a Citibank event,
and at Home, a non-profit eco-village. These two experiences were super
interesting in that while Citibank was a corporate event for high school
students who will most likely study abroad, the event at Home was far more
casual. While some attending students may plan on studying abroad, others were
just there to practice English or hear about American culture. I enjoyed both
experiences, especially being able to give advice and learn from the attendees.
Plus, the hotel bed was the most comfortable bed I have slept in in a long time. At all these events, I received some
interesting questions. Some people were interested in how to write their
statement of purpose essays, or had questions about changing majors, something
you cannot really do in Chinese universities. Other questions were on American life
asking about if it is dangerous because of all the guns (lol) or if people in
the States are like the characters in Gossip Girl.
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Contemporary Art |
I went to another education fair but most
questions were visa related and thus, out of my realm of expertise. I also went
to a contemporary art exhibition opening, which was cool because it promoted
young artists, specifically 22 recent college graduates from the U.S, Hong
Kong, and China.While most days I am just sitting in the
office inputting business cards into the computer for hours, I am still
grateful for the opportunity to have this unique experience. Most consulates are
huge so the interns only work in a small section. As an intern at the Wuhan
consulate, I was exposed to many aspects of the consulate’s work. Everyone has
been very friendly and as much as I am looking forward to going home (which is
a LOT), I know that I will always be welcome back in Wuhan.
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