If you're reading this, congratulations! You have been given the experience of a lifetime. EARTH is a great place to conduct research and just an overall place to be. This is just a little bit of advice that I have to share with you. I hope you find it useful throughout the process (which, although it is wild and crazy, is more than worth it).
- Remember to keep your mind open throughout the trip.
Don't come into this with an attitude of superiority, you're here to learn from others. Try new things. Do something that scares you. Remember, you came here to explore. Take advantage of this opportunity to go out and push your boundaries!
- There are going to be times where you're frustrated and homesick.
Some days you might be frustrated by your inability to communicate clearly in spanish. You might hate the cold showers here. You'll definitely have one meal that is definitely not your taste. Take all of these things, acknowledge them, and accept them. Don't let them control how you feel about your internship or let them take away from your work.
- Do not pigeon hole yourself.
This was my biggest mistake. When I first came to EARTH, I hung out with mostly interns and tourists. They spoke english, they understood me, and it was easier. As time went on, I realized that this wasn't helping me and that I was only hanging out with them out of circumstance, not because we had anything in common. I wasn't learning as much about latino culture as I would've liked. I wasn't speaking spanish as often as I should've. I only really began speaking spanish once I started making friends with some of the students here. It's frightening at first, making friends can be a struggle even when there isn't a language barrier, but people here are very easy to approach. Within my past 3 weeks at EARTH I made some of my best friends. I wished that I met them earlier on in my internship. I learned so much from them.
- Spend a lot of time contemplating what you're experiencing and feeling.
I know it sounds stupid, but take a moment out of your day to just evaluate what you've learned here, spiritually and intellectually. There are plenty of peaceful places on campus to go an think, so go out at take a minute to reflect.
- Document, document, document!
Document as much as you can. Write down the stuff that you've done, take pictures, take videos, do whatever you can to capture the moments you have here. One of the biggest things I and my other intern friends found was that when we got home it felt like the entire internship was just a dream. These pictures will remind you of what you've done, the friends you've made, and the experience you had. I regret not taking more pictures.
- Most importantly, have fun and make Dr. Borlaug proud!
We came here to do Dr. Borlaug's work. We're here to change the world. That doesn't mean that you can't have fun while you're on this internship. EARTH has plenty of activities that will make your experience fun as well as fulfilling. The feria is a big event that was a big experience that I was lucky to be a part of during my internship. Expect to work hard, but remember that you will have time to have fun.
I hope this helped you! Good luck on this great adventure, we're all rooting for you!
-Allie
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