The Internship Search Journey: Mission Accomplished

Finding a suitable internship is a task of gargantuan proportions. However, owning to being in Washington, DC, I was sure that I can find a very interesting internship in a very short span of time. Thanks to the existence of several international organizations here in DC, my internship search couldn't have been any easier.

Honestly, I cannot deny the fact that my late arrival preoccupied me for a quite while but when I finally made it safe and sound to the US, the land of opportunities, I had so much on my plate; a myriad of belated assignment, an internship to secure and a new lieu to adapt to. Hopefully, my first week on campus couldn’t have been any better. Thanks to the awesome people who are friendly in nature, I was able to adjust and tour the city, find an internship and feel at home in no time. Surprisingly, I did not suffer from a jet lag or feel alienated in Washington DC. My professors were very patient and helpful. My search for the internship honed my skills and was a great way for me to get out of my comfort zone and go out to see the world.

Anyhow, the day I stepped a foot on the soil of the United States, I knew that there are some challenges await me. Yet the internships interviews were on the top of my agenda. In a matter of days, I went through many interviews and realized that the questions are almost the same. However, I learnt some lessons and got to know the city. In the US, to be on time is to be late, but in Egypt, it is always better late than nothing. The only interview I missed was due to latency. The internship was in Friendship Heights at 1:30 PM and unfortunately I could not make it on time and I found the office closed. I tried to schedule another appointment but the vacancy has been filled for some reason. Anyhow, I have learnt a lesson. Since then, I am doing my utmost to be always on time.

On the other hand, I also was accepted at the Commercial and Economic Office at the Egyptian Embassy here in Washington DC. All the staff there are super friendly and reassured me that I will not do that much work and the tasks are easy to handle. We even conducted the interview in Arabic, my mother tongue, and I also felt the business sector has little to do with what I am studying in the Washington Semester Program. It is worth mentioning that the interview process allowed me to know some people there. I am still in contact with them up to the moment. However, I wanted my internship to be a challenge conducive to hands-on experiences and substantial skills. I was also interested to intermingle with American people and experience a new diverse culture that is totally different from my own.

In short, I did all what it takes to search for an internship, making optimal use of all resources available. I used social media, the AU Internship Web and other website such as indeed.com and idealist.org. I read some job hunting books and used the book entitled "How to write Anything." to write my resume and cover letter. In a matter of days, I landed an amazing internship in DC area that is not that far from where I live and now I love it to the full.