Ashleigh Pomerant, International Development and Globalization, 4th year
Country of fieldwork: Brazil
Local NGO: Floresta Viva and ASMOBAN
Finishing my degree in International Development & Globalization with a hands-on experiential learning internship is the best way I could have consolidated these last four years. Through my internship, I’ve grown a deeper understanding of complex topics discussed in my program – in a far deeper way than I could have hoped to learn through textbooks and lectures.
Instead of traditional academic education, this internship has been full of emotion-based learning. In social science fields, working with people is key, and emotions cannot be disregarded. By learning through feeling, I have developed a fondness and deep passion for topics we’ve explored.
In my international internship, I have been grateful to build stewardship for the Atlantic Forest, build empathy through relationships, and building a holistic understanding of issues.
Building Stewardship
As much as a textbook can tell you about the importance of whole ecosystems, nothing beats an emotional connection to it. Over the past two months, I’ve worked in the Atlantic Forest nearly every day. Instead of just watching a video as we’d do in a classroom, I’ve truly experienced the beauty of this ecosystem.
By feeling like I’m part of the ecosystem, it’s easier to grasp the importance of the ecosystem, not just for the plants, but for the insects, animals, and people. This connection builds stewardship, and I know that I will bring this passion forward in my career.
Building Empathy
In International Development, holding empathy is incredibly important for having any kind of impact. The problem with traditional learning is that attempts to build empathy are often based on differences and tend to perpetuate a White Saviour attitude. Living with people from other cultures, it bridges the gap more naturally. Empathy becomes the result of sharing similarities, rather than feeling bad about differences.
While learning about the systemic issues that hurt a lot of people here, I’ve also experienced the joy of living in Serra Grande. I know that fundamentally, people here are no different to people at home – the difference is in how they’re held back by a neocolonial system.
By sharing experiences, I have built a richer understanding of people’s lives in Serra Grande. It’s impossible to develop this level of understanding from purely reading textbooks. I know that by finding our connections, I have built relationships, which lead to a greater understanding of others and of how I can be part of a solution.
Building a Holistic Understanding
School can certainly teach extensive amounts on certain topics, and we often try to connect these topics. However, this internship has taken that connection to a deeper level. I have been able to see how the environment connects to culture, which connects to colonialism, which connects to language.
By living somewhere that is so deeply connected to each of these issues, I’ve learned how intertwined they are, and realize that they cannot be isolated. This day-to-day interaction of topics has increased my understanding of the deeply rooted problems of colonialism.
In developing such a holistic understanding, I know that I have found problem-solving skills with more nuance and will be able to work more effectively in my development work, whether it’s in Canada or elsewhere in the world.
Conscious Reflection for Ultimate Impact
This experiential learning opportunity has broadened my horizons so much more than a semester at school could have. By living in Serra Grande, I have deepened connections with the environment, with people, and between different topics.
There is certainly a need to do these internships effectively. With uOttawa, we must consciously and continually reflect on the learning. In doing so, I have been able to extract more lessons and get so much more out of the internship.
I will always have a fondness for the Atlantic Forest and for the people I’ve met in Serra Grande. I know that I’ll carry these lessons in my heart for the rest of my life, and that these invaluable lessons have built up a passion that will translate to my career.