Yasmine, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs,
Forum of Federations,
Support for MENA and Ethiopia Projects
Finally, 12 weeks go by very quickly. A review of this internship is in order.
Thank you, Forum of Federations! Thanks to the Forum, I was able to work with several teams, contribute to two projects, and meet people who were all equally admirable and inspiring. What struck me the most during my internship was the multicultural aspect of the Forum. The employees working there have very different backgrounds and come from diverse origins. At the same time, this makes sense since it is an international development organization with offices all over the world. I was able to talk to people currently based in Canada, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Germany, and Ethiopia.
Yesterday, we (all the Forum interns) had a video call with the vice-president of the Forum, who is also the director of the MENA program for women's empowerment. We had a very enriching conversation, and she was able to share both her professional and personal experiences with us. She also gave us advice on how to succeed if we plan to pursue a career in international development. I wanted to share her advice in this post because it could be useful for all students in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
First, one must be tolerant. It is essential to be aware of the different work ethics and cultures that exist. We cannot expect every person to work in the same way as we do. This also applies to academics. As students at the University of Ottawa, I believe we already have a certain level of tolerance because we study at a university that brings together people from various nationalities and backgrounds. In this sense, I think we are privileged.
Sheela, the vice-president of the Forum, also highlighted the importance of being able to speak multiple languages and living in a country other than our country of origin. For students considering an international internship, you are already taking a big step toward open-mindedness, tolerance, and discovering others.