A Flight to Brussels Opens Doors

Leaving Brussels felt like a blow to myself and our group. Over the past month and a half my peers and I went from working part-time, going to European cafes, and traveling to new countries to sitting at our homes in the US. After everything that has happened in the last few weeks – my study abroad trip ending, my internship being cut short, my classes moved online, and a family friend falling ill to COVID-19 – I wanted some good news.

It was 3 pm on a Friday when I received an email stating I was accepted for a summer internship working on Capitol Hill. In that email, my future boss explained that he was impressed with my time working in Brussels and was looking forward to seeing the knowledge I learned abroad put into action in D.C. It was then that I realized how working in the European Parliament would stay with me long after college graduation, helping pave the way for my future career.

While I knew studying abroad would be generally an eye-opening experience, I did not know just how much I would learn about politics and myself.

The Washington Post explains that one of the most common problems young graduates have to deal with is that they lack opportunities to gain work experience. My time in Brussels taught me new skills that employers are looking for in a competitive job market. New skills I learned include cross-cultural communication, teamwork and a global perspective, all well-suited for a future in the political sphere. Working with people from diverse backgrounds exposed me to different work styles, forcing me to develop stronger communication skills and confidence when working in an unfamiliar environment. Being able to step out of my shoes and view an international policy from the perspective of a European or Maltese individual rather than as an American enabled me to learn from others and make unbiased decisions.

Despite the rising populism and anti-global thinking, the truth remains that our world is more connected than ever before. Having the experience of living and working abroad made me more understanding of other’s perspectives and work together to grasp international concepts. As a student with an interest in international relations, the global perspective I gained will open up opportunities in future jobs that those who remained in the U.S.

According to Forbes, employers look for candidates who have ambition and can think independently. Throughout my internship in Brussels, I was constantly faced with challenges whether it was a language barrier or understanding EU financial policies. Working for a Member of the European Parliament taught me to think quickly and share my own ideas with confidence to the rest of the office. Rather than being a cookie-cutter, I tried out new techniques and ways to organize the office or compile a briefing, which future employers will look at as an asset.

Being immersed in a completely new culture and working for a foreign political institution is a sink or swim situation. You can either sink and get stuck in your own head or you can swim and have the ambition to learn new communication styles. When writing legislative amendments, I had to learn and utilize the specific legal language all EU laws must follow. This knowledge can help future employers understand the meaning behind the language without hiring outside assistance. While studying abroad in Belgium may not be as sexy as Italy or Spain, the European Union prides itself on the many benefits an employee will have while working in its institutions.

My time in Belgium was more than an addition to my resume or cute pictures for my Instagram. Study Abroad, at the end, was a time to expand my comfort zone, horizons, perspectives, and thought processes. I am walking away from this semester with a lot of gratitude in my heart and a lot of happiness to carry me through the end of the COVID-19 crisis. Choosing to be immersed fully in a new culture was not easy but it gave me the chance to grow and learn more about myself and the world around me. Studying abroad not only has expanded my view of the world—it has the potential to advance my career, too.

(Hope you enjoy the super old photo of me in a knee brace in Washington D.C.)