The International Intern
Although the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly affected businesses and job opportunities, some high school students have found time to explore their passions through internships during the pandemic. For senior Paulina Garmute, her interests in law and politics, specifically foreign affairs, motivated her to apply for and enter into an internship at the European Union (EU) in early September.
Garmute’s interest in foreign affairs began when she attended a camp at Yale University that specialized in international politics during the summer of 2019. After attending the camp, she started to look for internships related to this field, specifically the United Nations (UN). However, she did not meet the age requirement for the available UN internships; furthermore, she would have had to miss three months of school to participate, so this path was not an option. After exploring other similar organizations, Garmute developed a special interest in the EU because of her Lithuanian roots.
“I wanted to know more about the [inner workings] of such a large democratic group of countries,” Garmute said. “[I also wanted to gain] the experience of being in a new place and learning from a [variety] of different people.”
After receiving the internship in early August, Garmute moved to a rented apartment in Brussels, Belgium, where she lived by herself for over two weeks. Garmute’s mother, Renata Garmus, felt nervous, but still supported Garmute’s ambitions.
“It was difficult [not living with her], but she was excited to try out living on her own,” Garmus said. “I am so proud of her, and I am [glad this opportunity] helped her see what she is passionate about.”
After beginning her internship on Sept. 1, Garmute worked Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alterio-Spinelli building, where speeches and press releases were held for the general public. Since COVID-19 was still affecting the country, every employee at her workplace took precautions by practicing social distancing, wearing masks, taking their temperatures and interacting with a maximum of three people at a time. In a typical day, Garmute completed multiple tasks that the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) would assign her, such as proposing different perspectives on a current issue based on her research or writing and editing speeches. As a result, Garmute worked alongside a diverse group of people from various ethnic backgrounds.
“Every single day at the EU was a surprise in one way or another,” Garmute said. “[Furthermore, I] helped support any protests [against the Belarusian government] by participating in them while passing out flyers and making a press release afterwards. [Then, I would] write and edit speeches that my [MEPs would say] at the protests.”
While interning at the EU, Garmute faced many other challenges outside of her work. Besides adapting to her workplace and living circumstances, Garmute also had to balance her schoolwork. Because of the nine hour time difference between Belgium and California, she woke up early in the morning to attend her school events and her extracurricular activities while also preparing for the next day at the EU.
“Sometimes [I had to stay up for] debate until 2 a.m. and then [for] Mock Trial at 4 a.m.,” Garmute said. “[I also had] to find time to clean, prepare for the next day, [complete my] homework and do all the other small tasks that usually go unnoticed.”
Garmute also found it difficult to stay in touch with her friends and family. One of her friends, senior Julia Kate Bradley, found it difficult to stay in contact with her because of the large time difference and Garmute’s busy schedule.
“Staying in touch was definitely a challenge for the both of us,” Bradley said. “It was [difficult not seeing her] because she moved away and I really missed her. At the same time, I was extremely proud of her for working hard at her internship.”
Despite all these setbacks, Garmute still found a way to maintain all of her responsibilities, which also included studying for the American College Testing exam and finishing her college applications. In the end, she was grateful to have been given this opportunity, which she used as motivation to help her face the various obstacles of working and living abroad.
“I loved interning [at the EU] and going there every day and doing everything that I did,” Garmute said. “There were days where it was difficult to manage everything, but over the weekends, I got to explore the city and it [gave me something to look forward to].”
After ending her internship at the EU on Oct. 10, Garmute decided she wants to major in International Affairs and minor in Public Health or Economics in college. She aspires to become the U.S. Secretary of State, a U.S. ambassador or pursue a diplomatic career using the skills and experiences she gained from this internship.
