Goodbye Netherlands, Hello Argentina!

About two months ago, my search for an interesting and exciting internship started. At the website of my University, I found an advertisement for the internship at Fundacíon CICLO in Buenos Aires. It looked very appealing to me from the first moment, but I had my hesitations as well. A country so far away, a language I didn’t knew, would I be able to take such a big step? Once I started discussing my possibilities with my friends, they were all so enthusiastic about me going to Buenos Aires, that I began to believe in it myself that I could do this. Now, a few weeks after I received the long expected message that I am officially accepted for the internship, I cannot wait to get on the plane to Buenos Aires. Speaking about that, I have just bought my flight ticket, a very exiting moment, what makes me believe that this is actually going to happen! My parents are happy that I have found such a great chance and support me in every way, although they are a little bit afraid to send their ‘little girl’ to the other side of the world. They will be awaiting my comeback from the day of my departure!

After years of studying, I’m really looking forward to finally do something with the knowledge and proficiencies I’ve learned during my studies. I study Language and Culture at the University of Utrecht, and my specialisation is modern and contemporary history. This doesn’t have so much to do with the work I will be doing during the internship at Fundacíon CICLO, but therefore I think it can be a good addition to my knowledge so far. Furthermore, I get a great opportunity to discover what it is like to work in a multicultural organisation in Latin America, and help other people to provide them my knowledge.
I have great expectations about Buenos Aires. Every time I look for information about this city on the internet, it looks so vibrant, so beautiful, and so alive! I’m looking forward to learn the tango, to speak Spanish, to taste empanadas and just to experience a totally different culture. It seems almost surreal that in less than two months I will be moving from a little village in the Netherlands, located in the woods and at the moment totally covered in snow, to the capital of Argentina, a city with over 12 million inhabitants, and definitely a more pleasant temperature!

Marianne Kraai, 21 years old, intern from March 2010 until July 2010.