Learning Curve

Today has been my second day at the internship. My morning routine consists of waking at 5:30am, getting ready for work, out the door by 6:50...a train around 7:00 or 7:15 (if I'm lucky!) that takes about half an hour to then transfer to the tube...for a six minute ride (again that's if I make it in time or if there aren't delays). I then walk a bit the rest of the way to work, to start at 8:30 am. It's amazing the feeling I get when I walk up to the Embassy. I don't know really how to explain it. Maybe, a sense of accomplishment or pride? I show my badge and am on my way. The Embassy is amazing, and though I'm not exactly sure what I can describe and what I can't, I think it is safe to say that it is the place where I have felt the most accepted and respected. Sure I have worked various positions on Lourdes' campus, all have been awesome positions. Nothing like this though. Absolutely nothing negative about my experience with Lourdes intended, as I have tremendous pride for attending and representing Lourdes University here! I can't tell you how many people have asked me what school I am coming from! So the name is definately getting out there.

My internship has me placed in American Citizen Services, working with Special Consular Services. Just as a brief overview, our section visits Americans abroad in jail, assists with family after the death of a U.S. citizen loved one, helps U.S. children and families that are involved in abduction, custoday, support, and other cases, checks on the welfare of U.S. citizens in England and Wales, and provides routine Notary services. There are other things as well, if anyone is interested on learning more about this section or perhaps interested in an internship with Consular (Lourdes Students I'm talking to you!!!), I totally encourage you to check out the site for more information on it. Consular: American Citizen Services, other services overview. Also, information on internships with State Department in general can be found here: http://careers.state.gov/students/programs#nogo.

Consular Affairs is comprised of other services as well, but I focused on the above, because it is what my section works in! It's pretty awesome if I do say so my self.

Later on I will probably post a bit more about my experience with the internship application process itself, so I may be backtracking a bit more. I appologize if this may get confusing to some, but by the time I get 'home' my brain is pretty much fried! So I may stick to posting blogs once or twice a week and at weekends.