Crown Jewels

As my internship comes to an end, I will go on a limp here and state, with reassured certainty, that the crown jewel of my time at NCRE was the opportunity to stay at a five start hotel in an Alpine Resort for four days with the compliments of European Commission funding. And believe me folks, I pledged alliance to that crown like New Zealand had just made me Queen of a little town known for its hot pools. As I can sense the dropping of some jaws on that side of the screen at the reading of ‘five star hotel’ and the inevitable jealousy cursing “that lucky bitch!”, I presume a little contextualization is in order.

My internship has been, almost exclusively dedicated to a transnational project titled “The EU Through the Eyes of Asia”, which measures and analyses the perceptions of the EU in ten Asia Pacific countries. The project, coordinated by NCRE, has been active since 2002, reaches now its final stage. It will ultimate result in an official publication of the findings sponsored by the Asia-Europe Foundation and the European Commission. Every year, the researchers from all ten countries get together in different a location to share results and improve their own research methods.

Lucky for me, the last meeting was held in New Zealand and in a sort of recognition gift for my continuous (unpaid) contribution for the project, I was invited to join the workshop. And boy oh boy, what a remarkable few days. From the people I’ve met, to the learning experience and yes, also the hotel and the pools*. As the workshop took place one week before my internship ended, it was an excellent full circle moment of my time there. Professionally, I leave New Zealand exactly the same way I came in – with no long term prospects or short term stability – but also with a lot more in between.

Researchers & Tapas

If Hanmer Springs was the biggest jewel, my kiwi crown was filled with many others. From the unique firsthand knowledge on EU-Asia affairs, the incredible supervisors I had or the Centre’s staff, to the fact that in less than five months I was undertaking not only my internship but also working part-time for another Department. Now that the parade is over, I might be once again the Queen of Anything and my newfound jewel worth nothing back in Europe but at least, for me, I feel like I ruled over my own little nation for awhile. 

*there is really something special about being inside open aired hot pools on a cold, rainy night. Unforgettable.