Land of the Free and Home of Chipotle
22 hours of flying and 9,634 miles later, I’m finally back home in America! My last week before I flew home was spent traveling to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hanoi, ending the summer of a lifetime on a high note. I had the opportunity to take a 2 day cruise to La Han Bay, which is about 3 hours from Hanoi in Vietnam, and spent my last few days in Asia amidst the over 1,100 limestone islands where time seemed to stand still.
Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam is the icon of serenity. Luckily, the rainy season took a few days off while I was there so I could experience the awesomeness in full.
Now, unfortunately, I’m back to reality getting ready for another semester on campus, but the memories of my adventures and my internship in Singapore live on. Looking back on this summer, it’s crazy to think about how little I knew about Singapore or even about working as an intern when I first arrived. Eight weeks later, I left as a seasoned traveler with valuable work experience under my belt.
One of my last projects as an intern was making a demo video for a new data analytics software that my company was hoping to sell to future clients. On my last day in the office, I presented the video to my bosses and ended my internship with a strong feeling of accomplishment that I had given something valuable to the company in return for their mentorship and hospitality. I am thankful for the Smith School’s Global Internship Program for giving me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally, and make a small impact overseas. On top of this, I have developed solid international connections, which will help me in my pursuit to work overseas again after graduation. I even met a fellow Terp in Singapore who works for the World Bank! It’s incredible just how vast and global the UMD network is.
As for my plans now, I fully intend on B-lining it to the nearest Chipotle – a dear old friend whose presence was deeply missed this summer in Asia. While I may have come out of this summer changed for the better, some things – like my love for burritos and guac – never change.