In my first blog I mentioned the importance of being flexible and adaptable in the work environment of Italian politics. Since then, those traits have taken on a brand new importance for me as I continue to navigate the internship portion of my study abroad experience in Rome. Despite the best efforts of our office, our deputy failed to win in the national elections at the end of February. Understandably, everyone was very disappointed in the result. They all thought he would surely be reelected given how long he’s been serving in Italian Parliament. I admit that even I thought his victory was guaranteed despite mounting tension within the country towards the government. Instead, I was once again reminded that in Italy, everything can change in an instant and that you must always be on your toes, ready to meet the change head on.
Now that I’m out of the office where I began work, the majority of my duties are carried out from home. I still work for the former chief of staff, who now works more on a consulting basis, meeting several different deputies and handling the various needs of their offices. A lot of them have strong relations with the United States and thus need to understand how our various institutions function. Therefore, I have been working in large part on numerous reports explaining the social, economic, and political workings of the United States. One such report was a ten page paper explaining how the different levels of government work together, from municipalities all the way to the White House. While it is enjoyable to work more conveniently and have more free time to spend with the other students, I really do miss the office and wish I could have had more time to experience it to the fullest.
Despite this setback, my boss understands how important it is for me to finish my internship at the same capacity in which it began. One thing I did not consider with all the adversity that I have been dealing with is the positive impression I have made in these first two months that we have been working together. Perhaps this is because in America, interns aren’t treated as well as I have been treated here. In America, as an intern you are a number and easily forgettable for a plethora of reasons. But in Italy, I have learnt that people are grateful when you carry out your duties regardless of your career. My boss has noticed this in me and is willing to help me complete my internship with a position in the office of another deputy. I am incredibly grateful for her consideration and hope that her efforts will come to fruition in yet another opportunity. Maybe this time the change will be a pleasant one; no matter what, I will meet it with the same energy and tenacity that I have had in Rome up to this point.