Thanks for Everything, Summer 2015

Summer 2015 was looking pretty boring as I packed up my freshman year dorm back in May.  It turned out to be anything but that.

My summer had everything: internships, travel, jobs, friends, and chores.  When I was coming home from college though, I could only see chores in my future.

The week after I got home from school, I was asked if I would be interested in interning with Emzingo, a study/internship abroad company that focuses on social impact.  It wasn't the fancy internship I envisioned when I started looking earlier in the year, but it was virtual and although I wasn't going to gain any money by working with them, I wasn't going to lose any either.  Plus, it was good experience, networking, and the other team members were super personable and friendly.  Oh, and I really like their product!  They run awesome and educational trips to places like South Africa, Brazil, and Peru.  Hopefully I'll find myself on one of their trips soon…

Still feeling beat up because I didn't have a fancy (paid) internship like my brother managed all four year of college, I jumped at the opportunity to work with an event planner based in NYC.  Turned out that I worked virtually for her as well and she was super sweet, understanding, and overall: cool.  Again, this position was not paid.  But I got to make connections that I'm sure will pay off in the long run and the flexibility that came with unpaid, virtual internships allowed me some freedom with my schedule.

All year I had been planning on visiting France with family, but those plans weren't solidified until after I got home and finally purchased my plane ticket (after lots of saving).  In early July, I traveled with my aunt and cousins to visit my aunt's family who are from the Bordeaux region of France.  We explored Bordeaux, ate cheese, tasted wine (I'm not a fan), sailed, hiked, and spent a lot of time at the beach.

For the past five summers I've wanted to work at this summer day camp that I attended from age 3 through grade 8.  Disappointingly, those summers I dealt with the camp changing policies and changing the age minimum for counselors, followed by broken bones, surgeries, leadership conferences, summer courses, and this summer I assumed travel.  I was so excited when the camp director, who also happened to be my second grade teacher, reached out to me after I returned from my trip to France and asked if I wanted to work.  I literally started crying tears of happiness.  I had waited for this moment my whole life.  Long story short, one of their counselors was unable to work for a week, so I got to sub for her!  And I was kept on for the week that followed too, the last week.  It was such a fun experience to work alongside my old camp friends, those who used to be my teachers, and at the place where I have more memories than the thousands of days spent there.…and I got paid!

For a summer that I thought would be really boring, it turned out to be very exciting.  I got to do everything I wanted and more!

I move back to Ithaca next week and I couldn't be more excited to see what Summer 2016 has in store for me!

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