|
- Carrie G. •
- IES Program in Chile •
- Global Studies & Spanish Majors
“I
really see that in the world what’s missing is a mutual
understanding or a willingness to understand...I think out
of my time abroad, that’s what has become available
to me.”
—Carrie G. |
|
After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in global studies and Spanish, Carrie is in the first stages of becoming a Foreign Service officer for the US government. Studying in South America was the beginning of her journey to a career in international diplomacy.
Carrie’s first study abroad experience was through the MSID program to Quito, Ecuador. "It seemed like a program that wasn’t geared toward having an American experience abroad, but it really was being immersed in the culture and the different social classes, and having a real experience." An internship at a school for impoverished children was part of the reason Carrie said her experience in MSID was "really focused on Ecuador, the people of Ecuador, the indigenous populations, the different social classes; it was really focused on the social aspects and the culture, and going out into the field."
When Carrie applied for the CLA Honors Katherine E. Sullivan scholarship to spend a fifth year in Santiago, Chile, she hoped to have a different type of experience. "The MSID program really focused on international development, but in ways other than economic…whereas Santiago is well known for how successful their economy is among Latin American countries. I thought it would be really complimentary." She spent a full academic year studying in Santiago with IES, living with a host family, taking university courses, and experiencing a new culture.
Before entering the IES program in Santiago, Carrie had a summer internship with the US Embassy in Lima, Peru. When she was a child, Carrie told her father she would be Ambassador some day, but this was her chance to find out how she could make that happen. She worked on updating Peru’s Human Rights Report. "That gave me a whole new perspective. I was really exposed to…the reality of what was going on there. While at the same time, I was a part of the Embassy community. It deepened my understanding of the culture."
As a Junior Officer in the Foreign Service, Carrie anticipates challenges along with the rewards of working with citizens of another country. "Transitioning and taking those first steps has always been the hardest part for me. It was actually one of my biggest hesitations in going into the Foreign Service, because the way it’s set up, you move every two to three years. And I’m up for challenge. Those study abroad experiences have shown me that I can overcome that."
Carrie’s hope is that she can work to create understanding. "I really see that in the world what’s missing is a mutual understanding or a willingness to understand. People often have their own way of doing things or seeing things. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, except when there’s an inability or a lack of willingness to see it another way. Whether you agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter, but really having the ability to understand at the very least. I think out of my time abroad, that’s what has become available to me."
Last modified on May 13, 2008 |