Lucas joined us for our Internship Program in 2018 where he worked at an international relations organization. Here is his story…
Living with Spanish and American parents in London has meant I grew up as a citizen of the world. I view myself as all three nationalities and so have always been conscious of how the world has changed throughout my lifetime and the effects such changes have on people. Having this interest pushed me to study History in order to see why they occur and see how to learn from our mistakes.
Religious Studies has helped me examine the moral and ethical aspects of human life and politics such as the implications of using WMD or if war can ever be seen as ‘just’. I pushed myself further by helping found my schools Model United Nations club where we were able to attend conferences around London and even to The Hague. Having this passion for how countries interact with one another and how we can help improve each other’s lives by working together is what pushed me to further my passion and choose International Relations as my preferred topic of study at my future university.
Attending an International Relations course two summers ago, with over 100 people from at least 20 different countries, confirmed my decision to pursue a degree in international relations. Working with people of different nationalities reminded me of our cultural differences and how important it is to respect – and sometimes challenge – one’s national identity. As I learnt more about the field my dream of working in international bodies such as the United Nations became even stronger. I have also benefited from travels with school and family. My visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg heightened my awareness of racial issues in the post-colonial era. I was truly moved by viewing scars of the past at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan, which put a face to what I had learnt in a textbook, resonating with me the importance of international relations. These experiences have given me a sliver of real ‘on the ground’ opinion, rather than just reading it in a book, which I view as a very important part of my education.
As a result of my aim to try and do good in the world I believed doing a Mente Argentina program would grant me with further real-world experience as to how countries interact with one another. It would not only expand my knowledge but also give me the possibility of applying the skills I have previously learnt and further them even more. In addition, this will give me exposure to a new country and its culture and will provide me with an opportunity to take the initiative in projects rather than stand behind.
Completing this internship would not only help me obtain more experience outside of the classroom but also act as the perfect transition between school and university.