The End

   For my last post I figured I'd reflect on what I learned most in my time as an intern.  It ended a week ago, and I had a pretty good experience, but I'm ready to get on to the next phase of my life.  While at Phoenix Sister Cities I learned more about what I don't want to do rather than what I do want to do.  It was a good office, good work, but not for me.  I think learning this was is just as valuable as if I had learned I loved the work and wanted to do it for the rest of my life.  So while it was a great experience, it is not an experience I want to make a career out of, and I am happy with that realization.
   So now I'm on to the next phase in my life.  Starting a new job that is in an area I'm interested in, and applying to programs that suite me better than an MPA.  For now though, I'm going to home to California for the holidays and am excited to relax and see my family and friends :) This is my favorite time of year.
   I can go into the Christmas season knowing that I had a successful semester and I learned a lot about what I want for my future career...yay for important life decisions.  I've enjoyed hearing what many of the rest of you have been up to this semester, and I hope you all got great things out of your internship experience.  Have a great Winter break everyone!

Last Day

   The other day was my last day on the job at Phoenix Sister Cities.  Fifteen weeks went by faster than I could have imagined.
   It was a really nice last day.  The office bought us interns lunch and gave us a thank you gift.  We spent the lunch hour talking about our next plans and our favorite parts of the internship.  That day the applications for the Youth Ambassador Program were due, and so on our last day we actually stayed a couple hours late to help out with sorting applications and getting them ready to be reviewed.  It was a fun last day to wrap up our time in the office.  Once we were done the interns and I went out for appetizers and drinks as a way to celebrate!
   It's a little sad that it's already over, but I'm thankful for the experience I had and the people I met.  Great semester!

Success!

   Today I got a couple pieces of good news.  First, I got the job at Grand Canyon University, which I'm really excited about.  I start January 3rd, which gives me a nice christmas break before I have to get to it again.  Second, I heard back from U of A about the program I applied to, and I was accepted.  Again, very excited!
   It's safe to say I've had a good day and that I'm lucky to have such great opportunities in my life right now :)

Job Interview

   As I mentioned before, I got a job interview at Grand Canyon University as an Academic Counselor.  I went in last week and I think the interview went really well.  If I get the job it will be a lot of phone work, seeing as how the students enrolled at GCU are mostly in online programs all over the country.  But, I am looking forward to hearing back from them because this is along the lines of what I want to do.  Granted, i want to do it in a more traditional setting on a university campus, meeting in person with students, but for right now this would be a really great opportunity to get some experience in that field.
  I should be hearing back any day, and hopefully things work out :)

Resume Help

   A few weeks ago I went to the career services office to get my resume looked at for a job I was applying to.  It was a good experience, mainly because I didn't have a lot to change :).  I learned that I've done a pretty good job at organizing my resume and providing accurate descriptions of my work and education.  So that was good news.  I felt pretty confident turning in my resume after that experience.  I was called in for an interview for the job I applied to the other day and I think that went well too.  Fingers crossed!

Thanksgiving Weekend

   This past weekend for Thanksgiving I went home to California.  It was such a nice break!  I had a great time seeing my family and my friends who are still back in Long Beach.  Although it was a short four days, it was a much needed relaxing weekend.  I got to see a couple movies too, one of which was The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest.  If anyone has read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books, then you know how amazing they are!  And if you haven't, you are missing out, and have to read them when you get some spare time.  The movie was great, and getting to see it was a highlight of my weekend :) Now it's back to the internship for my last week in the office!

Internship Interviews

   Last week we held the interviews for the Spring intern positions.  It seemed like just yesterday I was sitting in the chair they were sitting in, interviewing for the position I now have.  The other interns and I got to be involved in the interview process, and it was a fun and helpful experience.
   Each of us interns got to sit in on 3 to 4 interviews, ask questions, and answer their questions about what the internship entails.  It was good for us because we got to see how people interview, take away things that people did well, and become more aware of what not to do and what not to say.  Most of the interviews I got to sit in on though, the interviewees did a really good job.  There were 13 or so applicants and only 4 spots though....so there were decisions to be made after the interviews were said and done.
   I also got to be involved in giving opinions about who I thought would do a good job as an intern.  Most of us agreed on who should definitely get a position, but there were a couple of people that were maybes and discussion needed to be had before they were dismissed.  I realize now how hard it can be when so many good applicants are in the running.  It's too bad only 4 positions are available, because I have no doubt that many of the applicants would have done a great job and would have loved working at Phoenix Sister Cities.
   Anyway, all in all, I really enjoyed being a part of the interview process.  I learned a lot, and I'm glad I had a hand in seeing who will take the newly opened spots come January :)

My Last Committee Meetings

   This week I attended the last of the committee meetings that I need to attend for my time as an intern.  On Monday night I went to the Calgary, Canada meeting again and on Wednesday night I went to the Ennis, Ireland meeting for the first time.
   Just like the last meeting, the Calgary committee was very laid back and fun.  I think I mentioned before that it takes place at a restaurant/bar and doesn't feel like a formal meeting.  It's a good way for people to be involved in the committee and not feel like it is more time and work that they need to put in on top of the rest of their commitments.
   The Ennis committee was a good experience because I could compare how the two meetings were conducted differently.  The Ennis meeting was still pretty informal, but it had a structure that the Calgary meetings seem to lack.  Those on the Ennis committee seem to have their stuff together more so than Calgary does.  They seemed to be getting a lot discussed and accomplished because everyone was on the same page.  At the Calgary meetings I've been to there are a lot of different things going on at once; side conversations, tangents, and just a lot of little things making it seem chaotic.
   It's interesting because both meetings seem to function in there own way and still get things accomplished.  The people are different and therefore the structure is different, but it works for the each committee in its own way.  I personally liked the Ennis meeting because it was to the point, but I understand that the Calgary committee only functions and has participants because it is more of a get together rather than a meeting, and I think that is important at this stage of the committee's life.

Goodbye PJ

   Over the last few days I was informed that my intern supervisor, PJ, is leaving Phoenix Sister Cities for a new position with the city of Chandler doing environmental education.  His last day in our office will be the 19th, which is two weeks before the other interns and I are done with the internship.  So, we're all a little confused and worried about how those weeks will go.
   He is pretty much our go to person with questions because, well, a large part of his job is to look over the interns :)  And he's great at it...such a fun guy.  For those last two weeks the interns and I will be in the office with the two other staff members, who are both very busy people and have little time to do much with interns.  Basically it will be interesting to see if there's not much to do or if its just absolute chaos with a staff short one person.
   It's also interesting because our last week there the executive director will be out of town for a conference.  So it basically looks like us interns will be there alone for our last week in the office.  Yay for a big send off :)

First Friday

   Last night I spent my evening at First Friday in Downtown Phoenix.  Phoenix Sister Cities not only has committees for our 9 different sister cities, but we also have a Disabilities Awareness Committee (DAC).  DAC is involved in promoting awareness for those with disabilities here in Phoenix and partnering with our sister cities around the world to do the same.
   Last night at First Friday DAC put on an exhibit of art done by people who have disabilities.  It was actually a really great exhibit with so many different amazing pieces of art.  The pieces were judged and three of them won prizes.  Also, as people came in they were asked to vote for their favorite, and one lucky winner won the people's choice award.
   Another cool thing about the exhibit was that many of the pieces were for sale.  Half of what the piece was sold for went to the artist and the other half went to DAC.  So not only was it a great exhibit for a lot of people to experience, but it was a way for the committee and the artists to earn money for a good cause.
   Last night was a lot of fun.  I enjoyed seeing the art, walking around first friday, spending time with the other interns, and getting some extra hours of work in in a fun environment!

Executive and Board Meeting

   Tonight was my first experience at one of Phoenix Sister Cities' Executive and Board of Directors Meetings.  All semester I've worked on putting packets together for these meetings (that happen once a month) but haven't been able to attend yet.  It was an interesting, but not all it was cracked up to be experience.
   In the past I thought these meetings were a big deal, considering all the work that goes into making them happen.  I didn't actually attend the Executive meeting; all I did was sign people in as they got there and give them their packet of papers for the meeting -- that was easy.  Following the Executive meeting was the Board meeting, where again I didn't do much.  I got a free dinner of hummus, pita, and other mediterranean foods between meetings.  But other than signing people in, stamping parking passes, greeting people at the door, and cleaning up, my role was limited.  The other interns and I are there really for the experience and to help out when needed.  I did help out, but the experience wasn't that great.  I found the meeting pretty boring and not very substantial.  However, I do think this meeting was shorter than previous ones from what I've heard from other interns who have attended in the past.  Regardless, it was a good experience, just not what I had expected I guess.
   Anyway, that was the last Executive and Board of Directors meeting of the year, meaning it was my first and last with Phoenix Sister Cities.  Only 5 more weeks on the job actually -- hard to believe!

Starting Applications

  I am in the midst of putting some applications in for different programs in Higher Education.  It seems like I just did all this for the MPA program here at ASU, and the others schools to which I applied.  It was just a year ago, but I forgot how much work applications were.  There are so many different things I have to get in order, from recommendations, personal statements, ordering transcripts, submitting a resume, sending GRE scores...and not to mention each school want something just a little bit different, which makes it even more stressful.  Needless to say, that is what I'm committing my time to this weekend, and probably for most weekends for the next month or so.
   Despite the hard work, I'm excited that I have made the decision to go in a route that will be more interesting and satisfying to me.  I've been doing a lot of research on these programs, and I'm hopeful that next fall I will be enrolled in the right program at the right school :)

Youth Ambassador Program

   So Phoenix Sister Cities has what is called a Youth Ambassador Exchange Program (YAEP) where we send sophomores and juniors to one of our 9 sister cities for three weeks over the summer.  While the students are there they stay with a family and experience that country's culture.  After their three weeks abroad, the students then come back to Phoenix and host a Youth Ambassador from the other country here in Arizona for three weeks.  I think this is a really cool program and such a good opportunity for high school students.
   However, I'm not in high school and so the exciting aspects of the program are not for my enjoyment.  Instead, I have to do little things here and there that can only be described as a little bit frustrating.  I don't do much work at all with the YAEP program, that is another intern's responsibility, and she always has so much work to do!  The marketing for the program has begun and applications are due at the beginning of December, so that intern is always busy.
   The other interns and I are supposed to be helping out with the marketing for the program as well, by signing up to contact different high schools regarding how to get information to the students about the exchange program.  It sounds easy, but the only thing is that the high schools I've contacted haven't gotten back to me.  So this morning I went to the high schools in person to drop off some information.  After being redirected to a district office to get approval for disseminating information and after leaving the papers with people who say they will get the information to the right contact, I can only hope that someone calls me back and that the students are informed about the program.  Our boss ideally wants us to set up a time to go speak to students at the school, but the only problem is that we can't do that unless we get permission, and we can't get permission unless we can talk to someone.  So, given that the application deadline is just about a month away, it is frustrating trying to get the information out there when there isn't much to work with and little time to do so.  Hopefully we'll get enough interested students to apply in the next few weeks though -- that is all we can hope for.

Public Transit Meeting

   This week has been full of meetings.  Not only did we meet with Parks and Rec on Monday, but we met with a manager from the Public Transit Department yesterday.  During this meeting the other interns and I learned nothing about transit.  Instead, the manager we spoke with was so cool and laid back, we spent almost an hour and a half just talking about her experiences, what we wanted to do with our lives, how its OK that we don't really know, etc.
   Like I said before, the best part about these shadowings is meeting people who genuinely want to help you and hear about your ambitions (and they always say how normal it is to not have a career set and in place).  Basically, its so reassuring to meet such friendly people who want to make your experience with the city an enjoyable one.  The manger we met with in the transit department kept saying we could call her and talk about careers anytime and she would help us in any way that she could, because when she was an intern people did that for her and now she's paying it forward.
   So while these meetings have nothing to do with my actual internship at Phoenix Sister Cities, I learn so much from the people who take the time to talk with us, and it has been my favorite thing about my internship experience!

Parks and Rec Meeting

   On Monday two of the other interns and I had a shadowing meeting with the Head of the Parks and Recreation Department with the city of Phoenix.  I think I mentioned before that our intern supervisor tries to set up 3 to 5 of these shadowing opportunities for us during our time at the internship.  This was the second shadowing experience for me.
   The meeting was really cool.  The two people we met with were extremely nice, welcoming, and helpful.  They talked about their own experiences and what led them to their careers within parks and rec.  They also gave us their cards and told us to contact them with any questions we may have relating to parks and rec, career choices, or anything at all.  Even though I'm not too interested in working with the Parks Department, its really nice to go into these meetings and see how nice city employees are, and see how they are so willing to help interns out in their time of learning and searching.
   One thing that really resonated with me was the Head of the Department's description of what makes Phoenix attractive.  He said, "The beaches of Phoenix are our mountains."  I thought this was a cool description, and so accurate.  Maybe the dessert mountains aren't for everyone, but I have definitely come to love them, and they really are the beaches of Arizona :)

First Committee Meeting

   So Phoenix Sister Cities has 9 different sister cities throughout the county.  Each of these cities has a committee here in Phoenix that meets on a monthly basis to promote that city here in Arizona.  These committees do a lot of different things, but basically they are a connection between Phoenix and the Sister City.
   Last night I attended my first committee meeting, which was with the Calgary, Canada Committee.  It was a very informal type of meeting, held at a Bar and Grille.  The members ate, drank, and discussed the meeting agenda.  I won't get into specifics of the meeting, because the most interesting part of the experience was today when one of my supervisors talked to us interns about what we thought of the meeting.  The main point we all brought up was how informal it was compared to other Phoenix Sister Cities meetings.  Apparently the chair of this committee wants to keep the Calgary meetings very informal and social because last year the committee had barely any members, no one wanted to do anything, and the committee was on the verge of becoming an inactive committee.  So, his approach has been to ease people back into the meetings in a fun way, that will encourage people to get more involved.
   Before our supervisor explained this to us, the interns and I were a little confused about why it was so casual.  But having the explanation behind it, I think the chair of the committee has a really good way of going about business.  Maybe its not the most efficient committee within our organization, but as we're waiting for life to be brought back into it, I think its alright that the committee is still a little informal and inefficient.  If people are interested and things are getting done, it seems that it will just take some time to get back to the place where the committee used to be.
   So, while I was sitting in the meeting I didn't feel like I was learning a lot - it felt like a group of people getting together rather than a formal meeting.  But, having the explanation behind it after the fact, I actually learned quite a bit!

Career Services Meeting....Decisions, Decisions

   A few weeks ago I made an appointment with a career advisor to discuss some different things relating to jobs as well as masters programs.  I am currently a masters student getting my MPA, but have taken this semester off from classes (except this internship class) to reconsider whether or not this program is the right fit for me and what I want to do.  I always thought non-profit or government work was what I wanted to do, but the more I think about it the less I can see myself in that professional environment.
   Even before I applied to this masters program I was considering going into educational administration and getting a degree that would prepare me for working in Higher Education on a college campus.  At the time I didn't do enough research around those programs and chose to go the MPA route instead.  But upon completing my first semester and getting into this internship, I still stand in the place where I'm not sure an MPA is a degree that I'm passionate about nor a degree that will prepare me for the type of work I want to do.
   Don't get me wrong, I think very highly of ASU's program and have had nothing but great classes, teachers, and a a great overall experience.  And, my internship isn't horrible either, it's just not work I can see myself doing on a daily basis.  Despite my good experiences, I'm just in a place where I want to find a program and a career that will make me happy and give me fulfillment.
  So, my meeting with the career counselor went well because we discussed programs in Higher Education, jobs in that field, those programs vs. an MPA, and different websites and research I can do to help make a decision.  After doing some of that research, I have found that a masters in Higher Education Administration may be a better fit for me.  Education is something that I've always felt strongly about, and after my years as an undergrad I began thinking that those four years of college were the best and most transformative years of my life thus far.  I think that college is one of the best opportunities available to young adults these days. Working with students on a college campus, helping them navigate the ropes of college life is something I think I would be really great at, because I know how important education can be, especially higher education.
   So, my visit with the career counselor put a few things in perspective, and was very helpful because he shared with me his experience and how he got to be in his position within Higher Education.  While I haven't completely ruled out an MPA, I have given the Masters in Higher Education some attention I should have given it a couple years ago.  I don't want to stay in a program that I'm not excited about; I want to follow the path that will make me excited to get up and go to work in the morning.  Don't we all?  I think it's important to step back sometimes and ask ourselves what it is we want, and that is what this semester has allowed me to do.
   If there's anyone out there who is getting their MPA or wants to get their MPA, if you could share what it is about the program that interests you and what you hope to do for a career one day, I would love to hear it.  Hearing the interests and aspirations of others really helps me get a feel for what options are out there and what I can and can't relate to.  Thanks!

Intern Bonding

   So I've recently realized that I've failed to mention one of my favorite aspects of my internship...which is the other interns I get to see on a daily basis.  It makes the job so much better when I can look forward to seeing the people in the office each day.
   I'm originally from California and have lived in Phoenix for less than a year.  I don't know too many people here in AZ, so it's nice to get to know people who have some similar interests.  Last weekend a few of us interns got together for lunch outside of work, which I enjoyed a lot.
   Basically, the point is that I'm not only getting good experience and something to put on a resume with this internship, but I'm meeting some quality people who are fun to hang out with, which makes it all that much better :)

A Nice Relaxing Week

   The last couple weeks at Phoenix Sister Cities have been a little out of the ordinary.  The office is pretty small to begin with (3 full time employees and 4 interns).  The executive director and deputy director were both gone on a trip to France, meeting with our sister city of Grenoble.  They take about two outgoing trips like this per year.  That means 2 out of 3 full timers were gone for the week (and the most important ones at that).  So our days were pretty laid back and casual.  We did some consolidating of offices, meaning we moved furniture and cabinets and things like that out of offices and into new offices.  Manual labor type stuff.  We also had nice longer lunches, and those left behind in the office got to know each other a little more.
   I personally have enjoyed the laid back atmosphere around the office, without must to do and without much stress.  We still had things to get done, but it didn't feel like it does when the big bosses are there.  It was just nice to have a bit of a break :)  Pretty soon it will be back to the norm.
  

Meeting with the Executive Assistant to the City Manager

   So last week on Wednesday, two of the other interns and I had our first shadowing experience.  What that means is that the intern coordinator at Phoenix Sister Cities works really hard to get us great experience outside of our every day work.  Based on what we've told him about our career interests, he sets up meetings for us to learn more about that topic from someone in the field.
   This first shadowing was just a general shadowing experience that he sets up for all his interns; it was with the Assistant to the City Manager of Phoenix.  She was so friendly and welcoming and she talked to us for 45 minutes about what she loves about her job, how she got there, what she does on a daily basis, etc.
   The one thing I took away from what she said though had little to do about her job with the city of Phoenix.  She told us that we shouldn't think of a career as just one ladder, but multiple ladders branching out from each other.  If we set our sights on one ladder and what it takes to get to the top, then we'll miss out on all the other opportunities that we could have had, had we not been so focused on one goal.  Basically, she told us that it's alright that we are unsure of what we want to do in life (which all three of us are); simply having an internship and getting that experience will show us more about what we do and don't want, and will open up new possible ladders to explore.
   It was comforting to hear this, because lately I've been stressing over the fact that I really don't have a path planned out and a career that I know I want to achieve upon graduation.  But after this shadowing experience I am a little bit more at ease, trying to tell myself that I am making good strides and not everything needs to be planned out.  It's comforting to know that a job doesn't have to turn into a lifelong career; I can chip away at different things, hop from one ladder to the next, and eventually find the place I am meant to be.

Celebrate Positive Awards

  It has officially been 5 weeks at Phoenix Sister Cities, which is hard to believe, considering that means this internship is already a third of the way done.  Time is going by so quickly.
   The last few weeks I've been working on nominating some of our different sister cities for a 'Celebrate Positive' award.  These awards basically recognize different communities or businesses for the positive work they have done in their community.  My job has been to email contacts in our different sister cities asking them to tell me a little more about the positive work they have done in the last year.  Once I received those emails I then had to edit down the information for the nomination (to a measly 500 characters, simply not enough space to get in many details).  Only a few of our sister cities have responded thus far, but it has been a cool experience learning about some of the things others around the country have been working on.
   So far we've nominated Ramat-Gan, Israel and an organization called 'The Hamarshal Society for the Blind and the Prevention of Blindness' for holding its first feature film production.  The film production competition made visual media accessible to the visually impaired and created an opportunity for these individuals to be part of the film making industry through writing, cinematography, acting, and directing. It seemed like a really great project.
   We also nominated Chengdu China for its efforts in rural and urban environmental management.  They have been focused on putting in new greenbelts in the downtown area, building green homes, and reconstructing streets and green landscapes. Furthermore, we also nominated the City of Phoenix for its effort in raising money for the City of Chengdu, China after the earthquake they experienced a couple years ago.  The City of Phoenix raised over $177,000 to build a new kindergarten in a village of Chengdu that lost its only kindergarten to earthquake damage.  Again, a great example of a community coming together to do great work, which is what the Celebrate Positive awards are all about.
  I really enjoyed working on these nominations, because I learned a lot about the positive contributions going on in Phoenix and abroad.  I just wish more of our sister cities had responded so I could have heard about even more positive contributions around the world.  The awards are distributed sometime in October, and I'm anxious to see what nominated communities receive the honor.

Getting Settled as an Intern

   Hello all readers :) My name is Elizabeth, and I am an MPA student at ASU.  This is my second semester in the program, and as you can see, I am interning at Phoenix Sister Cities for the next few months. For those who don't know what Phoenix Sister Cities is all about (I didn't before I applied), it is an organization devoted to building relationships with various "Sister Cities" around the world.  They have 9 active partnerships with different cities, from Calgary, Canada to Himeji, Japan.  Among many other things, Phoenix Sister Cities also hosts incoming delegations here in Phoenix, puts on cultural events throughout the year, sends youth ambassadors abroad, and hosts youth ambassadors from other cities.  If you want to find out more, the website is phoenixsistercities.com, because there is a lot more to be said!
   In my first few weeks at Phoenix Sister Cities I've been doing little things here and there.  My technical position is 'Assistant to the Executive Director'...which they tell me sounds much cooler than 'intern', so let's go with that.  My first week pretty much consisted of getting acquainted with the office and the work that is done.  My second and third weeks were still filled with learning the ropes, but by now I'm starting to feel like I'm getting the hang of things.  Some things I've been working on so far include: sending out emails about nominating different cities for an award, writing up some nominations, making packets for Board meetings, filling out applications in order to hold city events, and helping with whatever the Executive Director needs done that day.  If all of that sounds pretty vague, I'll get into it more in later posts.  If I keep writing I won't have much to say for the next one, so stay tuned if you're interested.  
  All in all, I think working in Downtown Phoenix is a pretty cool experience.  There's a lot going on, and our office seems right in the middle of some important people and events.  I'm looking forward to the people I'll get to meet and the things I'll learn from not only the people in my office, but the countless others I'm sure I'll be in contact with.  With all that said, I know I'm just an intern and I know that some days my work will be mundane. A few of those days have already come and gone, and all I can tell myself in those moments is that I can learn from the good and the bad experiences, because both can tell me more about what I do and don't want in a career. Furthermore, this internship is a learning experience that not everyone gets, so I'll be thankful for that!