Getting an internship in the States can be a drawn-out process. Prospective interners want interns' cover letters, transcripts, resumes, writing samples, interviews. All this for work in which one is usually not even paid. At a place like the UN, pretty much forget it as an undergraduate (at least I had to).
In Syria, this is a less formal process. If willing to work for free, the intern market is just about wide open. Getting an internship consists of walking into an office and saying you would like to work. UNHCR (High Commission for Refugees i.e. works with the Iraqis) is from what I hear, desperate for interns. They have an office in Kafer Sousse. You have to fight your way in past the refugees and just press your CV into someone's hands.
I decided to do something more useful for my Arabic than watching soaps, so I sent in a CV and cover letter a week ago to the UNDP (Development Program), and heard nothing. Yesterday I printed out copies of my CV, put on a nice shirt, got on a servees and asked the guy next to me if he knew where the "UN offices in West Villas Mezzeh" are. He did, so I landed in front of the UNDP, asked the guard if he knew who I could talk to about "volunteer work" (after several days of asking around, I have found no translation for internship). He took me to a woman who took my resume, told me she would forward it on. Hearing me speak Arabic to the Syrian dude next to her, she said that would be helpful. Outside again, I asked the guard if he knew where the UNFPA (population) and the UNIFEM offices were ?
Just then another dude walked up. UNIFEM? I work there! I'm the driver for the director. So we went up to the office, the director didn't even read my CV, just chatted with me for a few minutes about what I do here in Syria, if I like it, what I studied in college, and then said "Welcome!". So now I have an internship at UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
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11 comments:
That is wonderful! I realize this reply to your blog is about a year late but I just happened to google "internships in syria" and came across your page. I would love to get involved somehow at a similar organizations this summer.
Wow, I'm even more late than a year, I came here through a random google search, but yeah... you're lucky.
I'm a Syrian/Russian/Canadian studying at McGill univeristy in Montreal and I'd love to get an internship in Syria this summer. Just can't quite figure out where to start in terms of online research since... well, it's Syria. Informal networking it is for me then... I guess.
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I'm an international affairs student at Columbia University, and I'm looking for a Syrian organization where I could intern this summer.
I lived in Syria in 2006 and studying at the University of Damascus (levels 1-5). I have passable Arabic skills, fluent French and, of course, English.
My focus is on civil society development and economics. I applied via the Web to UNDP but haven't heard anything.
Do you have a contact at any of the agencies that I could email directly rather than sending to the generic email listed on the site? I'm currently in New York, so don't have the luxury of showing up in person just yet. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
James
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I am heading back to Syria this summer to try and do the very same thing. Good to know that it is possible!
hi :) are you still in syria :) ? i was in damascus last summer and i want to return. can we get in touch about your experience, internships etc? my email is malinconia[@]gmail.com
i am a latvian, living in italy, studying semiotics and arabic.
Hello,
I'm a french student and I would really like to do an internship in Syria next year.
If I could ask you some questions it would be so nice.
Can you send me a mail at fannyhouve[@]gmail.com in order me to get your mail adress ?
Thanks a lot.
Hi, I am from Bulgaria and last summer i visited Syria, so my current aim is this summer to find an internship in Syria, even though things are not so stable there, at least now! Anyway I have been searching for student programmes, that provide internship in Syria, but no result! I would be very thankful If you help me with some more information, Thnks in advance:)
my e-mail:lettherayreahyoursoul@hotmail.com
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