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Marielle's Experience at FNF Korea

Intern at FNF Korea (July-August 2018)
Opinion
1.7 Minutes
marielle

Please introduce yourself and let us know what motivated you to do an internship at FNF Korea.


Hi! I’m Marielle and I was the intern at FNF Korea from July to August 2018. Two things motivated me to intern at FNF Korea: the first is that I share the same liberal values as FNF and the second is that I had done my whole Bachelor’s degree in Korea, so I was already somewhat familiar with the political, economic, and social environment of the region. Therefore, I wanted to pursue an internship at an organization that allowed me to combine the values I believe in with the things I learned through my degree, and FNF Korea offered the perfect opportunity to do so.


What were the most important things you learned when you worked with FNF Korea?


Of all the things I learned at FNF Korea, two things stood out most. The first and most important is the value of communication. Whether communicating at the office, when staying in touch with partners and alumnis, or (even) on the
international political level: the significance of communication and dialogue cannot be stressed enough. The second most important thing I learned may sound somewhat surprising… but it’s to always match your shirt with your socks.


Was the work at the FNF office and life in Korea different to what you expected?


The office life at FNF Korea greatly exceeded my expectations. I truly relished the amount of hands-on experience you get as an intern at FNF Korea.


To whom would you recommend an internship with FNF Korea?


I would recommend the internship at FNF Korea to a young liberal who is interested in Korean and East Asian culture, history, politics, and economics. I think that good qualities in a future intern should include a strong command of English and either German, Korean, or both; creativity when bringing new ideas to the table; and an overall positive attitude and strong willingness to engage in the tasks of the office. In my opinion, it’s also a bonus to be crafty with social media.


Any advice or warnings for potential future interns?

My top three tips for future interns are:

  • Make the most of your time in Korea. The time will fly by, so explore as much as you can. (Personally, I thought it also helped to blog about the experience.)
  • Connect with people. If you ever have questions, feel free to ask. Whether you engage with people at the office or previous interns, others are always willing to help and/or share their input.
  • Apply for the internship! Get involved and stay engaged in the FNF community.