A Summer Abroad! (Again?!)
The year is slowly coming to a close, friends are saying good byes for the summer (or if graduating, moving on to the next step of their lives!), and people are soon to begin whatever crazy (or not so crazy) plans they have acquired for the summer. In my case, it’s crazy, because I apparently just can’t sit in one country. This summer will likely be one with powerful memories, and why? Well, I’m volunteering in Poland at…
the Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Yeah. The best way to describe my to-be experience? Intense. The many people that have asked me “What are you doing for the summer?” certainly did not expect my reply, and it has been obvious as seen by the expressions on their faces or their uncertainty in replying. I don’t blame them. Holocaust. It’s a tough subject. But… this past year has shown me that I need to study genocides and figure out why they are allowed to happen and how to prevent them. To simply understand.
While it may be a tough subject, and I know to expect quite the intense summer, I am incredibly excited. I know it will be a meaningful experience. How did I get it? Once again, connections. Really, guys. Talk to your professors. They will open doors you could not imagine. In Poland, I developed a good relationship with my Holocaust professor at Jagiellonian University, so when I asked her what I could do over the summer, she gave me a few options, including volunteering at Auschwitz itself.
Well, the Museum accepted my resume, and in a little under a month, I will be flying off to Poland. What will I be doing? 40 hour work week, helping out with conferences, seminars, and workshops. Not only that, but it will open more doors and create more connections. Use your summer to do things that are important to you and your future. Usually, when you think you have a great opportunity in front of you, it is, and you should take it. I know I’m really happy I did.
