The Whole "Networking" Thing

Some days are moche.  Other days are exellente. As I last wrote my stage, or internship, with Medecins Sans Frontieres isn’t going ideally.  But this Wedenesday last, I got lucky. 

So I’ve been trying this new thing called “networking”.  I don’t really like people too much so for years this is something I’ve been trying to avoid.  Under the scrutinizing pressure of my awesome German-American boyfriend, who now has more friends in Geneva after living there for two weeks than I probably will throughout the duration of this lifetime—and the next—I gave the whole networking trend a try. 

I contacted the GWU alumni network in Paris and three weeks later they contact me back saying that they’re just starting up but happy to help me.  Someone actually volunteered to meet with me.  He did his masters at GWU and now works at the Paris branch of Deloitte.  We have breakfast.  It’s great.  He’s possibly the nicest person I’ve ever met.  We talk about how Americans are like peaches—soft on the outside, but on the inside quite firm—and how Parisians are like pineapples—kind of solid on the inside, but on the outside, tough and prickly.  Our conversation ends with him telling me that he’ll look around and see if he can find me any work, or at the very least, any interesting contacts that can maybe help me once I graduate in May because as most newly graduates and soon-to-bes, I’m freaking the shit out. 

I had a great time, fantastic conversation, and a croissant that was good and overpriced and wasn’t expecting much.  But then I get a call less than five hours later from a Mister Man from Deloitte.  He says he thinks he might have found me a job.  I’m ecstatic.  What is it?  It’s too good to be true.  He puts me in contact with a woman from the OECD, the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, who wants me to travel to Tunisia and then perhaps Senegal and interpret English/French for her. 

I tell her I can do it.  I know I can.  It’s going to be hard as hell but I know that this is a worthwhile challenge.  And since being in Paris, a challenge is something I’ve lacked.  Already familiar with the language, already a semi-competent grown up and just winding down my travels, coming from places that I find significantly more culturally different, Paris has been solid, but unexciting.  So ready or not, Tunisia, Senegal—interpreting economic issues—I’m diving in.