For those who are planning to follow the blog (thank you very much for that, of course) I will give you a heads up - it is going to be a pretty emotional blog. So, don't tell me I didn't warn you.
After BMI was shut down, I was at the crossroads of my life and didn't know what I was going to do with it. I had a few options, either stay at Zvartnots airport as customer service agent (working not for an airline, but the airport) or start looking for a job in other field. Which field? That I didn't know the answer to. It took me a couple of days with no job to realize that I better hurry with my decision...
After searching for a couple of jobs online and asking here and there if they want a very dedicated employee, I decided to apply to an organization that I have admired since the age of 13. Why 13? I remember I was walking down the center of Yerevan one night with my father, discussing my future with him. We were talking about what job and profession would suit my already tough and goal-oriented personality. I knew remotely what I wanted, but I couldn't express it. I wanted a job where I could always be in touch with foreigners, travel, learn languages and get paid a lot... (duh! Who doesn't?) but I didn't know what the name of that profession was called... And suddenly we reached the United Nations House... A shiny and small building with beautifully blue fence and white cars with huge "UN" stickers on them. I didn't know what the UN was, but I can tell for sure - I felt that at some point I was going to end up there.
Years have passed, and that story was long forgotten (although I did graduate from a Linguistic University, faculty of Intercultural Communication). Now, I decided to try my destiny and try to apply to the UN for an internship (I knew that I would NOT qualify for a position of staff... thought I would save that for when I am 30)... now the toughest decision was yet to come. Which department?
I immediately thought of UNICEF. So cliche, right? I wrote an email to someone I knew that was working there, so that he could give me advice on who to turn to for an internship opportunity. Never wrote back to me :(
I looked through other departments, out of which I didn't heard of many. UNHCR? What is that? High Commissioner for WHAT? I had to look up the word refugee in the dictionary (yes, I do feel embarrassing sharing this)
But then, I discovered that it would be a great challenge for me to apply there. Besides, the organization just sounded so cool. I couldn't resist it and wrote the lamest email in my life, asking for an internship position, without even attaching my CV, waiting for no reply at all...
Meanwhile, I was researching scholarship programs, thinking maybe Grad School would sound interesting. Googled Erasmus Mundus, just to see what programs they have... Looked through it... and there!! Time stopped for a while, I felt the cold wind on my face... There it was: the program that I have been searching for my whole life, a program so perfect that no other faculty in Oxford or other top university could have (I exaggerated again) I felt that what I saw was made especially for me to apply and I immediately regretted about sending a lame email to UNHCR. I could have done a better job. Ah well...
I thought to myself that if I get a positive response from them regarding the internship - I will soooo apply to that Erasmus Program. Guessing what program it is? Yes, it's EMMIR! European Master's in Migration and Intercultural Relations. The program for me...
Three days, about 4 emails from Mrs. E.D. (will not write the full name of my "future" supervisor") and a 6 month internship contract later - I knew I was going to Germany for my Master's...
After BMI was shut down, I was at the crossroads of my life and didn't know what I was going to do with it. I had a few options, either stay at Zvartnots airport as customer service agent (working not for an airline, but the airport) or start looking for a job in other field. Which field? That I didn't know the answer to. It took me a couple of days with no job to realize that I better hurry with my decision...
After searching for a couple of jobs online and asking here and there if they want a very dedicated employee, I decided to apply to an organization that I have admired since the age of 13. Why 13? I remember I was walking down the center of Yerevan one night with my father, discussing my future with him. We were talking about what job and profession would suit my already tough and goal-oriented personality. I knew remotely what I wanted, but I couldn't express it. I wanted a job where I could always be in touch with foreigners, travel, learn languages and get paid a lot... (duh! Who doesn't?) but I didn't know what the name of that profession was called... And suddenly we reached the United Nations House... A shiny and small building with beautifully blue fence and white cars with huge "UN" stickers on them. I didn't know what the UN was, but I can tell for sure - I felt that at some point I was going to end up there.
Years have passed, and that story was long forgotten (although I did graduate from a Linguistic University, faculty of Intercultural Communication). Now, I decided to try my destiny and try to apply to the UN for an internship (I knew that I would NOT qualify for a position of staff... thought I would save that for when I am 30)... now the toughest decision was yet to come. Which department?
I immediately thought of UNICEF. So cliche, right? I wrote an email to someone I knew that was working there, so that he could give me advice on who to turn to for an internship opportunity. Never wrote back to me :(
I looked through other departments, out of which I didn't heard of many. UNHCR? What is that? High Commissioner for WHAT? I had to look up the word refugee in the dictionary (yes, I do feel embarrassing sharing this)
But then, I discovered that it would be a great challenge for me to apply there. Besides, the organization just sounded so cool. I couldn't resist it and wrote the lamest email in my life, asking for an internship position, without even attaching my CV, waiting for no reply at all...
Meanwhile, I was researching scholarship programs, thinking maybe Grad School would sound interesting. Googled Erasmus Mundus, just to see what programs they have... Looked through it... and there!! Time stopped for a while, I felt the cold wind on my face... There it was: the program that I have been searching for my whole life, a program so perfect that no other faculty in Oxford or other top university could have (I exaggerated again) I felt that what I saw was made especially for me to apply and I immediately regretted about sending a lame email to UNHCR. I could have done a better job. Ah well...
I thought to myself that if I get a positive response from them regarding the internship - I will soooo apply to that Erasmus Program. Guessing what program it is? Yes, it's EMMIR! European Master's in Migration and Intercultural Relations. The program for me...
Three days, about 4 emails from Mrs. E.D. (will not write the full name of my "future" supervisor") and a 6 month internship contract later - I knew I was going to Germany for my Master's...
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