This week marks my two months Fellow-anniversary. I can’t believe how fast the past weeks have gone.
When I first landed in DC in May to start my journey in the US, I was excited and anxious at the same time. I knew this year was going to be different in so many ways. I had doubts because leaving home, family and friends is never easy but I was definitely ready to embrace change, constantly keeping in mind the famous quote of Lily Leung “When in doubt, choose change.”
Indeed, in a very short period of time, I visited the White House and the US Capitol, participated in the inspirational Global Leadership Lab sessions where I learned about storytelling, personal branding, and the steps toward implementing a successful marketing campaign, and I interacted with outstanding leaders from all over the World – my fellow Fellows, who actually quickly became my friends.
I traveled to San Francisco to start serving with the Community Engagement team of one of the leading event organizing corporations in the world. This unique opportunity enabled me to understand the importance for a company to combine profitability and social purpose. As an advocate of Corporate Social Responsibility, I was immensely impressed by the degree of engagement of my host organization’s employees in their respective communities and I was glad to be able to coordinate between them and the company.
I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, watched the true colors of San Francisco shine brightly during the SF Pride March, witnessed the magical fireworks spectacle in celebration of the US Independence Day on July 4, and tasted the so famous San Franciscan clam chowder bread bowl. Most importantly, I learned a lot about myself and my ability to adapt to change.
These months have offered challenges and unique growth opportunities. I have learned so much from my host organization, other Fellows, and Atlas Corps team and I can’t wait to continue to learn and grow on a personal and professional level.