Internship report: Giulia Marogna

Three months seem quite a short time to enjoy an Erasmus traineeship period fully. Even if I have been travelling a lot, none of the places that I have visited were like Cardiff. During the first weeks it was hard to get accustomed to living with people who had very opposite ways of thinking and habits from mine, but it helped me get stronger.

I found working at the EDC as an opportunity beyond my best expectations. It was my first working experience and I wasn’t sure of how putting into practice my knowledge. But I found in Cardiff EDC Director Ian, Fred and Ceri, very nice and patient people, who gave me the chance to learn from my mistakes and to improve my skills by putting me to the test with a wide range of tasks about the European Union’s policies.

Here I have been dealing with the European Commission work, updating the ESO database, indexing academic journals and helping students at the front desk. Students see European Union from a legal-economic point of view, but it is more than that. During the European Day event held at the EDC on 9 May, I realized that EU was a set of cultures, cuisines, languages, geography and why not? People taking part at a quiz about EU.

Furthermore I have met Filippo and Camille, who I consider friends more than colleagues. I suggest to apply for the EDC to whoever is willing to work in a professional and stimulating environment and to give a personal contribute to spread and improve the ESO across Europe.

I have also enjoyed travelling around Wales because I have discovered landscapes that I haven’t found anywhere else in United Kingdom, such as the waterfalls in Brecon Beacons, the little village of Saint Fagans, or the Cardiff Castle adorned for the Final of the Champions League.

What else can I say?   … Croeso!

P.S. Fred is a very good cook and he will be pleased to make a Portuguese dinner for everybody!

Giulia Marogna, June 2017