Already the end of an amazing journey

As a third-year student of anthropology, I have spent most of my education reading about people who left their homes for long stretches and immersed themselves in a strange new place in hopes of discovering something new about the complex world in which we find ourselves. In many ways, I feel that I'm experiencing an iota of what I have been reading about all these years. The new places I found myself were full of new perspectives on the world and I was introduced to another way of life. This internship has offered me a taste of the reality of anthropological research; a bittersweet bite of the difficulty of finding yourself on the opposite end of the globe, not knowing how to approach situations, and relearning how to live. When all is said and done, I must say that it was an incredible experience that taught me my personal strength and let me sample both the positive and negative aspects of my chosen field.  

However, 12 weeks goes by so quickly that it’s hard to grasp everything that goes on around me. From office work, writing reports, assisting in delivering educational workshops, learning about federalism, and interacting with both international experts and political actors on the ground, this has truly been such a whirlwind of information and opportunities. As my time in Chiang Mai, Thailand draws to a close, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that I could not do more, but also relieved that I will soon be home with my family and friends. I will conclude by saying that my time working for the Forum of Federations was very informative and I am glad I was able to contribute, even in a small way, to their efforts in establishing lasting democracy in Myanmar.