By Viktoriya Sulzhenko
The first half of my internship went by fast. I arrived in Quebec City, settled in, and immersed myself in the reality of an international cooperation organization active in numerous countries around the world. To say that I have learned a lot would be an understatement; Yet there is still so much left to uncover. For now, I have only seen a glimpse of the incredibly complex and challenging work done by Avocats sans frontières Canada.
My work as an intern is mainly centered around supporting the legal team and doing research on different topics (such as climate justice and international and regional human rights mechanisms). I also became acquainted with the projects carried out by ASF Canada in African and Latin American countries.
My coworkers are lively and kind, and their (very impressive) backgrounds are so diverse. I have a lot of admiration for the work that they do and I hope I can learn more from them during the time I have left this summer. Since I travelled back home for a couple of days, I have also been able to meet my coworkers who work remotely from Montreal in-person during an after-work social event.
On a more personal side, I have also experienced a set of firsts. I am living alone for the first time, exploring a new city, creating a routine, and adapting to a new workplace. I have learned a lot about myself and about the kind of life I would like to live.
Quebec City is beautiful and vibrant during the summer. Having only lived in Montreal and the South Shore, I have been seeing a new side of the Quebecois culture from the capital city.
ASF Canada’s office is nicely situated; it is located right next to the Hôtel du Parlement and near the Plaines d’Abraham. My coworkers and I went out for lunch on the Plaines, and it was delightful!
Overall, I am grateful for all the things I have learned and I am excited to see what is in store for the remainder of my internship!