Discussions of Democracy and Policy from a European Think Tank
About the author: Nita Gegeshidze ’19 is an FSI The Europe Center Intern at Carnegie Europe in Brussels, Belgium. She is currently an international relations major at Stanford University.
No one knows what to expect from the first day of internship. Entering the office for the first time can be a daunting, or worse — an awkward experience. My first day at Carnegie Europe was undoubtedly the best introduction to the Brussels policy community and the think tank’s work that I could have asked for.
At 9:30 a.m., my supervisor and I left for the Dolce La Hulpe Hotel outside of Brussels where Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program had organized a two-day democracy retreat. Very soon into the event, I realized that the important-looking people in smart casual attire were indeed the most influential figures in Brussels working on issues pertaining to European democracy. Listening to their deliberation on what a new agenda for European democracy should look like in light of pressing challenges was not only an exceptional educational experience, but also just pure entertainment for an international relations geek like me. Leaving the conference room exhilarated that evening, I had no idea just what the next day had in store for me.
As I walked to the breakfast area early next morning, I saw that my Carnegie supervisor and his respectable guests had sat down at the longest table in the room with a laptop at its head. Addressing the inquisitive listeners as a true Georgian tamada (toastmaster) would from the laptop was European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen. That morning, she was delivering a policy-rich speech at the European Parliament, outlining her vision for the future of the EU to the MEPs. Seeing the childlike excitement and curiosity in everyone’s eyes as they listened to the speech, I was reminded of myself from the day before, relishing the moment of being in all of their presence. This thought gave me a strange sense of comfort; I realized that no matter how different our age or professional experiences were, we all shared a love for politics, a passion so strong that sometimes, completely unintentionally, it made us all look like little kids in a candy store.
Leaving the Dolce La Hulpe that afternoon, I felt blessed to be given an opportunity to do an internship in Brussels, a place where annoyingly unpredictable weather is compensated for by interactions with genuinely passionate professional people. Luckily, in the coming weeks, I would realize that my first day at Carnegie Europe had set the tone for the rest of my internship here.
