My formal education was slowly coming to an end, so I had to think about what and how to continue. Friends often encouraged me to apply for the tenders they sent me, and among them was also the one for an internship with MEP Irena Joveva at the European Parliament in Brussels. I applied.
After the selection process was completed, I received an email saying that I had been selected for one of two two-month internships in Brussels. Honestly, it was completely unexpected and I was very excited about the upcoming experience. Unexpected, especially from the perspective that I have no formal or informal experience in politics, international relations or related fields, as I have a master’s degree in economics and business. Nevertheless, I have always been interested in politics, especially in relation to the European Union. My master’s thesis was also on the topic of copyright regulation in the European Union and the Republic of Slovenia, and this internship gave me direct insight into the very heart of the process of creating certain regulatory frameworks.
On my first working day, I was met in front of the Parliament by my colleague Elma, with whom I shared an office throughout my internship. I can only speak highly of Elma, as she is a master of networking, speaking foreign languages, and an extremely knowledgeable and open person who is always ready to help. The other two members of the Brussels team, Žana and Rok, also made a big impression on me on the first day when they welcomed me so casually and then, over lunch, confidently explained to me about the documents and articles they were currently working on. Of course, I must not forget Irena, who completely breaks the stereotype of the lofty politician. Irena is relaxed, smiling, always ready to talk, and at the same time, she is maximally professional in her work. What impressed me the most is definitely her diligence in her work and how this work affects people.
The Parliament, as a building, is indeed a huge modern labyrinth, but honestly I didn’t have any major problems with orientation, as our offices were on the third floor, which is the so-called connecting floor, and therefore navigating the Parliament is so much easier.
In the first week already, I was exposed to the dynamics of work in the Parliament, as we were waiting for a “mini-plenary” lasting two days. Unlike the usual plenary week, which takes place in Strasbourg, this one takes place in Brussels. This experience was undoubtedly a welcome shock and an extremely interesting event for me. On the first day of the plenary session, actress Cate Blanchett also addressed the MEPs, which caused a real small chaos in front of the hall. Colleagues in the office even mentioned that they had not experienced such crowds since Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech.
The team made sure that I got to know all aspects of working in the Parliament, which I am very happy about, as I had the opportunity to participate in an extremely important work. I heard from fellow interns in other offices that this is not such a common practice and that interns are largely responsible for answering the phone and answering emails. Elma definitely made sure that my experience would not be similar, as she not only guided me in my daily tasks, but also guided me from one session to another, to political group meetings, events and so on. During the daily walks to the chambers, she always explained to me who the passers-by were and what they were doing, so I am not exaggerating when I say that she is a master of networking, as she knows most of the staff in the Parliament. During the sessions, she provided me with additional information on the topics under discussion and accompanied them with local wisdom, sometimes even with quotes from poems.
Entering the life and work in the Parliament also required some adjustment, as I do not have practical political experience, unlike most employees of this institution. With this in mind, I took a serious approach to reading the news every day, following daily events, so that I could follow all the events that unfolded day after day.
Brussels, the city of the “bubble”
Living in Brussels, unlike working in the Parliament, was a bit less pleasant. During the entire internship, I only saw the sun twice. We also had rain, and later it often snowed, but this kind of weather is supposed to be typical of Brussels in the autumn and winter.
What surprised me the most was the lack of organization of the municipal system in the city. Instead of dumping waste in large garbage cans, they place their garbage bags on the sidewalks and in front of apartments several times a week, which are later picked up by municipal workers. In other words, you are often accompanied by piles of garbage bags when you walk through the city.
However, the Christmas decorations, lights and the Christmas market itself are wonderful and create a magical atmosphere and fun for everyone. The city also impresses with interesting cultural attractions and museum exhibitions, which I enjoyed visiting on weekends. I visited the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, which is huge and offers a lot of different exhibition spaces, and I also attended a few smaller exhibitions, for example the Tim Burton’s Labyrinth exhibition, which presents the director’s work in a very interesting and innovative way. I also took the time to visit the Belgian cities in the area and saw Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. All the cities surprised me very positively, especially Ghent with its charm and a really picturesque city center. I also attended a rock concert in Brussels, so there was no shortage of free time activities during the internship itself and I really made the most of my time in Belgium.
Christmas Strasbourg
At the end of my internship, I was able to visit Strasbourg at Christmas, where we had a real plenary session. The Parliament in France is much more difficult to navigate, but it has a similar concept of a connecting floor to the Parliament in Brussels. Plenary sessions are a truly special experience, as there is a lot of work to do, as well as a huge number of events and meetings to attend. In my opinion, the hectic nature of such a week gives this job even more charm, although I personally do not understand the point of moving the entire Parliament staff to a completely different country for a week every month. At least because of the environmental impact of such a project, but it is also a huge time drain for everyone involved.
During the plenary session, we also attended a Christmas dinner, where there was enough time for a little more informal socializing and relaxation. The city of Strasbourg is famous for its large Christmas market and the beautiful decoration of the city center itself. The view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral is simply breathtaking.
I have to thank the entire team, Irena, Elma, Žana, Rok, Jasna, Marko and Samanta for all the patience and trust shown during the internship. It was an incredible experience that will serve me well for the rest of my life, as it forced me to step out of my comfort zone and face areas where I was not exactly at home. I gained a lot of new acquaintances and knowledge that I will cherish forever. At the same time, I gained an insight into the functioning of a large international institution, which is invaluable.
– Matevž Mandl
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