Olivia Fambrini Interning in Brussels with the Belgian Red Cross

Published: Sept. 25, 2021
O.F.

Recent INTS alumna, Olivia Fambrini, passed along this note to share:

"After 6 months of learning and growing, I am starting an internship here in Brussels with the Belgian Red Cross (Croix-Rouge de Belgique) and a one-year master's in Political Science at the Université Libre de Bruxelles! It has been a learning-filled and exciting first 6 months. The international migration situation here in Bruxelles is incredibly interesting and completely foreign to me, giving me a new perspective on my work and professional challenge. Also, of course... it's Bruxelles and alllllll the EU and international headquarters are here. I've been working at an Italian restaurant here and it's really funny when I get to talking to tables about what I do when I'm not serving pizza or what I studied and they end up handing me their European Commission or EU business card when they leave... Almost everyone here is from somewhere else or has ties to other places. Almost all the staff in the part of the Red Cross I am interning in, are from other places... Iraq, Italy, Syria, France, United Kingdom... Bruxelles is certainly living up to its international reputation. I am interning in a day center that the Red Cross operates for houseless refugees, transmigrants, and asylum seekers. The day center itself is in a commandeered/vacant car workshop and showroom. Here is a little video (with English subtitles haha) about the center itself. Most of the people we see are people who crossed the Mediterranean via boat or who made it to Belgium via Turkey and Eastern Europe. Anyways that's a little bit what I've been up to. I'd love to hear an update about the INTS program! Also, if any current INTS students have questions about moving and/or working abroad, feel free to send them my contact info. I'd love to help more INTS students find their way abroad if they are interested."