Working 9 to 5

The first day of my internship, I was trembling in my high heels.  Sweat accumulated on the back of my neck as I sat, much too overdressed for the occasion, in the waiting area for my supervisor to arrive. I had arrived 40 minutes early to the office, both out of fear that I would get lost, or maybe, just maybe, I had read the time wrong the last 20 times that I checked my email.

In short, I was scared.

Looking back on it now, I can't blame myself.  At that point, I had only been in Australia for a month. That's enough time to take notice and understand the new culture, but just not quite get it.  There I was, a naive American student, getting ready to begin my position as the Media and Communications intern for Cancer Council NSW, Australia's largest cancer charity and one of the most notable health-centered companies in New South Wales. I was excited, nervous, and scared all at the same time. Quite frankly, I wasn't mentally ready, but alas the day had come.

However, near immediately, my fears of working were diminished. Cancer Council's signature yellow color and daffodil logo plastered the walls of the office, and happy faces greeted me as my supervisor, Ali, gave me a tour of the office and showed me to my desk. We set up my computer, put my name on my desk, and within the first day, I had already developed a media project and contributed in a group meeting. Through their actions and their words, my fellow workers at Cancer Council assured me that I would not be treated simply as an unpaid intern for making coffee runs; they made me feel like a true member of the team.

In my position, I work specifically on media releases and PR opportunities for Cancer Council's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea and Stars of New South Wales: Dance for Cancer events.  I additionally run the social media accounts for the Dance for Cancer events, as well as monitor, track, and report on Cancer Council's media coverage in various Metro Sydney outlets.

As I work, I constantly am reminded that my work is not wasted. Every word I type and every call I make adds to Cancer Council's mission of beating cancer, and that in the end makes the job worth every second.