Dursun bursts through the door of the Senate office, leaving behind her a whir of activity, calls from constituents, and political chatter. At her internship at Senator Kirsten Gillibrand [7]’s (D-NY) office in the United States Congress, Dursun is a long way from her home in Central Asia.
A Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Eurasia and Central Asia [8] fellow studying at American University [9] in Washington, DC, Dursun is gaining firsthand experience in the inner workings of American democracy so that she may return to her country and help shape its nascent democracy. She joins the ranks of many Global UGRAD fellows who choose to perform their internships in government offices, experience the American brand of democracy in action, and later apply their new knowledge to their home countries in the former Soviet Union.
Dursun knows that strengthening democracy in the region will be crucial to long-term development: “We are just a newly independent country, so we have a long way to go. We’re now trying to build a democracy in the transition, so we have a lot to learn from countries like the US.”
At the Senate office, by answering phone calls and emails from constituents and giving group tours of the Capitol, she not only hears the pressing issues that most concern Americans, but she also gains a deep understanding of the history of American democracy. “Being an intern on Capitol Hill is a great opportunity to get a really close view of how democracy works and how the people are represented, how their voices are being heard by government leaders,” Dursun said.
In addition to gaining intimate knowledge about democracy, Dursun is learning about American culture. She said she has been constantly greeted with warmth and friendliness during her time in the US. Throughout her childhood, since she started to learn English, she had hoped to come to the US to learn more about American culture and systems.
Focused on her goal of serving the government, Dursun plans to finish her studies at American University in Bulgaria [10] and return home: “This is a great opportunity for me to work as a citizen diplomat because I have a big dream of becoming a foreign officer or diplomat in the future and representing my country and my people.”
The Global UGRAD Program [8] is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs [11] of the United States Department of State [12], and is implemented by IREX.