Today is my last day as a Fall 2010 Geography Intern at National Geographic. The occasion is bittersweet as I am excited to move on, but also very sad to say goodbye to all of the people and the wonderful projects that have made the last few months so fulfilling.

To keep up the MWW Blog tradition of having a “Five for Friday” post on Fridays, I have decided to make this Friday’s post about the five things from my internship that I have enjoyed the most and will miss the most after I leave.

1. Meeting Fascinating Photographers, Writers, Explorers, and More
One of my favorite things to do, especially now that I have graduated from college, is meet and talk with adults about their careers, what they do, and how they got to where they are today. I was fortunate enough to meet several people who either work for or are affiliated with National Geographic during my internship. These people included a photographer who specializes in wildfire photography, an explorer who studies an endemic species in Madagascar, the founder of the Conservation Fund, and the head of the National Geographic Maps division. Each person was a veteran and expert in their respective field, and I learned a great deal and felt inspired from each and every one of them.

2. Making 10 Awesome Friends
…and I could not be more thankful for it. Spending time with my fellow interns, bonding with people who share a similar love for geography, and developing a special form of camaraderie made coming to work every day and living in a new place especially fun and enjoyable. I want to send a shout-out to my fellow interns, and say thank you for being one of the most fun-loving, enthusiastic, motivated, and inspiring bunch of kids I’ve ever had the benefit of spending so much time with. You guys rock.   

3. Living in the Nation’s Capital
Washington D.C. is one of America’s major cities, so naturally it offers a ton of activities and fun things to do. But D.C. also has some things to offer that not every city does, such as free entry to any and all Smithsonian Museums (of which there are plenty), countless parades, demonstrations, and rallies on the National Mall and throughout the district, and a beautiful, warm fall season that extends into November. And on top of everything it has to offer, it’s aesthetically pleasing as well. With low-rise buildings, open, wide avenues, and an abundance of trees and shrubs, it’s quite a pleasant city to wander through.

4. Working With the Best Supervisor
For the past several months, I had the pleasure of working with Sarah Jane. I would like to thank her for being such a fantastic supervisor. She was gracious, helpful, genial, and most importantly, fun. I not only had a great time working with her, but she taught me a great deal as well. I admire the pride she takes in her work, the patience she maintains regardless of how much she has on her plate at one time, and the enjoyment she gets out of her job and the people she works with.  

5. Working For a Good Cause
I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work for an organization and a cause that I believe in. The global and especially national rates of geo-literacy have ample room for improvement. While I encourage everyone to study and pursue whatever they find exciting, interesting, and captivating, I think it is necessary that students of all ages are exposed to the discipline of geography just as they are exposed to math, science, and English. During my internship, whether it was sending out geography education materials to our Geographic Alliances all over the country, or hosting the Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-thon, I knew I was promoting and spreading geographic knowledge and supporting a noble cause.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make this internship so wonderful. After my time here at National Geographic, I feel even more prepared and excited for my next adventure!