The Cross Cultural Internship Program began for Sessions A and J exchange visitors on Monday, May 25, and it is already providing them with opportunities for team-building and cultural exploration. Besides endeavoring into their internships, the exchange visitors have also come together as a group full of like-minded but unique personalities.
On Tuesday, May 26, Dan, an SAB leader, planned a surprise party for fellow participant Doris, who was celebrating her birthday. Beforehand, Responsible Officer Elizabeth Kay had dinner with Doris and a few other participants at a nearby Japanese restaurant where they ate ice-cream cake and also sang Happy Birthday. At the residence, Doris was left alone while the others gathered to surprise her with a birthday party. She cried tears of joy and was thankful the group took such an initiative to celebrate her special day. Dan remarked, "It felt good to make certain she knew she was surrounded by friends who enjoyed celebrating her birthday with her. It made her feel more comfortable and content even though she is away from home."
On the next day, Wednesday, a group of CCIP students interning in Manhattan gathered for dinner in the Financial District. The activity was lead by Erwin Wan, a student from the National University of Singapore and an SAB leader. Erwin commented, "Though it's only the third day, we already feel excited about working in the city and can't wait to immerse ourselves in city life." Before dining together, the group took a sightseeing excursion to visit the iconic Wall Street Bull sculpture and take photos. They then ate at the legendary White Horse Tavern, long a favorite of the Wall Street set. "We laughed a lot and enjoyed sharing our photos with the entire group later. Those who could not attend wished they had been there to experience the happiness," Erwin remarked. Afterwards, the group commuted back to Flushing together to share their photos and sightseeing story with the rest of the group.
The week continued with an excited, optimistic spirit about the coming cultural excursions, namely a weekend visit to the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is synonymous with multiculturalism, a quality many of the exchange visitors also count as being deeply meaningful to their own points of view.
