My American Internship: Pauline R. of France
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Our "My American Internship" series features CIEE BridgeUSA participants who submitted entries to our photo essay contest. Pauline R. of France served as an intern at Solvay in Bristol, Pennsylvania.
Choosing just one or two photos for this contest was nearly impossible – my camera roll is overflowing with memories from Chicago, New Orleans, Texas, the American West, Boston, Vermont, Washington D.C., and countless other adventures. But these two images capture the heart of what made my CIEE BridgeUSA Intern program so life changing: the friendships, the cultural immersion, and the love story that brought me more than I ever dreamed possible.
The Keys Independence Day: A Perfect Moment of Pure Joy
This sunset photograph from our July Fourth celebration in the Florida Keys represents everything magical about my American adventure. For my two French roommates and me, being in Key West felt like reaching the end of the world – it was our absolute dream destination. There we were, just the three of us in this magical moment, completely alone with the most incredible sunset painting the sky. We had shared everything during our American journey, and this felt like the perfect culmination of our adventure.
What makes this image even more special is how we got it – and how it changed my life forever. An American guy on vacation with his friends noticed us enjoying this perfect moment and thought we looked so beautiful and happy together that he spontaneously captured it for us. When we returned to shore, he approached us with a smile and shared the photo via WhatsApp, saying it was too beautiful not to preserve.
Little did I know that this random act of kindness would become the beginning of the most beautiful love story. That stranger who took our photo is now my boyfriend, and he followed his heart all the way to France, where we now live together. What started as a simple gesture from a kind American on vacation became a love story that crossed oceans and changed both our lives.
The NYC Pride Moment: Celebrating American Values with My French Family
The second image was taken during New York City's Pride parade with my French roommates, and it represents the cultural immersion that made this experience so profound.
What makes this photo even more special is that it was captured on my beloved Kodak film camera. We only discovered this magical moment when we developed the roll in France, making it an emotional surprise that brought all the memories flooding back.
Marching through Manhattan's streets, participating in this vibrant celebration of diversity and inclusion, I experienced America's spirit of acceptance. Living with my French roommates, we became a little family navigating American culture together, supporting each other through homesickness, celebrating our discoveries, and creating bonds that transcend borders.
More Than an Internship: A Journey That Changed Everything
From the professional growth in my workplace to road trips across America, from spontaneous adventures in Chicago to the magic of New Orleans jazz, every moment of my CIEE BridgeUSA experience exceeded my wildest expectations. But the greatest gift wasn't just the career development or cultural immersion – it was finding love in the most unexpected place and building friendships that will last a lifetime.
These photos represent just a fraction of an incredible journey that took me from coast to coast, through small Vermont towns and bustling Texas cities, from the monuments of Washington to the beaches of the Keys. But they capture the essence of what made it all so special: the connections, the kindness of strangers, and the magic that happens when you open your heart to adventure.
My boyfriend now calls France home, my French roommates remain my closest friends, and America will forever hold a piece of my heart. Thank you CIEE for making this transformative – and romantic – adventure possible.
Sometimes the best journeys are the ones that bring you exactly where you never knew you needed to be.