3:51 p.m., July 21, 2008--“Coming to a different country on my own and meeting hundreds of new people really puts things in perspective. You mature very fast and learn to cope with things a lot better. Seeing the world is a great thing, and I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity.”

The speaker is UD senior Jessica Falborn who has a summer internship with the U.S. Department of State at its embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, with support from a James R. Soles Undergraduate Citizenship Stipend from UD.

An international relations major with minors in Spanish and Arabic, Falborn is one of four interns at the embassy and works in the Regional Security Office, which handles the security and law enforcement at the embassy. The goal of the program is to give interns experience so that they can consider a career in the Foreign Service.

Falborn has been involved in forming an Overseas Security Advisory Council in Tunisia to foster cooperation between the U.S. government and American private sector security organizations overseas. She also has been involved in security systems for embassy residences and other security processes.

Falborn admits living alone in a house in North Africa for the first few days was something of an adjustment, but when roommates arrived, she was able to help them settle in their new surroundings. The interns are driven to work and home each day and have access to facilities at the embassy, such as the gym. They spend free time exploring Tunis, trying out the local cuisine and practicing and improving their Arabic.

The interns also have had opportunities to explore the countryside, such as a camping trip to the Sahara desert, sleeping in tents and taking a camel ride into the desert. Another memorable visit was to the catacombs of Sousse.

Falborn, who said she hopes to attend law school after graduation, said the internship helped her decide what she wants to do with her life and she is interested in working in law enforcement with the federal government. “Working in the Regional Security Office really shows me what it's all about. It is not all high-profile security measures all day every day, but sometimes it's a little more fast-paced,” she said.

At UD, Falborn is a student supervisor for the Fund of Delaware and is a Blue Hen Ambassador. She also is a language partner with the English Language Institute and is a member of the Senior Class gift committee. She said UD has prepared her for real-life experience, given her self-confidence and the ability to talk to people from many different backgrounds. She said she was grateful to Barbara Ford, senior secretary in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, who regularly sends out e-mails letting students know about internships and other opportunities, which is how she learned about her current post.

Falborn also credits her parents who have supported and encouraged her and taught her “you can only learn to swim by jumping in the water, not by standing on the side and watching.”

Article by Sue Moncure
Photos courtesy of Jessica Falborn