I already made a post talking about my time interning at JRNC. But I feel like that was formal and didn’t highlight all the fun experiences that I encountered during my four months in Rome. So, as I prepare for my final presentation of my work at the refugee center, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite times that I hold dear to me.
September was a month of a lot of painting for me. I was assigned to psychosocial activities which are designed for us to bond with our guests and get to know one another. While I was wary of spending so much time painting and playing board games, this was one of the ways that I was able to build rapport with the people that I was serving. I have mentioned in a previous post that I have very minimal artistic ability, but I was pumping out work like Picasso. Was the work good per se? No comment on that. This was a transition for me, but I thoroughly began to look forward to sitting down and bonding with our guests while playing in paint. Here is one of my best pieces to date.
October was the month of cinnamon rolls and football. We were able to raise enough money to rent out a football field and host a game for our guests. Many of the guests at JNRC come from countries where football is a big part of social life. Successfully raising money to rent out supplies and the field was a highlight of the month and what better way to celebrate that than with freshly baked cinnamon rolls? My coworkers from Sweden brought in all the ingredients to make cinnamon rolls from scratch for National Cinnamon Roll Day. We were pumping out dozens of cinnamon rolls, and I may have swiped a few for myself. Not only did this serve as a cultural exchange, but it also was a sweet treat for everyone to enjoy.
November was a month of many thanksgivings and bonding with our guests. We received an influx of donations that we had to sift through so this was a busy month for us all. However, all this meant that we had more to offer our guests to keep warm during the upcoming winter. But even with all the hard work, we found time to come together as a community and share a meal. While not a lot of photos came from this month, I was able to greet our guests with a smile and conversation as the holiday season came around.
From playing with children to hosting a fashion show- this is my love letter to JNRC. My time there was amazing, and I hope to return in the future! Learn more about Temple Rome internships.