Serbian Assembly backstage: Impressions of an intern
Svetlana's experience
A friend informed me about the open application for an internship in Parliament, co-ordinated by the University and the OSCE. It is in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, in one of its committees or parliamentary caucuses. The work would involve 10 to 15 hours a week and include a monthly stipend. When I think about it, this would provide an ideal opportunity to see political processes from the inside.
I apply and am accepted. I will be an intern in the committee of my choice. The committee's name sounds serious and official, and I expect that I'll be working with strict, perpetually-worried individuals. I'm not sure what and how much will be expected of me and I fear that my internship will be reduced to photocopying and phone calls. I hope I will not become a courier.
The first day
As I enter the office, I think to myself that the person I meet is not who I am looking for. Instead, he is young, pleasant and communicative, and he asks me what is it I would like to do. I am completely confused. Then he asks me what working hours would suit me best. There goes my fear of having to face only strict and formal co-workers.
Soon afterwards I am introduced to the Board President. He does not fit my expectations either: he is not gray, slow-motioned, formal or perpetually worried. Already he informs me of a meeting that he wants me to attend "and arrive 15 minutes earlier, he adds. This also does not fit my impression of a slow-functioning parliament.
My internship continues with gathering legal documents, taking notes, etc. Then, the parliamentary sessions take place, with discussions on the adoption of the budget, the Constitutional Charter, and all those issues that look so important and untouchable on TV. And there I am, among the people who make the decisions.
A change
After a couple of months I receive a scholarship for a study abroad program but I will need approval for a longer leave. I hesitate because I don't want it to put an end to my internship. I get a positive answer - Hurray! But after only two days away, I begin to check the news and websites related to "my" parliamentary board. I feel I am missing out on what's really going on in parliament.
Upon my return to Belgrade, I am overtaken by the fear that everything will have changed and I will not be able to catch up. I am right in both aspects; however I am also coming back with new ideas. The President of the Board is delighted, the Secretary agrees and the Public Information Office fully supports me. I am surprised again.
Impressions
I've been asked many times to explain the purpose of the internship programme and what I do exactly in Parliament. My attitude from the beginning was to take the nine-month internship as an opportunity to learn about the processes involved with making and amending laws, to participate in the parliamentary sessions and to learn about how the parliamentary Boards function in practice. I also hoped to learn about what parts of theory are difficult and what parts are easy to put into practice. In this respect, the programme has fully met my expectations.
I did not end up working as a courier. Instead, I now have an understanding of the processes I could previously only guess about. The internship has reinforced and added to the knowledge of parliamentary functions I gained at University. Yet I am aware that there is still so much to learn.
(Svetlana Stojancic is currently undertaking an OSCE Mission internship program in the Serbian parliament)
A friend informed me about the open application for an internship in Parliament, co-ordinated by the University and the OSCE. It is in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, in one of its committees or parliamentary caucuses. The work would involve 10 to 15 hours a week and include a monthly stipend. When I think about it, this would provide an ideal opportunity to see political processes from the inside.
I apply and am accepted. I will be an intern in the committee of my choice. The committee's name sounds serious and official, and I expect that I'll be working with strict, perpetually-worried individuals. I'm not sure what and how much will be expected of me and I fear that my internship will be reduced to photocopying and phone calls. I hope I will not become a courier.
The first day
As I enter the office, I think to myself that the person I meet is not who I am looking for. Instead, he is young, pleasant and communicative, and he asks me what is it I would like to do. I am completely confused. Then he asks me what working hours would suit me best. There goes my fear of having to face only strict and formal co-workers.
Soon afterwards I am introduced to the Board President. He does not fit my expectations either: he is not gray, slow-motioned, formal or perpetually worried. Already he informs me of a meeting that he wants me to attend "and arrive 15 minutes earlier, he adds. This also does not fit my impression of a slow-functioning parliament.
My internship continues with gathering legal documents, taking notes, etc. Then, the parliamentary sessions take place, with discussions on the adoption of the budget, the Constitutional Charter, and all those issues that look so important and untouchable on TV. And there I am, among the people who make the decisions.
A change
After a couple of months I receive a scholarship for a study abroad program but I will need approval for a longer leave. I hesitate because I don't want it to put an end to my internship. I get a positive answer - Hurray! But after only two days away, I begin to check the news and websites related to "my" parliamentary board. I feel I am missing out on what's really going on in parliament.
Upon my return to Belgrade, I am overtaken by the fear that everything will have changed and I will not be able to catch up. I am right in both aspects; however I am also coming back with new ideas. The President of the Board is delighted, the Secretary agrees and the Public Information Office fully supports me. I am surprised again.
Impressions
I've been asked many times to explain the purpose of the internship programme and what I do exactly in Parliament. My attitude from the beginning was to take the nine-month internship as an opportunity to learn about the processes involved with making and amending laws, to participate in the parliamentary sessions and to learn about how the parliamentary Boards function in practice. I also hoped to learn about what parts of theory are difficult and what parts are easy to put into practice. In this respect, the programme has fully met my expectations.
I did not end up working as a courier. Instead, I now have an understanding of the processes I could previously only guess about. The internship has reinforced and added to the knowledge of parliamentary functions I gained at University. Yet I am aware that there is still so much to learn.
(Svetlana Stojancic is currently undertaking an OSCE Mission internship program in the Serbian parliament)