After Election Day Abroad, Back to the ’Burbs
Me and Jeremy Corbyn, who ran for Prime Minister and lost, but is still the Labour Party leader.
Now that I am back on campus, I am reflecting about my time abroad in London. Thinking back now, I feel like I was in a dream.
My last day in London was a blur. I was so incredibly exhausted, but as an intern in Parliament, I was able to take part in Election Day. This election was between Boris Johnson (Trump-like politician) and Jeremy Corbyn (far-left version of Bernie Sanders). Tension in the U.K. was incredibly high—similar to how it was in the U.S. during the 2016 election.
I had been looking forward to Election Day since it was announced mid-fall. Since their elections last only a handful of weeks, everything is incredibly fast-paced in comparison to an election here. Thursday, Dec. 12— exactly two days before I was heading back home—I had to submit two final papers, pack, and then head to work for some last-minute door knocking to ask if constituents had voted. Throughout the morning, I somehow managed to shove all my items into my suitcase, get dressed in something comfortable that would last me until 8 a.m., and left.
I did my absolute best to vlog election day, but since a large majority of the activities I did that day were confidential, I could not film at all while around the ballots. As you can see in this very short video, election day is not too different from how it is in the United States. But what was incredibly different was that once the polls closed, we all went to the community building where we watched officials count ballots. I was there until around 4 a.m., and then headed to my newly elected Parliament member’s (an elected official similar to a congresswoman or senator) house.
This was my last day at my internship, which was bittersweet, but a very surreal experience that I will always remember. My semester abroad and the skills I learned from my internship were incredibly useful, and I could not be more grateful for the experience. I am much more confident in my networking skills and being in an intensive, high-paced work environment, which I know will help me in the future with my career.
