(UNOC, 2nd of June 20205), FRÉDÉRIC DIDES/AFP
My name is Alexandre D´Amore, and I am currently at The Lycée Francais of Vienna, and I have decided to do my grade 10 one-week internship at TwinPolitics. Before starting, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to pursue in the future or where exactly I wanted to study, however geopolitics was always sort of an interest I wanted to try and pursue, and I therefore decided to apply to TwinPolitics and was kindly accepted and taken charge by Julia Chapotot-Necker. I must admit, I felt quite nervous as I am quite shy and wasn´t sure how this very new work environment was going to be for me, however, from the very beginning, this experience proved to be unlike anything I had previously encountered.
Monday was a very calm day, where I was told that most of the people work from home on Monday therefore, we were only 5 of us at the office. After a brief introduction to the workspace by Julia Chapotot-Necker, I was warmly welcomed by Alice Vadrot, the founder of Twin Politics, where I explained to her my goals of the internship and where she explained to me what I should expect.
Straight after, I read one of Alice Vadrots long and complicated scientific article on multilateralism to which I took notes and learnt many new things. This article really introduced me to a new world and gave me a very good introduction to what TwinPolitics was about. For lunch the whole team ate together, and everyone was very welcoming.
In the afternoon, I worked alongside Emil Wieringa Hildebrand and Felix Nütz (both PhD Students), who explained to me more about Twin Politics and what they were working on, one on Deep-sea mining and the other on reducing plastic pollution in the ocean. They told me that they get to travel a lot to go to conferences and that they would analyze what was said and post articles. The most recent conference was in South Korea. They were also very nice and talked to me about my future, where I would like to study, gave me tips and of course answered all my questions.
Overall, my first day at Twin Politics was a valuable introduction to a very different way of working — one that balances independence with collaboration, and freedom with accountability. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the week unfolds.
On the second day of arrival at the office I worked with Philipp Baun (Communication Officer and Project Manager) who explained to me what his job consists of and showed me what he was working on. He organizes everything that is social media and events and is currently working on a new web site. After this we had a photoshoot which took place at the University of Vienna campus, and this was the first time I had the chance to meet the entire team. I was very lucky to be a part of this photoshoot. Finally in the afternoon I attended one of Alice Vadrot’s classes at the Vienna University in which I got to listen to other students presenting some of their research projects. Although I didn’t fully understand everything, it was a valuable experience that gave me a glimpse into university life and what might awaits me in the near future.
Wednesday was another quiet and relaxed day (probably due to Thursday being a long holiday so many people would take long holidays or leave early), where I started by getting all the questions I had answered. Then I continued reading articles and tried to understand them. At lunch, I spoke with Dr. Arne Langlet, who was very kind and took the time to explain more about Twin Politics and its goals. The afternoon was spent, making research. On Thursday I had no internship but I used this day to prepare for my oral exam on this internship.
The final day of my internship was a day where I spent a lot of reflecting on my week. I first started by writing down what I liked, what I found interesting, what surprised me and if I could see myself working in something similar in the future. I of course finished writing this blog and the had a meeting with Alice in which I thanked her for accepting me for this internship and giving me this opportunity, we also talked about what I had learnt, if I enjoyed my internship and what I found interesting.
This week at TwinPolitics has been an amazing experience, and now that it’s my last day, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything I’ve learned. I’m grateful to have had the chance to be part of such an inspiring and welcoming environment. From the very beginning, everyone made me feel included and valued, which made it much easier to ask questions, share ideas, and get involved.
Over the past few days, I’ve gained a much better understanding of how politics, media, and environment all connect. I got to read scientific articles, join in projects, and see how much thought goes into making politics more accessible and interesting.
One of the things I appreciated most was how open everyone was to sharing their knowledge and experiences. I didn’t feel like “just a student”, I felt like part of the team. This internship has definitely made me more curious about the world of politics and environment, and I’m walking away with new ideas, skills, and inspiration.
What are my main takeaways from this internship?
Looking back on this internship, I’m leaving with a few key takeaways, not just about TwinPolitics, but about myself and the world of work in general. Of course, I learned a lot about how TwinPolitics operates: the way they use media, politics, and creativity to reflect on the environment, and how much planning and teamwork goes into every post, campaign, or event. But what made this experience even more meaningful was everything I learned outside of that.
This was one of the first times I got to really experience what it’s like to be in a real office setting. It was eye-opening to be in an environment where adults are working, thinking, discussing, and creating all day. Just being around that energy helped me grow, I learned how to communicate more clearly, how to ask questions when I didn’t understand something, and how to adapt to a professional setting. Even simple things like joining a conversation, listening in on meetings, or getting feedback on a task taught me a lot.
One thing I found especially interesting was how each person on the team had their own research focus or project they were working on often connected to politics, international relations, or education. Everyone seemed to bring something unique to the table, and it was inspiring to see how diverse the work could be under one organization. I also learned that many people on the team travel regularly for their work attending events, conferences, or workshops in different countries. That part really caught my attention, because it made the job feel active, global, and full of variety and adventure.
By the end of the week, I could honestly start to imagine myself doing something similar in the future. Whether it’s working in political communication, international projects, or just being part of a team that’s working on something meaningful. I realized how exciting and fulfilling that could be. This internship definitely gave me a better understanding of the professional world, and more importantly, it helped me start to picture what kind of future I might want for myself.
Overall, this week has been an experience I won’t forget, and I’m excited to see where everything I’ve learned might take me in the future. A big thank you again to the whole TwinPolitics team for welcoming me and making this such a great experience and thank you to Julia for communicating with me, organizing this amazing week and being welcoming.
