“In February of 2013, I started the Career Israel program. It was not my first experience living abroad, but it was definitely the most complete for two main reasons; the people and the professional support.
Although I knew that I would meet a lot of great people on this program with almost 90 participants, I began the program focused much more on the professional side. However, during the experience I realized that separating those things completely is not always the right way. In your professional life, you don’t only need effort and strategy, you also need inspiration. The people on my program became my inspiration. I met people that I could discuss anything with, people that would make me laugh just by looking at them, people that I felt comfortable enough to ask personal questions and help me learn from my mistakes. I met people that changed my life forever and inspired me to learn and to do what’s right for me and others.
With these people next to me, the challenges that I faced in my both of internships were not annoying and stressful, they became growing experiences. With this attitude, I have been hired by both of my internships at the American Academy in Jerusalem (AAJ), a non-profit program that endorse American artists to come to Jerusalem and develop their projects and NU Campaign, a start-up company that sells t-shirts with cool designs that represent causes.
At AAJ, I’ve worked directly as an assistant to the program’s director as well as doing social media. While at NU, I was asked to focus on online advertising and produce a promotional video. After the program finished, AAJ hired me to continue working with them and the fellows that are about to come and NU hired me not only to write and produce more videos, but to be responsible for their marketing. I rented an apartment with the same roommates I was living with during the program that also decided to stay, and just like that– my life in Israel became official.
Israel is indeed the country of opportunities. If we have a chance to make something of ourselves, Career Israel is a great start.”
Check out photos of Chris at a NU Campaign staff meeting here!
