Here’s to Fairfood: my experience and what I learned about myself

There I was, with a canceled flight ticket, closed borders, and no idea what was going to be my next move. But this is not a pity-party. I cannot complain and here’s why: through my own connections, I found an internship at one of the most amazing NGOs in the Netherlands – Fairfood. They call themselves a “small team on a big mission” and now I know why. These people work tirelessly to give the farmers and workers – who are often victims of exploitation, unfair pricing, and experience a lack of living income – the opportunity to finally have a say in their supply chain. At Fairfood transparency and traceability is the way to go! It is inspiring work and I got to be a part of it as a MarCom intern. My tasks were multifold, really, I did everything from brainstorming sessions, organising online events, social media management, to copywriting; none of it was ever boring.

Overall, my experience at this non-profit was otherworldly. I was welcomed with open arms and I never once felt excluded. In fact, my supervisor would include me in most meetings, give me advice, and extensive feedback whenever I needed it. I cannot be anything short from grateful for my experience at Fairfood; even though I was not supposed to be there, I was and it was the best learning experience of my life.

Besides, I need to give credit where credit is due. At Fairfood I learned a lot about what my passions are. I still remember that one interview question my supervisor asked me: “Do you like writing?” I confidently replied with a “Yes, I enjoy writing. I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid.” At that point, however, I was not that confident in my writing skills. Turns out that I have a ‘natural talent’ for writing according to my supervisor (who, if I can mention has an extensive writing career). Something I cannot be happier about. It was my first time writing professionally and if I can say so myself: I did a pretty good job. This definitely turned the tides for me. I’ve always dreamed of being that one bad-a** marketeer that has endless creativity to create groundbreaking, attention-grabbing, and disruptive campaigns. I never once thought of writing as my job. Yet, I can confidently see myself now as a content writer in a corporation or a freelance writer. So, there are decisions to be made. This is my thought process at the moment:  Which one? Or both? A combination of both is also possible. Well, I do not have the answer to any of those questions right now, but I am 100% sure that I chose the right track and the right profession.

So, if I end at the beginning I would say: life definitely throws curveballs your way, but it is how you handle them that makes all the difference. Me? I am kind of liking it.