Washington DC was definitely my best summer ever! I worked at the Development Economics Research Group in the Office of the Chief Economist at the World Bank. The summer internship was unique because of the numerous intersections between economics and public policy. I conducted research on the immigration and labor policies of the ten countries in Southeast Asia as well as the policies adopted by other industrialized democracies such as Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and the United States. I prepared a few research papers using the data provided to us by the different governments. The research proved to be useful in helping my team better understand the realities on the ground in Southeast Asia so that they can provide better policy recommendations to the different governments in the region.

The after work hours were the most memorable part of the internship. Summer is a time where I got to know my fellow interns really well. We got to visit different museums in DC, go to the monuments and even visit the White House on a few occasions. Although we didn't get to see Barack or Michelle during our visits, we saw Bo, the presidential dog. The little guy even had Secret Service protection! Looking back, it was definitely a summer that I will miss dearly. And I do look forward to returning to the capital some time in the future.