Becca Phillips' growth through her international internship

Becca Phillips, an International Politics and Policy major, interned this summer with the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia. This “internship of her dreams” grew Phillips’ love for the United States as well as her faith.

Phillips flew to Malaysia for her first day on the job: Jun. 14. After being picked up, Phillips dropped her luggage at the hotel and went straight to work in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Over the course of the week, Phillips attended several meetings with the FBI, Department of War, and even the Department of Agriculture. When Phillips asked her coworkers what it was like to have a new administration every four years, they explained that even though the administration changes, foreign policy does not. Despite slight differences between the Trump and Biden administrations, Phillips stated that her coworkers maintained an America-first policy through it all. Foreign affairs workers focus on keeping their political positions private and staying respectful to those around them. “I got to work with Democrats and Republicans who love America,” said Phillips. “They might hate Trump and Secretary Rubio, but they genuinely are serving Americans every day.”

Phillips' work at the embassy looked different each day. She worked on projects, did some networking for the embassy, and even redesigned the office and consular room.

In her free time, Phillips visited the Batu Caves, a Hindu temple on the outside of a mountain. Massive idols surrounded the temple, and rainbow stairs ascended the side of the mountain. Phillips described how wild monkeys and their babies were everywhere around the site. She also went to the Chinese temple, Theon Hou—an open temple with Chinese lanterns strung across the roof. “You cannot go to religious sites if your shoulders are not covered and your knees are showing. You would have to bring a scarf with you to just wrap around your shoulders if you wanted to go to any religious site,” Phillips said.

Phillips returned to the United States on Aug. 17. While strolling through Costco, she immediately noticed cross necklaces around people’s necks and on display in the store. In Malaysia, Phillips rarely saw visible Christians and was surrounded by false idols. She realized that even though Christian values in the United States are fading, they still heavily influence culture.

“The Lord just showed me how much I had taken for granted, given that I grew up steeped in Christianity," Phillips said. 

 This article was originally published in PHC's student-run publication, The Herald.

Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.