Internship Reflections　Small Growth — One Year at andu amet

March 28, 2026

Internship Reflections

Small Growth — One Year at andu amet

This time, we would like to share the one-year journey of our intern, Ouka, who was involved in both e-commerce and store operations.

Nice to meet you.
My name is Ouka, and I am graduating from my internship at andu amet. It has been about a year since I started my internship.
When I first joined, I was mainly in charge of social media management, and now I have had the opportunity to be involved in various tasks, including store operations and creating newsletters.

Andu amet has been an inspiring environment for me — filled with things I experienced, saw, and learned for the very first time.

I was also fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful fellow interns. Although we shared similar interests, each of us had different perspectives, and both our casual conversations and deeper discussions became precious memories to me.
As I was given the opportunity to write this blog and reflect on the past year, I realized that beyond the new skills and experiences I gained, what changed the most was the way I see the world.
This past year was far more than what the word “internship” alone can describe for me. It was a year of personal growth and changes in mindset, and I would like to look back on that journey here.

Why I Chose an Internship at audu amet

At the time I was searching for an internship, there were three things that mattered most to me:

To gain practical foundational skills such as research and presentation preparation before entering the workforce
To be in an environment where I could experience social issues and sustainability in developing countries in a tangible and personal way, rather than only academically
To approach social issues naturally through fields I was personally interested in — such as fashion, color, and image-making through styling

Andu amet was a place where all three of these came together. I still remember being naturally drawn to the brand’s presence — luxurious, yet never overly forceful in its ethical message.

The Origin of My Interest in International Cooperation

My interest in international cooperation and social structures was not something clear from the very beginning.

Until middle school, I was simply a free-spirited child who devoted herself to swimming and hula dancing lessons and grew up watching foreign animation. Far from having an interest in international cooperation or social structures, I do not think I was even particularly “good” at English, which was probably my greatest interest at the time. I was, in many ways, an uncertain and undefined person.

Later, through various experiences abroad during high school and university, I encountered different cultures and values, which gradually led me to become interested in developing countries and international cooperation. In particular, my experience visiting Bhutan during high school became something that profoundly shaped who I am today. Although the stay lasted only ten days, it became the foundation of my current values and interests. It strongly made me realize that “what is considered normal is not necessarily universal,” and that “a life without inconvenience does not always equal happiness.”

This visit to Bhutan became the catalyst for my growing interest in developing countries, international cooperation, and the values of the people living there. Wanting to deepen these questions in my own way, I studied social research and social psychology at university, while also broadening my studies in economics, urban development, and international affairs at a university in the United States.

A Place Where the Word “Support” Became More Real

As I continued my studies, one word that particularly stayed with me was “support.”
When people hear the word support, they often imagine direct actions such as providing supplies or donations. However, I repeatedly heard in class the question of whether those actions truly contribute to the future of the local community. It was emphasized that, beyond short-term assistance, what truly matters is creating systems that allow people to live independently afterward. Still, even though I thought I understood this intellectually, it remained somewhat vague as a real feeling.

During my internship at andu amet, that feeling gradually began to change.
Rather than simply providing donations, the company creates an environment where local people can develop expertise and continue working with pride. Andu amet’s efforts — having its own workshop in Ethiopia and creating work opportunities for artisans — allowed me to experience in everyday life what I had previously only learned through words as “sustainable support.”

The Fear of Remaining “Uninformed”

Another experience that left a strong impression on me during my time at andu amet was the fear of being “uninformed.”

As someone who had always been interested in international affairs and believed I was keeping up with global issues, the blog written by Samejima-san, “The War in Ethiopia and the Invisible Scars” was deeply shocking to me.

Until then, I had viewed the civil war in Ethiopia somewhat abstractly, as something happening in a distant country. However, learning that family members of the workshop staff had been forcibly conscripted into the military, and that even after returning from the battlefield they continued living with severe PTSD, completely changed that perspective. I also learned about families who, while raising young children, continued waiting for the return of husbands who had been mentally scarred by the war. Each of these stories confronted me with the reality that war is never just news from the past or a matter of numbers and statistics.

There were also occasions when Samejima-san spoke directly to us about the current situation in Ethiopia. Hearing these stories from someone who had actually lived and worked there carried a weight entirely different from reading articles or watching the news. Every time I heard about the difficulties of continuing to operate the workshop, and about how deeply the effects of war had penetrated everyday life, I was reminded of how limited the world I had previously seen truly was.

If I had never become involved with andu amet, I might have continued living without ever knowing these realities. When I realized that, what frightened me was not simply “not knowing,” but the fact that I could have remained unaware without ever questioning it.

Experiences in Store Operations and Modeling

Working in the store was also one of the most meaningful experiences for me.

I had always considered myself good at communication, but customer service at andu amet required more than that. It demanded not only communication skills, but also a deep understanding of the products and the unique perspective of the brand itself.

In addition to learning the basic knowledge about leather, such as its characteristics and comfort, I also learned to incorporate andu amet’s ideas about color therapy into conversations with customers. Through this, I tried to connect with each customer’s lifestyle and feelings on a personal level. As I continued making these efforts, I felt genuinely happy and fulfilled whenever I thought that my own words may have inspired someone to become interested in the products.

In addition, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to be involved with the brand as a model.

I never imagined that one day I would appear on the website of a fashion brand together with my father. Even now, every time I look at the photos with him, I cannot help but laugh at how awkward we looked together. I am truly grateful that I was able to personally experience how andu amet’s products naturally fit into everyday life.

Looking Back After One Year

Looking back on this past year, I feel that what I gained was not so much clear answers, but rather the attitude of continuing to question.

Not assuming that I can easily understand the world or society. Having the imagination to think about the time, effort, and human lives behind beauty and luxury.

The time I spent at andu amet continues to reshape my values.
Although I am still in the middle of learning, I feel that the experiences I had in this place have become a solid foundation for me as I move forward into society.

Finally

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the staff members at andu amet who supported me throughout this past year, as well as to all the customers I had the opportunity to meet in the store every day.

Thank you very much.

Every casual conversation, every moment spent listening to customers, and every warm word I received became a great source of learning and encouragement for me. Cherishing the experiences I gained here, I hope to continue growing step by step from here onward.