Walking Up That Hill: A Journey of Learning and Inspiration at Getty
Every morning, as I walk up the road to the Getty Center, one of two campuses that comprise the J.Paul Getty Trust, surrounded by tall trees, bright greenery, and the gentle surprise of deer standing unafraid of people, I feel a quiet sense of wonder. The climb toward Getty, which stands majestically on the hills of Los Angeles, offers a view that takes your breath away: the vast city stretching endlessly below, and, in the distance, the soft shimmer of the Pacific Ocean.
This image would have remained only a dream if I were not one of the selected Fellows of the AADF Master & Internship Program. But today, thanks to this opportunity, I am living that dream, walking up that hill every day to experience a meaningful professional and personal journey at one of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to exhibiting, conserving, and understanding the world’s artistic and cultural heritage.
Although at first it felt like a great challenge, with each passing day this experience takes on deeper meaning, grows lighter, and fills me with new understanding, just like my goal to explore the challenges that climate change brings to cultural heritage sites, which is the focus of my research at Getty.
Upon reaching the Getty Center, you immediately sense that you are in a place where nature, art, and knowledge meet and coexist in harmony. Getty operates not merely as a single institution but as a living ecosystem of creativity, research, and collaboration, uniting under one shared vision the Getty Museum, the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Research Institute, and the Getty Foundation, each contributing to the preservation, study, and promotion of art and cultural heritage around the world.
Within the Getty Conservation Institute, where I work, every day feels like joining an academic family, a place where innovation, teamwork, and knowledge-sharing shape the rhythm of daily life. There is always something new to learn, from the shelves lined with books and scientific publications, to field projects and laboratories, while the museum’s pavilions often feel like endless labyrinths of knowledge and inspiration.
However, it is the small human moments that touch me most deeply each day. As I walk through Getty’s galleries and gardens, where sunlight reflects off white marble and the endless colors of the landscape, I am greeted by the warmth of so many smiles. From the security guards to the staff serving warm meals in the restaurant, to colleagues and even strangers, everyone reflects a sense of kindness and positivity that makes each day meaningful.
The conversations and encounters become even warmer whenever I speak about Albania, Saranda and Butrint, about our rich cultural heritage and the unique beauty of my country in the heart of the Mediterranean and Europe.
And often, the days pass almost unnoticed, flowing with a calm and beautiful rhythm. Each morning brings a new lesson, a new conversation, a new face that greets me with kindness. Every day becomes a small chapter that teaches me something new about work, about life, and about myself.
Each day on this hill reminds me why I chose this path and that this internship has been an experience beyond my expectations: an opportunity to learn from the best, to see up close how science and art intertwine to preserve human history, and to feel that my own journey is part of a greater mission.
Internship Fellow 2025-2026: Evjeni Mato
