The life changing experience!
I really could not find any better words to describe my Exchange experience with AIESEC. It has opened my eyes, my mind and has changed everything else in my life thereafter.
Wonders!
Knowing nothing about India at all, I embarked on a Developmental Traineeship in India after my first year at NUS. I just knew that I needed a break from NUS as it was too much of a sad&cold place, esp in my first year. AIESEC NUS was promoting 3 destinations at that time - India, Russia and South Africa.
I chose India since it is the nearest to Singapore. It was a crazy decision nonetheless. I did not anticipate how underdeveloped it really could be, how dangerous it actually was for me to travel there alone, living with strangers, being picked up by some guy from the army in New Delhi (non-AIESECer), of not even anticipate about its super crazy HOT weather! (45-47 C). Perhaps, if I were to have done a thorough research about India before leaving Singapore, I would have pulled out from the programme completely. I guess that's what it means when people say that too much information actually impedes growth? Do you realise that actually the more you know, the less you could actually do/achieve? (Not something that came up intuitively. I actually accidentally kinda learnt this concept from the Managment&Organization MNO1101 module at NUS too.)
Anyways, speaking of my DT experience at India, so what did I do?
The experience really brought me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to the bigger world out there. I would have never been so much exposed to both the adversities and diversity in life if this was just any other corporate internship with any investment banks out there. (I interned with an investment a year later.) Hence, I can really assure you that an overseas internship really is beyond just an internship.
Above all, it was truly a life-changing experience for me!
Name : Cathy Chan
I really could not find any better words to describe my Exchange experience with AIESEC. It has opened my eyes, my mind and has changed everything else in my life thereafter.
Seriously, can you imagine how much can a short 8 weeks do to you??
Wonders!
I chose India since it is the nearest to Singapore. It was a crazy decision nonetheless. I did not anticipate how underdeveloped it really could be, how dangerous it actually was for me to travel there alone, living with strangers, being picked up by some guy from the army in New Delhi (non-AIESECer), of not even anticipate about its super crazy HOT weather! (45-47 C). Perhaps, if I were to have done a thorough research about India before leaving Singapore, I would have pulled out from the programme completely. I guess that's what it means when people say that too much information actually impedes growth? Do you realise that actually the more you know, the less you could actually do/achieve? (Not something that came up intuitively. I actually accidentally kinda learnt this concept from the Managment&Organization MNO1101 module at NUS too.)
Anyways, speaking of my DT experience at India, so what did I do?
- I lived with 9 other interns & 3 native Indians who worked with the NGO. (Netherlands, China, Japan, Germany, USA)
- We slept in the balcony, overlooking th beautiful sky painted with pretty stars, learning some Hindi songs, taking turns to learn each others' songs in various languages.
- Conducted a workshop I created and planned myself on 'Imagination' to Primary/Secondary School students.
- Researched and visited the slums where the poor kids lived. Flies all over and we ate our meals with flies flying around too. Speaking of diarhea? Don't think that term exist there.
- Bathed in super HOT water with super HOT weather. Slept on a super WARM bed, touching the walls which have had a whole day full of day HEAT in it. It was very very depressing, trust me.
- Cooked for 10 person since we all took turns to cook lunch and dinner.
- Never been clean.
- Faced the problem of water and power cut almost everyday.
- Traveled every weekend all the way to the Taj Mahal, Pakistani border, Amritsar, The Golden Temple and of course to the borders of Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan - Sikkim, Gangtok, Shimla, Shillong etc etc.
- Met amazing friends for life! - Brazil, India, Canada, HK, Germany more!
The experience really brought me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to the bigger world out there. I would have never been so much exposed to both the adversities and diversity in life if this was just any other corporate internship with any investment banks out there. (I interned with an investment a year later.) Hence, I can really assure you that an overseas internship really is beyond just an internship.
Above all, it was truly a life-changing experience for me!
Name : Cathy Chan
LC : NUS
Country matched to: Chandigarh, India
Type of Exchange : DT