It seems only yesterday that we started our IGL journey in Pune, India and now here we are in week 8! Being an Indian national, I did not experience any culture shocks, but what’s refreshing was seeing my country through the eyes of my classmates.
I’m working at Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) and my team’s experience has been amazing thus far. Everyone in the office has been extremely welcoming and friendly. Our company’s routine to drink tea every day at 11AM and 4PM has everyone hooked to the sweet Indian chai.
Last week, my colleague invited us to his house for dinner with his family. It began with appetizers called ‘Vada pav’ and ‘Sev puri’, which are famous Pune street food items. The main course included three different dishes and ended with homemade mango ice cream for dessert. The deliciousness of the home-cooked Indian meal cannot be overstated. My colleague and his family truly represent the Indian saying ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, which translates to ‘Guest is equivalent to god’.
Apart from our colleagues, our project also requires us to interact with the other interns at our company, who often stop by our desk to chat. On certain days, we would have lunch with around 15 interns, who were all undergraduate students from lesser developed areas in India. Their enthusiasm and curiosity to learn more about Canada are incredible. I often share with them what I like about Canada and why I decided to pursue my MSc degree.
Besides the internship, I am also the Pune student leader for the Ivey Global Lab. From organizing weekend trips to making sure everyone gets their Indian phone numbers activated, being the student leader has brought me closer to my classmates and boosted my confidence as it feels good to have your efforts recognized. Being from India, I was able to assist people experiencing culture shock and offered to be a helping hand to anyone who needed it.On one weekend we went to Mumbai to watch the IPL cricket finals. The planning required booking tickets for the match and arranging transportation, which was a roller coaster ride due to the time constraints that we had. When we arrived at the match, the energy of the crowd, the chanting of the fans’ favorite player – “DHONI! DHONI!” – lifted my spirits in a minute. For a couple of hours, everyone forgot that it was 40-degrees outside and we engrossed ourselves in the minute-long celebrations, which took place whenever the cricket teams scored runs.
IPL Cricket Finals!
Altogether, the IGL has been full of memorable experiences. I have made bonds that will last me a lifetime and learned skills that will help me in the future. During week 8, I will be focusing on completing the final touches of our project and focusing on our final presentation and report.
Stay tuned for the next post from team India about the IGL reflections!
Best,
Salena Singh