Having landed in Canada in the dead of winter and having waited - in vain - for the cold winds to stop blowing until the end of April, I was really looking forward to coming back to the hot summer that I am used to. For most of my life, I have lived in Nagpur, a city in Central India, which incidentally, was the world’s third hottest city this year. So, although most of you might find it strange, I was eager to come back and sweat it out, both literally and figuratively, during the Ivey Global Lab in my home country – especially during the mango season!
Besides being the Silicon Valley of India and a haven for startups, with 5 of India’s top unicorns being based in Bangalore, the city is also a hub for stand-up comedy, microbreweries, coffee (and thus, by default, cafes too), and independent music. From international rock to classical Carnatic, music of all types is appreciated here. The city, which is officially called Bengaluru, is also home to a lot of South Indian temples, which are known for their intricate design, grand structures, and vibrant colors. You can even take an evening stroll or go for a run whenever you please as there are about a 1000 beautiful, clean, green parks all over the city – this number is not an exaggeration, Bangalore is also called the “Garden City of India!”
I’ve completed 3 internships in this city, so Bangalore is not new to me. Yet, when I landed at the Kempegowda International Airport on the 11th of July, I had a lot to look forward to! A new job, new people to meet, new places to eat at, reunions with my sister and some old friends, and attending a live performance of my favorite Indian band, Parvaaz,who are actually getting pretty popular in Canada after having toured The Great White North twice in the last 2 years. But most importantly, I was looking forward to a very affectionate (from my end) reunion with my sister’s adorable cat, Sushi.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be placed at iQuanti, a Digital Marketing company that has been consistently ranking on the Inc.5000, a list that includes the fastest growing private companies in the US. My work ties in with their proprietary tool’s Go-To-Market strategy, and I’ve been expanding my existing knowledge of content marketing - something I’m passionate about.
The workspace is pretty cool – there are ping-pong and foosball tables so that employees can take a well-deserved break. Employees can even treat themselves to some snacks, chai and the famous South Indian filterkaapi. Some clever “Google Ads” are also hung all over the place, which are frankly quite relatable, given the Bangalore traffic situation, which is only getting worse!
Despite the fact that it takes us about an hour to reach work, when it should ideally take us less than half an hour, my experience at iQuanti so far has been really pleasant. This is mostly owing to the people at iQuanti, who have been extremely welcoming. Our Managers oriented us well and organized “learning sessions’ that give us an essence of the different work that happens at iQuanti. My new friends have been very helpful and answer all my queries, no matter how trivial they may seem.
A colleague of ours was even kind enough to invite the entire IGL Bangalore team to his wedding reception. Thanks to India’s diverse culture, I’ve never attended a South Indian wedding before, so it was a new experience for me, as well. We were served delicious food on a banana leaf, and the Catering Manager described the contents of the meal to us and answered all our questions about Mangalorean wedding traditions without any hesitation. 
What has also been interesting is seeing how easily my Canadian friends have adapted to India – my teammates at iQuanti enjoy biryani for lunch every other day! Moreover, in Bangalore, language has never been a problem because majority of the population can communicate in English. Over weekends, my classmates have also visited a lot of other Indian cities – Agra, Goa, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and Delhi. I’ve been enjoying giving them restaurant recommendations and helping them make plans, and then hearing about their experiences in these places as a few of them (read: Goa) are actually my favorite places in India.
While I myself haven’t been exploring the city and partaking in touristy activities, IGL has shown me a different perspective of my homeland. I’ve taken away so much already, and we’re just halfway through! I’m excited to return to Canada and apply my learnings.
