I still remember everyone’s excitement when it was announced that IGL would be held in person. Our entire cohort was waiting for this opportunity to be able to actually travel to our IGL country. I was extremely excited, but also equally as nervous; not only was I travelling to a new country but I was also working there for a two-month period. I had no idea what to expect from a country that was entirely different from what I was used to in Canada.
My IGL experience was definitely positive, despite some challenges along the way. I was lucky enough to get my top choice and work for an amazing company however; one of the challenges that came with this was working in a one-person team. It felt weird to navigate to this project alone, while also familiarizing myself to the cultural differences in India. What made it feel especially different was that every other team had at least two or more people. This taught me a great deal about being flexible and adaptable in the workplace. Alongside challenges in the workplace, I had to learn how I was going to deal with being in an unfamiliar country alone without my family or any close friends. These experiences over the past two months taught me many valuable lessons which I’ll carry forward for the rest of my life.
Since I was a one-woman team, the scope of the project seemed almost impossible to achieve in a matter of only seven weeks. When I started this project, it felt as if I was being flung into the deep end of the ocean when I didn’t even know how to swim. I had no idea where to start and how the deliverables would even be met. I realized I’ll have to operate independently for majority of the time and problem-solve issues that come up on my own. My manager would give me problem statements each week, and it was up to me on how I would find answers and solutions to these questions.
This was a major reality check into how working would be after graduation, especially if I wanted to work in this specific industry. It’s very easy to get lost in a sea of stress and anxiety, especially in situations like this. I knew I had to overcome these feelings if I wanted to be successful during my IGL and even in the future. I stayed grounded and calm throughout by reminding myself of the skills I currently have and how I can leverage them to excel in my IGL position. A major cause of my personal anxiousness about the situation was the limited business experience I had, which made me feel like I lacked what was needed to jumpstart this project. I really had to stop and think deeply about this project and what it entailed.
My project was about creating a business model, however it had a major healthcare component. Although it was essentially a business model, there were still many other components involved which included a great deal of scientific research and being able to process this information and make it easy to understand. That’s when I realized that my background in science and healthcare would be an asset in addressing any research questions involved. I began shifting my perspective from thinking I would be unsuccessful because I lacked business experience, to realizing that I bring in a new perspective because I have a different background. This was a major lesson that Ivey had taught me which became even more solidified because of this IGL. I was even hesitant when applying to the MSc program for the same reason, but after being accepted I learned that coming from different backgrounds is what allows for innovation and new creative ways of thinking.
An additional challenge I faced was working alone on such a large project. Unlike other teams, when I was struggling with being anxious or stressed I had no one to turn to for comfort, so I was left to deal with those things on my own. I also did not have anyone that I could bounce ideas off of or brainstorm with which slowed down the progress that could have been made. Despite the challenges I faced due to this, there were also some advantages. Not having anyone to work with meant that I had little support to tackle this large project, but it also meant there would be no tension or disagreements amongst the team. I had full freedom over how I wanted to tackle this project and what steps I wanted to take. I heard of some major disagreements which were occurring in other teams because of differences amongst team members; I was thankful that I did not have to worry about any kind of miscommunication or issues among my team. Everyone has a different working style and way of communication, hence working alone meant that I only needed to focus on myself and my own way of doing things.
There was also the cultural aspect I needed to take on while being in a new country. I thought that because I am Indian as well, it would be easier for me to adjust to the culture in India. When I started working there, I quickly realized that the only thing I really knew was the language. I didn’t realize how different India was going to be from Canada. The work culture is completely unlike how we operate here in Canada. I had no idea how valuable the lessons I learned during cross-cultural management and business communications would be. When I was in the classroom, I thought it’d be years before I’d have to think about Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, but that was until I got to India. I had to reassess what the communication differences were between Canada and India to understand why my manager would speak a certain way. It was hard to adjust to all these changes and complete a project in only seven weeks. This part of the IGL experience taught me that I really do have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable if I want to succeed in a new environment and progress in my work life.
Despite these hurdles I experienced, I still loved every minute of my IGL because I either learned a valuable lesson which I’ll carry with myself for the rest of my life, or I was exploring India and experiencing the different cultures in each area. In only a period of 7 weeks I worked an amazing internship and travelled across 6 cities in 6 different states. This IGL is definitely a trip that I will never forget. Overall, I will say that it was an amazing experience and the best possible way I could have spent my summer.
