Thursday night the CASI office was bubbling with laughter and stories as we celebrated our annual Summer Travel Funds Open House!
I had the opportunity to sift through some of our student interns’ photographs from last summer and among my favorites: Shrestha and Isabel immersed in a lush green tea planation, Sudeep lathered up for a shave, and Laura and Abby planting baby trees (see some photos below)!
Lessons learned over summer truly ranged but an outside observer could pick up on several themes from the night:
-Volunteering with a grassroots NGO could mean using your writing skills; offering a hand to hold in the delivery room; and no matter what, you will surely develop a heightened sense of empathy to listen and hear others from a different perspective.
-Traveling is always an adventure.
-You may get a new pet name, it will stick with you and bring a smile on your face just thinking about it!
-Language may seem like a barrier, but there are so many people willing to teach you a few words and phrases. Most importantly, strangers will be delighted to hear you learning their language even if you are just a beginner.
The most visible end product of the summer is hard to ignore and the camaraderie and friendship among our student interns and research students reigns strong!
If you are considering applying for a CASI Internship and have any questions see our Student Programs Page. The deadline is February 1, 2012.
Sudeep in Mumbai.
Abby and Laura with their host family in Delhi.
Shrestha geared up.
Jyostna from SPS with Keena in the background.
