#gcsd

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to travel to India (I think it might have something to do with elephants; they were my favorite as a child). I also always knew that I wanted to study abroad, ever since I found out that such a thing existed.  During my junior year at UAlbany, when the time came to choose my study abroad destination, I decided I didn’t want to go to a popular study abroad local like England, Spain, or Australia. I was all geared up for an adventure, and I want to go somewhere that would be challenging and at times uncomfortable, somewhere unexpected and maybe a little dangerous; so of course my first choice was India. 

I began the process of applying to study abroad, and to my dismay, I found that the US and Indian school year calendars do not align very well at all.  If I were to study abroad in India, it would put a serious hitch in my educational plans at UAlbany; there would be no way I could graduate in the amount of time that I had originally planed to. Fortunately, I met with a very kind and helpful Study Abroad Advisor who informed me of a brand new summer program they were launching in Bangalore, India. Students could intern with an NGO called Global Citizen for Sustainable Development (GCSD). As an intern, I would be responsible for administrative and marketing duties as well and participating in the NGO’s ongoing community service projects; I was sold! I didn’t even have to think twice about it. However, I still wanted to spend a full semester abroad, so my very helpful Advisor suggested that I consider a program located in Osaka, Japan. When she was a student this was the place she studied abroad and fell in love with, and since I would already be on the other side of the world it seemed very convenient. Again, I was sold! But I’ll save the rest of that story for my next post. 

In my role as an intern for GCSD, I was responsible for completing general administrative tasks and day-to-day activities, as well as marketing activities. All of the interns were responsible for coordinating with our volunteers and the other organizations we worked with, as well as looking for new projects to take on. On the marketing front, we acted as GCSD ambassadors and also managed GCSD’s website and social media presence. By the end of my time with GCSD we were able to organize a large international event called The Global Citizens Youth Assembly; students and leaders came from all over India, Nepal, Kuwait, China, Russia, the UK and US, and the list goes on.  This event brought awareness to our cause, and we were able to accomplish some major fundraising goals.  

In my role as a volunteer for GCSD, I had the amazing opportunity to go to local orphanages in Bangalore and teach English to the children there. We also had a ton of fun playing games with the little ones and organized sports days for the older kids. It was a blast! Midway through my time with GCSD I volunteered to go out on a building project in rural Bangalore. We helped to build homes, infrastructure, and restrooms in struggling rural communities.

Lastly, in my role as a student, in order to receive college credit I had to write several hefty papers on a variety of topics from my cultural experiences in India, to marketing for NGOs & NPOs, to sustainable development and what it means to be a global citizen. Every moment of every day I spent in India was an educational experience. I gained valuable skills and knowledge, and I learned more than I can express in words; but I will try.  I grew exponentially as a person and truly learned the meaning of the word humanity. I also discovered my sincere passion for community service and sustainability. I should also mention that my love affair with yoga began in India.  My favorite things about who I am today, all took root in India (that’s the best way I can put it).

In the end, when all was said and done, it was one of the most incredible and unforgettable experiences of my life. India is an amazing country with a rich culture, but the team I worked with and the amazing individuals I met along the way is what made the journey as awe-inspiring as it was. I was fortunate enough to have my family come and meet me in New Deli at the end of my time with GCSD, together we saw all of the amazing sights that northern India has to offer, but my heart will always be in Bangalore. 

Click this link for the Global Citizen for Sustainable Development Website. 

Click this link for an India Times Article written about our We Build Team.