Exchange Participant Profile: Medha Agarwal
Name: Medha Agarwal
University: University of Toronto – Scarborough
Location of Exchange: Taiwan
Hosting AIESEC Chapter: AIESEC CTLC
Duration: May 7 – July 7, 2012
Where did you work? A Government Elementary School
What were your accommodations like?
The accommodations were the weirdest place for four young 22 year olds to be. I was living in a catholic nunnery with other interns who were working in different schools in the same area. It was definitely quite an experience to live with the kind yet strict nuns.
I don’t think I have ever lived a disciplined life like I did while on my exchange. My days would start at 7am and every meal was on time, there was a lot of physical activity, deliciously healthy food and a large portion of fruit everyday. In just 6 weeks I realized what an impact a well-balanced life can have on me. It was definitely something I was not expecting to learn while on my exchange!
What were some of your initial thoughts?
I always wanted to go on exchange and travel. The decision was finally made after experiencing leadership in AIESEC itself. After 2 years of sending others on life-changing internships, I felt it was time I went on one too.
I have travelled alone many times before, and I also knew what it felt like to adjust to a new environment, my purpose to travel was more to learn about a new culture and do something more challenging.
The journey itself was both short and long. While the plane rides were long, the bus rides felt even longer, but it was amazing how much I loved it. The idea of packing a bag and leaving your home to explore a new place is exciting. I didn’t know where I would be staying, or who would be hosting me, I definitely am not a “planner” it was a lot about figuring things along the way. My internship definitely showed me what I was capable of, and in what now seem to be funny instances, what I am not capable of. I have more insight into the mistakes I made and what I learnt from them.
Every weekend was an adventure, I made it a point not to stay home or waste a single moment while on exchange. The result – countless friends, photos, memories and experiences added to my life.
What was your work like? What did you do?
Medha working with the children at her school.
I was working for an elementary school. My job was to teach students English and about Canadian culture. It was the best time of my life! It allowed me to discover my passion for education. Initially I wanted to get a job and work for an organization in the finance field. Today my goal is to start my own social enterprise to bring positive impact to the educational sector in a country.
The job itself was not tough, the challenge was posed due to the language barrier. There were only 2 people who spoke any English and I had to manage taking classes with the help of translators and learning Mandarin myself. It was brilliant! This proved to be more of a boon than a bane, as it allowed me to connect with the children and also pick up a lot of Mandarin!
I think my key learning from my job apart from communicating with diverse people was that – stereotypes exist for a reason. And not all stereotypes are bad! I was constantly asked simple questions by innocent children, and it forced me to think about things I had never thought about. E.g. I had to explain the concept of “Canadian Cultural Diversity” to these students who had no concept of it. They had never seen anyone different from them and were completely closed off to anything remotely diverse or different from them.
On a personal note, my internship taught me to cherish the simple moments of joy and never take anything for granted. I think going on an internship itself is a privilege not everyone can benefit from. Since I was lucky enough to experience it, I wanted to make sure I made the most of it.
How would you describe your cultural experience?
The food was delicious. For someone who does not enjoy extremely spicy food, I found the Taiwanese cuisine to be perfectly fitting my tastes. I tried most of the famous dishes found in Taiwan, I highly recommend trying the “bubble tea” which has become my addiction ever since my exchange. I also recommend – “coffin bread”, “oyster omelette” and “chicken chops”.
The Taiwanese have also mastered the art of baking. Almost everywhere you will find amazing bakeries with delicious fresh bread. The sweet smell of freshly baked goods will pull you into the store and force you to buy some!
Medha Exploring Taiwan
What was your social life like?
Every weekend was a new adventure. I would leave from the village of my school and travel to a new part of Taiwan. The host LC loved our group of interns so much they tried to spend as much time as possible with us.
We were spoiled by their love and shown around everywhere possible. We would also have LC members take us to their homes, or travel with us to show us their hometowns.
My weekends were carefully balanced between spending time with AIESECers/interns and the local schoolteachers. Our co-teachers would introduce us to their families and take us on outings. They would want to show us the beauty of their homes and their towns/cities. We would be invited to family dinners and interact with their entire families. How could anyone complain!
How do you feel you developed personally?
The biggest challenge was being the one who always stuck out. As a tall brown Indian, I was living in a small village where there were only Taiwanese people. It wasn’t all bad. I was constantly treated as a celebrity and everyone was very kind and helpful to me. I would constantly get free stuff, gifts and discounts. People were extremely hospitable and everyone wanted to speak to me and take pictures with me
However, there was also the constant staring to get used to. The language barrier of course made everything much more difficult. I also had moments where I thought I was ordering one thing, and something completely unexpected showed up!
But through all of this, I learnt how to connect with people using more than just language. I learnt how to be more comfortable in my own skin. I learnt how to be grateful for the exposure and experiences I have had. It was a humbling experience.
Any travel tips you’d like to share?
I don’t think there is anything more I could’ve known to be prepared for my exchange. In fact I think that one must love to embrace the uncertain. I liked that I didn’t know, I think the unknown brought me excitement and change, which is what I was looking for. If you want certainty then stay home, if you want new unheard of adventures – go on exchange with AIESEC.
There are many tips you can find about traveling abroad, I don’t think there is anything in particular I learnt. I think you can Google most of it, but I think learning a few basic words/phrases as well learning to read the local language can really make a difference. Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, people are more understanding – as long as you are not being hateful.
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