AIESEC 

I volunteered for AIESEC already since 2006. I worked in Czech Republic, Slovakia and finally in Russia and all of the time I was mainly responsible for organizing international internships for other people who want to go abroad and taste the world from different perspectives of foreign cultures. But this summer was different. I finally got the time to go for my own internship. And I have to say that work in Mumbai in India totally overcame my expectations.

I worked for organization called Children Toy Foundation. “Every child has the right to play”: that was the vision and the core work of this organization was to educate the underpriviledged children from the poorest families in logics, math, strategy, English and many other knowledges in a very structured way and mainly: only by games. Initially my job was only to be an English teacher but after first induction I understood that the organization needs the help with marketing and administration so I decited that I will make better impact in that area. After 5 weeks of work I implemented new financial structure, analyzed needed changes in HR area and implemented new fundraising event that will financially sustain the project which is having direct impact on 5000 kids every month.

This summer was the summer of incredible surprises, shocks, amazement and mainly happiness. Why?

I loved life in Mumbai for its unpredictability. Every morning you wake up and you have no idea what will surprise you today. One day its giant elephant in front of your house, next day you see people sleeping on the railway, an other moment you find yourself dancing on the street with 20 kids. The intensity of colours, sounds, tastes, feelings and emotions is making your life in India incredible. One moment you love the country and an other moment you would cry and run away.

All of us are thinking that it should be very hard to live in such a poor country right? In a way its true but then you come there and you see that they are actually much happier despite of the poverty than central europeans with our luxury.

It really made me think about my own life and future plans while living in country with absolutely different attitude to life – understanding the art of being happy in any situation, in every day life. Thanks to my internship I also started the habbit of playing games with my family and friends because now I believe that one should never leave the childhood.  India shook with my world view and made me a new, different person.

Katka