AIESEC Local Committee UNIVERSITAS DIPONEGORO: AIESEC UNDIP - Novalia's Exchange Experience in India

AIESEC UNDIP - Nova went for Exchange to India

AIESEC UNDIP - I went to Chandigarh on 18th July 2011 and start my Internship working at Environment Society of India, it is one of NGOs in Chandigarh. Many interns were working with me, from Indonesia, Ukraine, Brazil, Chinese, Poland, and Turkey. They are so nice, smart and really easy to get into society. And also, Karan Garg, my beloved Organizing Committee President in my project.

My friends and I worked as a team decided group to group and everyday (Monday to Saturday) we went to different school to educate student about how to keep our environment clean. Our theme was Low Carbon Life Style. It was a nice theme which we were talking about Water, Electricity, Trees, Kitchen, Climate, Global Warming, etc. It was amazing to see Indian Students, they were so very active, I found something different between Indonesian and Indian students, they keep asking a question and their English is very good. And everyday we went by Autoriksh, it is same like bajaj in Indonesia. We do always bargain before take it, try to make a driver to understand because they speak hindi :D and also because of it I know a little bit hindi about one to ten :D . It was so crowded but funny and that’s interesting. This was really an amazing project.

I am very happy to have friends around the world, to talk with everybody from different countries in the trainee house, sleeping together, sharing food together, ate so many different food from their countries (Ukraine, Kyrgyztan, Chinese, Nigerian food), and also at night we were singing our anthem together, everything wass friendly and we were so happy. I will really miss that moment with them. And also had some trip with them to red fort, rajghat, taj mahal,India gate, akbar tomb, Lotus Temple, and Rock garden.

Everything with them In India was one of the amazing moment even in my life, I won’t forget all these things, Chandigarh, Delhi, all Indian friends, all friends, all AIESECers, every single place that I passed, every food.

That’s right if you say:
India is very dirty and bad smell
India is not developed
Why do you want to go to India, can’t you choose another country?

Bla.. bla.. people said it to me before I flied to India. I knew it before and I didn’t take a big tension what they talk or think about India. But after I saw the real, here the hospitality is totally different. Indian people help you everywhere everytime here, you go somewhere they will give you water to drink, they try to understand what you say in English, they care for you even you’re not their family, but because you are foreigner in their country they keep GOOD name of INDIA through their selves. I realy love India, I hope my country Indonesia will keep good relation always with India.

August 31, 2011 I left India. Acctualy it must be on 13th of September, but my project was already done on August so I changed to 30 August but there was a problem, I was late while check in. I really got drop and did not what I should do again because I lost also my ATM. But at that time my best friend Rohit, he is only the friend who accompanied me in the airport, helped me out with Azad to solve my problem, they rearranged for my ticket again, I was confused they did so much to me, through their selves I learned about WHAT THE MEANING OF FRIEND IS, they make friends not only for fun or what, but they did care each other, thanks God I have them as my best friend.

It was amazing EXPERIENCE that I got and I learned many things from my internship. I felt lucky that I can go for Global Exchange Program through AIESEC this year. It helped me so much in my future, I got my working experience, saw and learn manythings, how we face up different people with different thought, how we can make a good society with the new environment, and how we accept the new culture. I went there and here, met there and here, and on the way its self I found a big big learning.

Finaly, Thanks GOD I felt how was it being an Exchange Participant and doing an internship. It's super cool!! Many challenges that I had to face. We could not make that condition like Indonesian. I had to understand and learned everything here. And I got it very easy ;)

Thanks INDIA, Thanks INDIAN, you gave me a new spirit to face up my life for future, a fresh mind and strong foot for struggling in my study and my activities life, and also you make me more confident, and a big big thank you for :

AIESEC CHANDIGARH (OCP: KARAN GARG)

VIJAY
ROHIT DHANKAR
AZAD SINGH
DEEPIKA
AND EVERYONE THAT I MET IN INDIA

I know I will leave India, I didn’t know what I felt when leave India Land. I will never wake up and see Indian, hear hindi everywhere everytime, rarely to findout Indian dishes, all of these already touch my life and become unite in my blood. If you ask me, would you like to come back? I will answer: "if I got good job I loved to. So I will never say “Good Bye” to this country ;) SEE YOU after 5 years... :)"

Novalia Gultom

Student of Environmental Engineering year 2009

Manager in Incoming Exchange AIESEC LC UNDIP 11/12

Contact Amanda Umihani for going on Exchange

+62-85641171175

AIESECly Yours,