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I
have almost completed my five-month
internship with the Centre for Social
Research (CSR). It is required from my
university of applied science to finish two
internships before being able to complete
the studies to be a social worker/ social
pedagogic. My plan was always to do my
second internship abroad. While India was
not my first choice of places to work, I
have never regretted coming here.
Indian
culture is so complex, and there are many
things that I do not understand until now.
One could spend years here and still just
discover parts of the society in India.
However, when I get a partial understanding
of things that are going on around me it is
very satisfying and giving me a more
complete picture of our global society.
I
have found in India again that being away
from home – especially in a different
country - you learn what things you really
need to survive. In addition, most important
you are able to put into perspective what
things are important to you.
Of
course I can not deny that the work culture
in CSR is very different to what I am
accustomed to, but I guess one would not go
to a foreign country, without not wanting to
experience that. In the end, it will
probably always help to get better in the
own way of work.
The
opportunities that I have had to get out of
the office and see the practical ‘grass
roots’ work that CSR does have been very
rewarding. On one instance, I was able to
visit one of CSR’s counseling centers.
There I was able to see in what a simple
environment CSR is doing work and still how
much they are able to make something out of
it. Even without being able to speak Hindi I
was able to feel the importance and need of
the counseling centers. To see in these
women’s eyes and experience the openness
and excitement they show in once direction
is amazing. Especially with the knowledge of
the life they live, which is so different
from what we know.
As
an upcoming social worker, it is uplifting
to see the passion with which many people do
social work in this India. They still
believe that positive change is possible. In
Germany, many social workers are
disillusioned and sadly no longer working
with this same drive and enthusiasm. Before
I came here, I thought this is the case
everywhere in the world by now. However, I
had to come to India to see that social work
in a different way is still possible.
Further,
I have found that the ability to live a
‘normal life’ in India is not as
difficult as people in my home country my
think. Although things generally take a
little longer to be done here or may happen
in a total different way one was expecting
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