Divya Punjabi, a senior member in AIESEC Mumbai, went on an internship to Romania through AIESEC Mumbai.

Here is what she had to say.

“Romania. Every time I hear that word, my heart skips a beat, and my face lights up. Little did I know that country would have such a huge meaning in my world, and those people would make such a big difference in my life.

I went there for the project GROW, which involves training high school Romanian students on various topics that I found supremely relevant to any young adult. It kicked off with a special 5 day conference held to train us young individuals from all over the world gathered in one country for one common purpose.

Those 5 days in such a dynamic environment seemed surreal, there were 105 delegates from 26 different countries, all learning, brainstorming and sharing together. I have never lived in such a multicultural environment ever, and I doubt I ever will. We all learnt a lot on how to deliver fresh and impactful sessions and we set out with a motive- to make a difference.

If I had one word to describe my experience there, I would say ‘unreal’. The friends I made, the sessions, the people-from-6 continents-fighting-for-one-bathroom-every-morning-situation, the time when there were so many people visiting and there were sleeping bags all over we just had no place to even put our toe on, the hitchhiking, the adventure, the rush, the power of changing peoples lives, the bittersweet goodbyes, the friendship that I’m sure will last all my life. And now I can proudly point to any country blindly and know that I have someone waiting to greet me there. All thanks to GROW. Memories of a lifetime.”

Balakalakaar is an annual initiative taken up by the local office of AIESEC in Mumbai. It is organized with the aim of creating an opportunity for the under privileged children of the city to discover and develop their potential in creative exercises such as Art, Dance, Drama, Music, and Craft.

This is done primarily through workshops and training provided by esteemed professionals in the above fields along with AIESECers, youth volunteers and internationals from the Global Community Development Program.

To volunteer, register on http://balakalakaar.aiesecmumbai.org/volunteer-for-balakalakaar.html