Summer Internship at Renmin University Beijing – Harsh Agarwal from BIT Mesra
Harsh Agarwal (left-most) interned at Renmin University, Beijing this summer, and shares his unique experience of being at China. Harsh is a third year Mechanical Engineering student at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. Here’s his internship story.
When Dreams Meet Reality!
I would like to start with a subtle question or rather with a rhetorical one- Is it the places and the inanimate things which make our journeys a memorable one or is it the people with whom we accomplish these journeys make it look like a wonderful dream? Well, I guess in my case both the aspects did the trick! When my modest and humble internship became “The internship” of my life, I just couldn’t take a note of it! I was so immersed in this dream like reality of mine that I barely bothered to give a thought about what was going around me!
Recently I had been to Beijing, China for a GCDP and it was ‘life changing’. Yes, that’s the only phrase that I could use to describe my stay there…all other adjectives are just too incompetent to prove what remarkable effect these 30 days had on my life. There are many occasions when we wish our heart could speak for us! No matter how good you are with words, some experiences of your life are just too awesome to pen them down! To start with, this wasn’t just a mere exchange programme for me. It brought out a completely new side of mine that I didn’t even know I had! I still remember when I had first gone to the AIESEC office last year and I was all nervous and shaking while I gave my interview and today here am! Speaking in front of a crowd of 300 strong audiences…that too without shaking!
AIESEC has been like a magic wand for me. It’s one touch made my dreams a reality. China has neither been a hotshot tourist destination nor too many Indians prefer going there (unless they have something really important to do). But I was always intrigued by its rich culture and overwhelmingly famous cuisine. Now, when the topic of food has popped up, let me tell you guys that now I can eat anything anywhere. Except humans and a few weird looking creatures, I ate whatever was served on my plate over there. And I swear, never ever am I going to complaint about the food my mom cooks (much needed enlightenment).
The image of China that I had before landing in Beijing and after that, has a difference of hell and heaven between them! Friends and acquaintances said, “Public toilets are too dirty,” ”The shopkeepers overcharge foreigners,” and blah blah…But believe me, these are utter misconceptions and nothing else! I vouch for the awesomeness of China! I worked a lot but I partied a lot more! And somewhere in between working and having fun, I picked up on the little nuances of life. I understood what It means to be independent, how can I grow as person and most importantly how can I contribute to my society. I can now proudly say that, yes, I made an IMPACT on a little though significant part of the society. Undoubtedly, this enchanting experience has gifted me with endless memories that will stay with me till I breathe my last.
If Harsh’s experience motivates you, you can check the latest international internships.
Editor’s note- Have you got an internship story to share? A chance to win cool Internshala T and other cash prizes by sharing your internship story here.
