Nicky, Conflict Studies and Human Rights, CECI Nepal, Blue Diamond Society, Research Intern
Even though the end of this internship is fast approaching, reflecting back on the start of the internship I still remember all the worries and challenges I had set in my head. When the Faculty of Social Sciences first sent out the email explaining this opportunity, I remember being so hesitant and waiting till the last minute to fill out the application. The concern of not physically being there and trying to do it virtually, which made me believe that it would not be the best fit for me or that I would not get the real experience. And what about building close relationships with my colleagues? What about the changes of routine and work environment? However, just as the title says, “never judge a book by its cover”, this was the greatest twelve weeks which will leave long-term effects in my life.
To look back on the first week and realize how different everything is now, it is as if I don’t recognize it. I look back on all my challenges and worries and shrug because I realized there’s a first time for everything. A quote by Robert Louis Stevenson which said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” For me, this means that if you seek every day for successes, you will be unaware of what you are putting out there, so rather than expecting success every day, focus on what you bring to the table “the seed you plant” so the things you do which contribute to your position.
As a research intern for CECI Nepal and Blue Diamond Society, I did not only learn a significant amount of information but I learned a lot about myself and my skills. I challenged my challenges and started understanding my work and doing better. The time difference was no longer an issue, I had bonding relationships with my colleagues and had done work which gave me the boost I needed to see my contribution- it was as though I built a daily routine without realizing it until I looked back at where I started.
The largest part of my position was to research and truly understand Blue Diamond Society but also the COVID-19 pandemic effects on the LGBTIQ+ community in Nepal. Everyone around the world experienced this pandemic differently, and to research and learn about the issues and the lives of others around the globe was eye-opening. Using the research and data collected I was asked to do multiple concept notes which I learnt will become a primary resource for BDS when doing continued research, presenting in front of other organizations and other future events. To hear this, was the greatest feeling as I remember the obstacles I faced in ensuring it would be done right- especially the first one. This shows my major contributions and self-growth as I was able to engage with the work around COVID-19 pandemics and other issues addressed across the country.
My challenges became my successes. In my final meeting with the team today, I expressed the concerns and skills I first had starting the internship and then how everything changed. When you judge a book by its cover, you either put it down or judge it before you even read it which affects your expectations. This is applied to the internship as well and honestly, although I judged it at first because of my worries, but I am grateful and proud to make it to the end of the book, or in this case, the internship. Every day was a different page in a chapter and it is totally worth making it to the end of the book. So, despite it being online, I still built relationships with my colleagues, contributed to the organizations, developed new skills and overcame fears and therefore, I lived the experience of an intern. What a great twelve weeks!