Saana Benurwar went on an internship to AIESEC Szczecin, Poland through AIESEC Mumbai. She has a few words to say about her experience there,

“I would describe the time spent in Poland as not one of the, but the best experience of my life. The amount of knowledge I gathered living there was priceless. This exchange program through AIESEC Mumbai not only taught me things about people but it gave me an insight into myself. I came to know about this exchange program through a friend of mine who worked in AIESEC Mumbai. She told me about this amazing opportunity and I planned to go for it.

The first step, which I took, was to gather information about the program by attending a seminar. AIESEC Mumbai has been the bridge that helped me get to know so many things about a different culture, which are so different from ours. I am thankful to AIESEC Mumbai for the help they have provided me with and the confidence this exchange has inculcated in me.

The program that I had chosen was in Stargard Szczecinski and included working in two organizations namely Kinderhielm and Kindergarten.

Kinderhielm is the home to children who are rescued by the state from alcoholic or abusive parents or from those parents who cannot provide them with the basic needs and underage pregnant girls. I met first the director Ms. Beata Sleask and Magda, who briefed me about my work. There was an entire floor in the Kinderhielm, which belonged to the volunteers, was fully equipped with the basic facilities. Kinderhielm had children from newly born till 18 years and I chose the three age groups to work with; 10-13,14-16 and above and my job was to teach them basics of the English language. I also prepared traditional Indian Meals for all the staff and children in the Kinderhielm

In the Kindergarten I was introduced to the principal Ms. Dorota Stoska who helped me to understand my work there. Here I was working with kids belonging in the age group of 3 to 5. My basic job was to teach them alphabets and numbers of the English language and conduct various activities for them.

I also worked with Mentally and Physically challenged children and conductd workshops for them. We also had presentations in various Junior high schools and universities on the culture and traditions in our respective countries. There were interviews conducted for the Regional newspaper, for the national television and Szczecin Radio.

This program had two basic parts cultural exchange and teaching Basic English to the kids. My TN manager was Lukasz Dron who helped me a lot to get as much as information about the internship and made sure my stay was as comfortable as possible. I learned a lot from this internship and it would be a complete pleasure to go again.”