Firstly, I would like to express how fortunate and grateful I am to have this opportunity to make myself useful while learning through experience. The versatility of the programs conducted by the International Programmes Office broadens my perceptions and exposes me to different ideas and cultures.
So far, me and my friend got to interview a guest lecturer from a foreign university, transcribe the same, and write reports on a musical event and a writing workshop. I will now briefly share my experience and takeaways from these events.
Being our first assignment, we had prepared tirelessly for the interview and it taught us the most valuable lesson right from the outset. A slight change in one important element rendered almost all our preparations useless. We had to adapt ourselves and our plans to accommodate this development on the spot. Though caught off guard, we realized the importance of leaving space for the unexpected even when our preparations looked perfect.
The second one, the live musical event, was conducted in a Korean cafe inside our campus and the themes were K-music and K-food. I went there with the stiff seriousness of working without indulging too much in the musical sensation. The possibility of work being fun and relaxing while doing a good job with it was the beautiful revelation of the day. The Kdrama OSTs brought back my high school memories as easily as the lyrics of those foreign songs slipped from my lips after years. The English songs that were sung belonged to my very own playlist! When was the last time I attended a live music program? Can't even remember!
The third assignment was making a report on a writing workshop. It was a vibrant and interactive session and the Austrian resource person was friendly and approachable. The discussions and Q&A sessions were engaging and inclusive. The participation of an advocate and a physics professor highlighted the interdisciplinary significance of writing. By now, we got the hang of effective note-taking for reports. We learned to focus on key elements and ideas instead of taking down everything.
All in all, the experiences so far have started grooming us for the professional life ahead while watering our passion for personal growth and exploration. I eagerly look forward to more such challenges and lessons. Happy weekend!
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