At the end of it all

Well, here I am, at the end of my virtual mandate with CECI and SETU Nepal. It has been an amazing, challenging, and eye-opening past three months. When I started this experience back in May, I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous, unsure and hesitant about how the mandate would go and if I would be able to complete all the tasks asked of me - as I was not initially supposed to be in the position of Communications Officer, and I did not have much experience in the realm of communications. However, I pushed these worries to the back of my mind and began my internship with a positive attitude, ready to take on the unexpected. I reminded myself not to set any hard expectations and to keep my mind open to adapting, depending on the situation at hand. For me, this was the absolute best thing I could have done, as the realities of a remote mandate are very susceptible to change. Given challenges like time differences, communication barriers and language barriers, among others, your daily situation and plans while partaking in a remote internship are constantly shifting. At first, I found this difficult, since I am someone who very much likes order and regularity. It took time for me to adjust to the ever-shifting expectations and work schedules of my mandate, but I got there eventually. It also took time for me to figure out how to accomplish some of the tasks that were asked of me (mainly website editing... that was very new to me), but through perseverance I managed to get everything done. So, at the end of it all, you could ask me: was it challenging? My answer to that would be definitely. You could also ask me: was it worth it? And my answer to that would be absolutely. The connections I made, my own level of personal growth, and the stories I got to hear all made this mandate an unforgettable experience that I would not change for the world. The challenges I faced only made me a better student, professional, and person. I learned things that I will take with me through the rest of my university studies, as well as to all my future endeavours, be they academic, career-related, or just life in general. I'm sad to be ending my time as an intern, but am greatly looking forward to what the future holds for me next.