By Christina Lai, based on her Hyphen the World Virtual Internship in India
Know the time difference
The time difference between Seattle (PDT) and New Delhi (IST) sometimes made it difficult to schedule meetings with my community partner supervisor, Sreejani, was difficult because of the 12.5 hour time difference between us, so constant and consistent communication was very important. I used an app called “Time Buddy” to make sure I know what time it is for my community partner so that I can be more conscious of their time. This also helped us plan and set up meeting times that would work for both parties and gave me an idea of when I could contact them and when I could expect a reply.
Communication is key
Communication is always important, but especially with virtual study abroad. Some things I found important to communicate were:
- General availability for meetings,
- What I was currently working on and next steps,
- Any questions I had (about the direction and intention of my project, who my audience was for the Intersectionality module Phoenix and I created, my creatives that were posted on Haiyya’s WhatsApp and social media, and so on),
- Respond to messages as soon as possible (usually within a 2-hour time frame, besides when I was sleeping), and
- Sharing my thoughts, ideas, and feelings about the work I am doing.
Because the whole global experience was virtual, sometimes I felt like I was unable to understand the community I was working for as much as could be done in-person. At such times, it was helpful for me to
communicate this to my HTW mentors and Sreejani so that I could be granted additional resources and chances to speak with the community to enrich my understanding and knowledge.
Moreover, I realize that I cannot fully understand my community, even if I was experiencing studying abroad in-person, because I am only with them for a short time and I do not live in the community. As such, it was really important for me to listen to the community I am trying to serve in India and learn more about them so that any projects I take on will be more helpful, relevant, and meaningful to the community.
Stay organized
For all meetings, I made sure it was on my Calendar app, and invited my community partners to them to make sure we were all reminded of the meeting.
Set time aside for your virtual study abroad
The nice thing about virtual study abroad is that it is more accessible to more students because you can experience it anywhere you have an electronic device and internet connection. As such, I was able to continue watching my younger siblings, volunteering at Swedish hospital as a COPE Health Scholar, and take Organic Chemistry online.
The downside is that you may not be able to fully immerse yourself because it is all virtual, and you may have commitments at home that you must attend. Especially with the online class I was taking, I found it very challenging for me to make time and balance everything, but it was doable because of the other tips I provided, and the HTW and Haiyya team were very understanding and flexible with those in my cohort, knowing that we have other commitments we must attend to at home.
