When I look back at my first day at Pravah it was kind of boring…. I was shy and nervous and reluctant at mixing with the people in the office. But as the day progressed I was pushed out of my comfort zone and began to settle in.
Lesson # 1: Survival of the nimblest
Then came the lunch break! No one had prepared me for this breaking in ritual – I was so nervous that i literally handed over my tiffin to my colleagues. Little did I know that there won’t be much left when it would be returned to me! The most important lesson about Pravah culture I learned that day – If you bring food, share it with everyone! More importantly, be open to eating out of other people’s plates even if you don’t know them! The lunch break was a great ice-breaker and I got to know other members of the Pravah family.
Lesson # 2: Work = Fun at Pravah or what?
Was I looking forward to the weekend! To my dismay, I was told that I was supposed to go to work on Saturday. I was pretty annoyed as it was my first official holiday. Actually that “work” involved attending my very first workshop with Robin and Neha. Memories of the Fun camp organized by Pravah, when I was in school, came flooding back. I had always wondered what it would be like to be on the other side in a workshop. Robin, my teammate from Adolescent Intervention told me something about facilitation which keeps lingering in my mind – he said “You can be friendly with them but you can never be friends with them.” Thankfully, for me, facilitating came easy.
Lesson #3: Just do it!
The after effects of the workshop were very serious! I was given a report to prepare, a blog to write and a small movie to make. I am a very lazy kid so doing so much work did not come easy. I was never very comfortable with my journalism skills but writing two blogs and a report definitely changed my views about it. This was the first time that I was making a movie. It was heartwarming to see the people clapping and appreciating the movie I made for the “From Me to We Workshop” (FMTW). In the end, I finished all my assigned work. The realization that my time in Pravah has come to an end is yet to sink in.
Phir Milenge!
It is true that time flies when you enjoy what you are doing. I would like to thank Pravah to for pulling me out of my comfort zone. I feel I have become more confident introducing myself to new people and interacting with them. I had fun during the two days I was involved in the FMTW workshop and I wished I could have been part of the whole journey. I want to thank my father for pushing me to join Pravah as it was a worthwhile experience.
SHASHANK VENKATESH
AI Intern, Pravah
Building Inside-Out Youth Leadership for Social Change 
Leave a comment