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'Prolonged conflict in Manipur can be dangerous'
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Countdown to Delhi!
Hello readers! I’m Meghan Fersten! I am writing to you from my hometown of Montreal, Canada, almost ready to board my flight to Delhi in just a couple of days where I will be an intern at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). Just two weeks ago, I celebrated my graduation from the College with a major in Neuroscience and minors in Healthcare Management, Medical Sociology, and Chemistry. I am a submatriculant in Penn’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program and I will be returning to campus as a full-time graduate student this fall until August 2024! I am so grateful that my Master’s program referred me to this internship as an opportunity to conduct the fieldwork component of my MPH.
It’s hard to believe that my summer in India is nearly here and I am beyond excited for my experience with PHFI to begin! The organization’s interdisciplinary and collaborative focus on research and interventions is fascinating to me, as I believe this approach to the study and practice of public health is extremely valuable. I am most looking forward to the unparalleled opportunity to partake in direct fieldwork experiences surrounding critical issues related to health care access, policy development, and education in a country that I am eager to learn more about. I am hoping that this internship will allow me to better understand and contribute to a global perspective of population health through various approaches. From my studies and extracurriculars, I have become interested in the processes by which research, data, and evidence-based public health interventions inform health policy and promotion. I am excited to work on projects in these realms, and look forward to understanding how such interventions can effectively address health inequities.
As an international student who is passionate about traveling, I am thrilled to explore the beauty of modern India and all it has to offer me during my stay. I’m so excited to try all sorts of new and authentic dishes, as well as to learn about music, the arts, and cultural traditions in the city and other regions in the country. I will be living and spending most of my time in the lively city of Delhi in the Green Park neighborhood. I have never been to India before, and I am nervous about the very high temperatures (especially as a Canadian who is not used to this!), learning how to navigate such a big city, and how to communicate with locals while respecting cultural practices. It will surely be challenging to live in a new place for an extended period of time, but I can’t wait to dive right in! I know I will learn and experience so much and I look forward to reporting back soon.
Bye for now – next time in Delhi!