• David N. •
• MSID Program in India •
• Geography Major

“[It] was a much-needed expe- rience in order to solidify the abstract theories and I ideas I learned about in the class- room....” —David

Tell Us About Your Program

“The program began with a six-week classroom phase in Jaipur, six hours southwest of Delhi. Our program director has incredible connection all over the state of Rajasthan, so she organized a stellar faculty to open our minds iinternship phase to come.”

How Were You Affected by the People and Culture?

“The Darbari family helped me see the life of the largest middle class in the world, which belongs to India. However, it wasn’t until my internship in the desert village of Gagadi that I began to understand the real India that is too often pushed under the find carpet of economic success and information technology that India brags of. It was a privilege to see both sides...”

What Did You Learn from Your Internship?

“GRAVIS has impacted over a million desert dwellers over the course of the last 24 years and does so in many different ways. They have focused heavily on water management systems, but have also made great efforts for women’s empowerment, health, education, and human rights advocacy. I was able to follow local workers who spoke Malwari and translated and explained their success and struggle.... It was interesting to me just how influential water management was to all the other parts of life... If I learned anything from the desert, it was that every part of development is influenced by another part, and that that part further influences another part. One cannot look at one aspect of villagand solve problems. A holistic understanding and local, cultural perspective is necessary.”

What's Next?

“I look forward to learning more about empowering the poor as I head to Bangladesh in January 2008 for an internship with Grameen Bank.”