Internship in India by Ifechinyere Agbodike

Living in India has been a fantastic experience overall. I currently work for Counsel to Secure Justice (CSJ) in New Delhi, India. A day in the life of my internship at CSJ includes working directly with the Restorative Justice Team to provide support in drafting summaries on various case studies on the implementation of restorative justice practices worldwide. Another aspect of my work with CSJ's Restorative Justice Team includes helping to support CSJ's goal of implementing restorative justice initiatives in Delhi by assisting the Restorative Justice Team with document editing and helping plan for and facilitate meetings with CSJ Stakeholders. My internship duties also include assisting the lawyers on CSJ's advocacy with case reviews, and case file indexing. Although the nature of our legal advocacy work can be very heavy, since CSJ provides legal support to individuals harmed by sexual abuse, the office culture allows individuals to be transparent about how they are feeling the team is so supportive of each other and. The office culture is inclusive, and everyone is empowering. There is never a dull moment in the office. My coworkers inspire and amaze me daily. The level of compassion, sincerity, generosity, and support I have witnessed my coworkers have for their clients, and each other is different than any other environment I have been a part of, and I absolutely love it. The thing I love the most about working with CSJ is knowing that everyone at CSJ is deeply passionate about the work they do and go above and beyond to embody the values their organization is based upon.

I currently live in New Delhi, India, specifically in the Lajpat Nagar area. The typical day in New Delhi is drastically different than a typical day in Malibu or my hometown in the United States in various ways, and it seems like every day is an adventure. One thing I currently love about Delhi is how easily accessible things are in terms of having the ability to find whatever I need within a 500-meter radius in terms of food and general essentials. New Delhi is a lively city, and it is densely populated. Another thing I love about Delhi is the way the historical "old world" structures and buildings are intertwined with more modern and recently built buildings. During my time here I have also been able to visit various regions in Northern and Southern India, on the weekends. My time in the Himachal and Karnataka regions will be the most memorable. The displays of kindness hospitality of the individuals I met during my travels through the Himachal region will forever inspire me. I also enjoyed the serenity invoked by mountainous terrains of the Himachal region. I loved exploring the various temples and archeological sites housed in Hampi, Karnataka, and learning about the region's history.