Indian Internship

Hello there international blogging friends! I hope that since I have spent a year in Finland and will spend 2 and a half months in India, I may have increased my audience by a few hundred thousand (harharhar). Anyway, now that I have settled in and I have Internet access, please pull up a chair, prepare yourself some popcorn as I tell you a bit about the start of my Indian Internship Getaway!!

Soo, a few culture shocks did hit me when I reached India. Some of them, not too surprising (like the spicy food and warm climate combination). And the jippy tummy which is all part of the adjustment to the food and weather. However, some things did confuse me. When I got to Mumbai, everyone was unpacking their toothbrushes to brush their teeth even though they the majority were getting transfer flights. I suppose that can be understandable. Although, when I was first confronted with my hostel and found no toilet paper.. I was quite dumbfounded! It’s true that Indian people will use water and their hands to clean their bottoms. I realise that this could just be a major culture clash. Because as long as the people wash their hands thoroughly, I suppose this should get rid of the problem… However, there was also no soap present! And I found this in most buildings in the city.. but also within the University, even in my Department of Biotechnology!!! You would think that even people in Biology would know the importance of hand washing. But, nope! So, I carry my own toilet paper and soap everywhere I go.

Anyway, the place where I am studying is very beautiful, and I am very privileged that I get to study here for 10 weeks! This morning, my supervisor gave me an itinerary for the next few weeks involving basic microbiological techniques, phycological techniques, techniques for mass culture and harvesting, phycoremediation techniques, antimicrobial activity and phytochemistry. My project title involves bioremediation of waastewater with microalgae, so all of the above basics should help me do my own project for the remaining few weeks afterwards. It’s all very exciting! And, already today, I got to help someone in my laboratory get water samples from some beautiful places in this rural paradise. I could not think of a better place to do this kind of research. All the while, I get to explore India (in a later blog, I shall detail my leisurely pursuits, some of which have already happened.. and I don’t want to burden you all with too much awesome stuff!) 😉

Here are a few pictures to visualise my adventures, and I shall see you all soon with more dreamy tales of India! xxxx

New home

Messier than my room

View from residence

Great place for fieldwork