Work
I was working in the field of Machine learning, trying to predict the temperature of river water throughout the year given a set of features, and also in implementing a research paper that dealt with classifying 3D objects (represented as point clouds). I understood quite a few new frameworks in the area of deep learning that I wanted to learn before. These two projects enabled me to work with great professors, and working with them was a real boon. The work at hand was interesting, and at the same time, challenging. Apart from this, the workplace culture was excellent, which aimed at fostering growth. :) Talking about the impact it had on my career, right after the internship back at home, I applied for a few product-based companies and was fortunate enough to bag a 6-month long internship at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. Apart from this, I also got a great job offer from Baxter International, with whom I'm currently employed.
Experience
Not only I got to learn a lot, but I also made long-lasting friendships and had awe-inspiring experiences (a lot of which were firsts), that I would cherish for life. I also believe that I was very fortunate to visit Croatia during the summer of 2018 FIFA world cup to see the fun and passionate side of Croatians towards their country, which is, in a lot of ways, similar to how we Indians love Cricket. Members of IAESTE Osijek helped me a lot during my time in Osijek, helping me navigate through all the struggles of a newbie in the city, starting from sorting out my accommodation in the student dormitory to filling out tax forms, and so on. Some of the best memories I had in Croatia were with the other interns of IAESTE Osijek and their members. The people I met in Croatia were very much amiable and welcoming because of which I was able to meet many people outside of my work and become friends with them. Osijek didn't have much diversity, so when I'd tell them I'm from India, they would be very excited to meet me and would ask me more about it. One instance that I hold dearly would be the time when a barber agreed to style my hair for free because she was happy to see an Indian in Osijek.
Discover
Before starting my journey, I didn't expect anything more out of my internship other than experience and a certificate. But boy, I was wrong. Let me tell you what I learned: 1. Appreciation for the Croatian culture: I recommend you go there and experience the hospitality and the way of life to know what I mean. 2. Good mentors can help you immensely. Surround yourself with good mentors and, more importantly, good people. 3. Better social interactions and confidence to hold a conversation with almost anyone. Shoutout to all the other interns who made this possible for me. 4. That it's not the place, but the people that you hang around with, that make the place worth it. Make the most of the time that you spend with the other interns and members of IAESTE. 5. During summers, it gets dark really late, like around 8 pm. It might not be a huge thing for you, but it definitely was a shock to me. ;)
