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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DePauw chapter.

Winter Term is a time for DePauw students to get out of their element and explore something new. Whether you take a class on campus, do an internship, design an independent study, or travel abroad, those four weeks in January give DePauw students the chance to break the exhausting pattern that comes with taking a full course load at a liberal arts university. This past Winter Term, Justin Quall, a senior Management Fellow and Economics Major, managed to combine two choices by completing an internship abroad in Pune, India.
 
Her Campus: What company did you intern for in India?
Justin Quall: Cummins. They’re primarily an engine company. I was working in their Components business, doing strategy and business development work.
 
HC: What made you decide to go so far away?
JQ: I’ve always loved Indian food, and it sounded like a really exciting opportunity.
 
HC: How will this experience help you further your future goals?
JQ: It’ll help me further my future goals in better understanding the discipline of that type of work, even in a different industry.
 
HC: What was the most valuable experience you had in India?
JQ: I loved traveling around during the holiday festival of Diwali. It was cool to see; like, the city explodes. It was also nice to have time to travel and see the Taj Mahal, the Ganges River, and all that.
 
HC: What was the hardest thing about adjusting to India?
JQ: I adjusted pretty quickly. I guess the biggest difference was the sensory overload- the noises all the time, the smells in the air. It was crazy in a good way.
 
HC: What was different about day-to-day life there?
JQ: In the office, they have morning and afternoon coffee or tea at around 10am and 3pm everyday. Everyone drops everything they’re doing and [they] just drink tea. Outside of the office the auto-rickshaws were a different way to get around. They had a roof but were open on the inside. You’d get the wind and pollution and everything.
 
HC: Is there any aspect of Indian society that you’re trying to incorporate into your life back home?
JQ: I think I’m better at turning on and off the work switch from the India morning and afternoon tea theme. I used to just work, work, work. I’ve learned to take it easy at certain times.
 
HC: Would you recommend this kind of experience to other DePauw students?
JQ: Yeah, definitely.

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Katie Tangri is a senior at DePauw University, class of 2011, studying Communication and Sociology. She is a member of the Alpha chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, a speaking and listening consultant and the Vice President of Program for Panhellenic Council. Her interests include shopping, baking and reading. She hopes to get a job at a non-profit organization upon graduation.