From the moment I was picked up from the Mumbai airport till the moment I entered the Extentia guesthouse – I had already started feeling that I had found a home away from home. Everyone here was welcoming and accommodating. The day I reached Pune happened to be Anant Chaturdashi – an important day during the liveliest and most loved festival of the city. The timing worked in my favour and I immediately began to feel immersed in the culture. At the guesthouse, I met two of my fellow CONNECT interns from Morocco and Algeria. Little did I know at that moment that they would become my family in India. My first day at the office was relaxed as I was introduced to my immediate team members and was allotted a desk where I found a delicious chocolaty surprise!
The second week was intense and action-packed as it was time for X24 – Extentia’s annual Hackathon! Having studied ‘Urban and Regional Planning’ in university, this experience was nothing short of wondrous. Seeing the concepts of urban planning and marketing come together through the hackathon’s SMART City theme was mind-blowing and affirmed that I was indeed in the right place at the right time. I saw different Extentia houses work together as I excitedly supported my house – Spartans!
In December 2019, I got to actively participate in organizing the fourth edition of ‘ApplePi’ –Extentia’s showcase of latest technologies and gadgets, especially for children and young adults. Being a part of the core team that made the event a success, the experience brought me immense satisfaction and joy, especially seeing the imaginative young minds immerse themselves in the world of technology.
Throughout my stay at Extentia, my mentor and the rest of the marketing team encouraged me to learn a range of tasks. Constructive feedback at each step helped me learn and get better at what I do. I attended various breakfast talk sessions that addressed a range of interesting and thought-provoking topics. My personal favorite was a talk about indoor gardening by Nandan Kalbag – thoroughly inspired by which, I even purchased a plant later that evening. I plan to continue doing gardening back home. Apart from this, I also participated in various sports activities and even won a medal!
It was never a dull day in Extentia. People here were always willing to help and ensured that all of us CONNECT interns felt at home even in the office. During my internship, I got to work with people from across departments which helped me explore different aspects of the corporate life. I was also a part of celebrating a few of Extentia’s key milestones – the biggest one being the company’s experience design center, XEN LAB PNQ becoming a member of the SAP AppHaus Network.
At the end of a fulfilling five months at Extentia, I could proudly say that I left as a better individual who grew both on professional as well as on an individual level. I not only acquired skills that I did not possess at the beginning of my internship but also perfected the ones that I already had. More confident and assertive, I transformed into a problem solver and a solution seeker over the course of my internship. No matter where I go, I will carry the Extentia spirit of ‘Do More, Be More’ with me!
Read other Extentia Blog posts here!