By Phoebe Von Conta ‘22, Lady Doak Fellow

I passed by the Lady Doak College gate for the second time, the security guard giving me a confused look. I had been walking laps around the gate, steeling myself to cross the street. It was my first weekend in my new site and I couldn’t manage to leave the gates. I rounded the corner for the third time and took myself outside, crossing the street alongside a wandering cow.

By Phoebe Von Conta ‘22, Lady Doak Fellow

After weeks of preparation and anticipation, I was standing at the front of a classroom, advancing powerpoint slides containing study abroad information for students. I was sweating in the November humidity, Madurai’s peak rainy season having just ended. It was my second month in my new position at the International Studies Center, working at the first women’s college established in Madurai, known as Lady Doak College. Compared to the English language teaching sites and full-time working positions Shansi offers, this position is different. The Shansi fellow works in the International Studies Center (ISC), a space for students to gather, build professional skills, and engage with international topics, it’s also where students go through the study abroad process. The flexible position allows me to carve out my own place here, a task equally thrilling and daunting.