What is your favorite travel memory?
Being a mountain lover, all my favorite memories have been weaved around the Himalayas. If I have to pick one from a bundle of memories, then that would be the day I climbed the Dzongri Summit (4725 mt or 15,500 ft), on my way to Goechala.
Never before in life did I feel that the world can seem so gorgeous, that the warmth of the first rays of the sun feels exactly like mother's touch and every breath I took made me feel how alive I am.
I was standing with my feet tucked in the snow, my nose turned red and the snowclad mountains around me were all draped in gold. I felt strange goosebumps, not because of the cold but because of the happiness of climbing a height I never imagined I could.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
The success is the result of the hard work of an entire team, and the coordinator among the members is perhaps the biggest strength. If all the people working for the company can think and put in their best, then nothing can stop the company from achieving success.
For Volunteering Solutions, whether it’s the people sitting inside the office space or those who are coordinating with the volunteers in different parts of the world -- the efforts of all are counted equally.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Being here for the last 10 months, I believe my skills of writing and communication have improved manifold. I've learned how to come up with quick innovative ideas, how to convince people on the other side of the screen to accept my articles, and how to use social media as a tool for growth and enhanced outreach.
I'm a more confident at my work now, and I look forward to continue polishing my skills under the guidance of the seniors.
What unique qualities does your company possess?
Every company has certain unique qualities that make it different from others. I believe that the work VolSol does is in itself a great work for humanity. There's transparency, honesty, strength and a combination of soulful ideas that make it special.
Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.
On one occasion, I got a chance to visit a dozen Dutch volunteers who were working at a slum school in New Delhi, India.
After interacting with them, I got to know that not only had they traveled all the way from the Netherlands to India for volunteering, but they had also raised enough funds to provide water purifier, air cooler, mats and paints to that slum school, which was in dire need of those things.
Not only did I feel proud to be a part of the team that day, but I also started believing in the fact that there are still nice people in the world.
How would you perceive the safety concerns being a solo woman traveler in India?
I guess it's the media that has made this entire fuss about India being unsafe for women travelers, but the reality isn't anything close to that.
I won't disagree with the fact that late night outings and too much interaction with a stranger can at times turn a bit messy, but personally, I've never experienced anything of that sort. I've always come across warm people, smiling cab drivers, helpful autowallahs, humorous co-passengers and above all, truck drivers who shared their life tales with me.
And I don't think that I'm the only lucky one -- there are hundreds of other women who are traveling solo in different parts of the country and they do get a safe sleep at night. You just have to be a little cautious about your steps, and everything will fall into place.
