Vitamin A-mazing: My First Week in 1500 Words
- isaactvosburg
- Jun 15, 2025
- 6 min read
If you'd have asked me a week ago what vitamin A was good for, I probably would have stumbled at the question. Now, I'm researching how best to incorporate it into rural children's diets here in India. What a wild and unpredictable world this is.
My first week at the S M Sehgal Foundation has been marked by many new experiences, from my first ride in an auto rickshaw or "auto," to attending my first real job that isn't manual labor. All these "firsts" have left me in a state of wonder, and I've been pleasantly surprised by so much already.
Knowing myself, to talk about my week as a whole would be scatterbrained, filled with tangents, and hard to follow. In the coming paragraphs, I'll do my best to keep on track by presenting just one topic at a time. Here goes:
The Job
For the first time in my life, I am now working a legitimate 9:00 to 5:00, and I could not love it more. As stated, the project I'm assigned to is a current food and nutrition initiative of the Foundation aimed at increasing awareness of vitamin A within rural villages and promoting diets that contain sufficient amounts of the micronutrient. My role, in particular, is in the development of information, education, and communication, or IEC, materials, as well as the design of interactive activities to best pass on this information to caregivers and children alike in an engaging and effective manner. What that means for my day-to-day is that, while no two days are alike, I can typically expect to be working at my computer in the interns' office in some capacity. I may be brainstorming, researching, or penciling out plans for field visits, all of which excite me, but quite honestly, the thing I can't wait for is tomorrow: my first visit to the villages where this initiative will be implemented. Over the past week, I've been working to develop some baseline questions to ask the villagers---caregivers and kids both---which will grant our project team a better understanding of the situation on the ground in these communities. What does the food system look like, how accessible are vitamin A-rich foods, what is the typical diet and how has that changed over time, etc. etc. Without getting too incredibly into the weeds, all I can say is that I absolutely love my project, and I cannot wait to implement our ideas and solutions in the field through the education and participation of locals. Working with communities like these is my dream job.
Left: A small lizard beneath the S M Sehgal Foundation's inaugural plaque outside the main office
Right: Me next to my favorite reading tree, Foundation buildings in the background
The People
Though it's only been one week, I've already made a ton of friends. There are four other international interns, many from different parts of the U.S., whom I've rather enjoyed sharing my office space and weekends with. There are interns from India I eat lunch with, where we've shared stories on a daily basis and birthday brownies on special occasions (or rather, occasion, singular). Then there's my project supervisors, all of whom have been incredibly receptive and welcoming to me as they've brought me under their wing to learn the work of this Foundation and how best I can support it. I'd be remiss, as well, not to mention the Sehgal grounds staff here. They are some of the kindest, most wholesome, and helpful individuals I have ever met, and they're also the ones to bring joy to my day-to-day life through the next section:
The Food
Where do I even begin? Whether I'm out and about in Gurugram with the other interns or just staying at the Foundation for a meal, the food is to die for. I have loved every single dish I have tried or been served here, and that is not a lie. It's certainly interesting to be eating authentic north Indian food for the first time, what with most of the Indians in Malaysia being from the southern states and bringing their food customs along with them. Roti canai, idli, dosas, and more were all commonplace during my year there, so to be eating chapati, chole bhature, palak paneer, and the like is definitely a notable shift. Regardless, I have found the food here well-suited to my taste buds, and I won't be surprised if I come back from this internship with a five to ten-pound reminder of that.
Top row: Two breakfasts served at the Foundation cafeteria
Bottom row: Two lunches served at the Foundation cafeteria
The Climate
As I write this, it is currently 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), with a feels-like temperature of 40 (104)... that feels lovely. This past week, legitimate highs have reached 44 degrees Celsius (111.2 degrees Fahrenheit), and the heat has been stifling in nearby Delhi. Despite this, I have found myself among a minority that wholeheartedly enjoys such a climate. This past week, on many an occasion, I've plopped down beneath one of the palm trees in the courtyard to read for an hour or more on end under the sun. The way the weather smothers you feels almost like a blanket to me, and for whatever reason, I find that feeling rather comforting. I've gone for long walks returning from outings with my fellow interns, and even then, I find the climate here totally and completely comfortable. Stay tuned to see how Iowa's fall and winter treat me at Grinnell.
The Culture
Though I'm nowhere near as immersed in India's culture as I was in Malaysia's during my exchange year, I've still found numerous ways in which to live and learn according to the customs and traditions of my new residence here. Some things are simply a reiteration of points I picked up on while living with my Indian host family, while others are entirely novel. In any case, I've happily reverted to abandoning my socks and shoes once more, opting rather for sandals as the footwear of choice, and I eat almost every meal with my hands (though of course not the left one, as that is considered impolite). I've been picking up on bits of Hindi here and there---my focus for the coming week is to spend at least 30 minutes to an hour each day devoted to the language---and my response to most questions has largely ended in "ठीक है - theek hai," meaning "okay," followed by the typical side-to-side head nod. I've been surprised by both the similarities and contrasts between India and Malaysia, though I can confidently assess that my experience learning the cultural ins and outs of the latter has certainly helped me feel at home already in the former.
The Experience
Not only have I gained stories I'll someday share with my grandchildren, like riding in autos down the streets of Gurugram or walking past friendly cows in the median as I come home from the mall with my friends, I've also gained experiences of my own here, to be held by me alone. This is the first time I've been truly and extensively living by myself, without a family to look after me. It's interesting to me, the amount of learning that's happened more in the vein of time management and self-responsibility than anything else. In any case, I'm glad to be soaking in all kinds of newfound knowledge, in whatever facet(s) they may pertain to me. I have truly loved every moment of my time here in India, and though I'm only one week in, I can say with certainty that this place, these people, and my work here at this Foundation, have all held in their own way, a small, but notable part of this already lifechanging experience.
Top left: An auto ride at night - Top right: One of the aforementioned friendly cows in the median
Bottom left: A view down the street on which the Sehgal Foundation is located - Bottom right: Some of my fun work!
It is with full confidence that I also state that the best is yet to come. Please stay tuned for more updates throughout the coming week, and thank you for your time in reading this.
Have a great day!
-Isaac :)
P.S.
This smile has been pretty much incessant since arriving!
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