February 29, 2024
I saw the Taj Mahal and it was dope
It is week 9 of the quarter. That is kind of crazy. If I was back in Seattle, I would probably be mildly depressed from the 4 o’clock sunsets and spending six hours a day in the library. The other day, my friend Facetimed me from Odegard stressing about her upcoming final, and I couldn’t…
February 27, 2024
Pivoting Projects and Perseverance in Bengaluru
Today marks the beginning of week 9, signifying, as they say, “the beginning of the end”. This is my last blog post for GCIL and it’s surreal to reflect on everything I’ve experienced in India— the sights, the activities, and yes, of course, the food. It feels like I’m only just beginning to grasp the…
Said and Done
“This a big watch, diamonds drippin’ off of the clock” are the words I’ve been hearing play through my computer speaker as I grind on my work or through my headphones when I’m on my way to the office. However today, as I walked through the busy crowds on Church Street, I heard these words…
February 26, 2024
People Watching
It is mid Saturday, and I’m walking into the dress shop for some final alterations. As I enter the shop, I wave at the workers, and they greet me, recognising me as I walk in. To be fair, I’m not their typical customer, but there is a sense of comfort in entering a shop where…
Last Minute Bangalore Experiences
These last few weeks of GCIL have been jam packed with work and last minute Bangalore experiences. Groups pivoting and pivoting again (frankly I feel as though the word ‘pivot’ has been used so much it lost its meaning), scrambling to get ideas in on time. For my team, this past week has been another…
February 23, 2024
My Quest to Lan Thai
On Wednesday night, I wanted Thai food. I wanted Thai food the night before too but UTC was having a special event for UTC day so we decided to stay back. I’d actually been wanting Thai food since the Thursday before when my team had planned to get Thai food and go to a park…
February 22, 2024
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright
I just had a meeting with my group at 11:00 at night, and I need to be up at 6:30 am. Let’s do this. My expectations for GCIL had been culminating for four years. I first heard about it as an admitted freshman, and while I hadn’t a clue what I was doing in life,…
GCIL is Mario Kart
Grand Challenges Impact Lab (GCIL) is a lot like Mario Kart. Right off the bat, you may be thinking to yourself, “Ridgely, how could a program designed to tackle grand challenges and foster social entrepreneurship possibly be compared to the classic Nintendo game Mario Kart?” Well, I’m about to make a boat load of analogies…
February 21, 2024
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick How do I think another day on so many problems? Who are all these problems affecting… It seems like so many, But how can I not contain my excitement about so many solutions Who is willing to hear us out? With our long list of questionnaires? Who wants…
Homesick
Homesickness is a universal emotion; it tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who has ventured far from the familiar comforts of home. Whether you find yourself just a few towns away or halfway across the world, the ache of missing home is a consistent pain that plays in the background of life. Lately, this emotion…
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