As I continue my journey with Sangath, I find myself increasingly enchanted by Delhi. The city’s vibrant energy, rich history, and dynamic street life have woven themselves into my daily routine. Connecting with friends from the University of Toronto who are also in Delhi has been a source of comfort and joy. Exploring the city together, I’ve visited landmarks such as the stunning Humayun’s Tomb, the bustling lanes of Chandni Chowk, and the serene Lotus Temple. Each location offers a unique slice of Delhi’s charm, from its architectural splendor to its lively markets. Additionally, I have enjoyed getting to know the research team on a more personal level, building deeper connections.

The sweltering heat and bustling pace of daily life have gradually become familiar, and I’ve settled into a rhythm that balances my professional responsibilities with personal exploration. I’ve begun to appreciate the nuances of this vibrant city and have started to build a routine that integrates both my work at Sangath and my new life in Delhi.

This week, my tasks have been diverse, pulling me in different directions based on my interests and the team’s needs. I’ve worked on creating an awareness-generation Instagram post, recruiting participants for a co-design workshop, and preparing for focus group discussions. Balancing these varied tasks has been a rewarding challenge, and I’ve managed to find stability amid the busyness.

Recruiting participants for the co-design workshop was a particularly demanding task. It involved reaching out via email, WhatsApp, and phone calls to potential participants, followed by checking in to ensure they completed the consent forms. This process, while essential, blurred the lines between my personal and professional life, as managing a large roster of contacts on WhatsApp and responding to messages at odd hours proved taxing. This experience taught me the importance of setting boundaries to maintain personal well-being while navigating professional responsibilities. Learning to balance these aspects has been crucial in managing the demands of my role effectively.

Pride is a deeply personal celebration for me. Having celebrated it in Toronto for several years, I felt a pang of sadness being away from my community this year. Initially unaware that Pride in Delhi is celebrated in November and is more protest-oriented, I was given the opportunity to create a Pride post. The initial text provided fell short of resonating with a queer audience, so I took the initiative to suggest revisions that made it more narrative-driven and included queer-affirming resources. My feedback was well-received and led to increased engagement with the post, including shares by notable figures like Ira Khan, a prominent mental health advocate in India. This experience underscored the importance of integrating lived experiences into projects and highlighted how personal authenticity can enhance the impact of our work.

I also questioned the scheduling of the Pride post, as it was only conceptualized in mid-June rather than being thoughtfully planned earlier. My reflections on this issue were welcomed by the team, leading to improvements in Sangath’s posting strategy. This demonstrated the value of thoughtful engagement with diverse communities and the impact of timing in effective communication.

Looking ahead, I’m eagerly anticipating our upcoming focus group discussions. I’ve been diligently preparing by helping to develop stimuli material and organizing the session logistics. Designing graphics for wayfinding and fine tuning the session’s structure has been an engaging challenge. My biggest takeaway this week has been the importance of thoughtfully engaging with young people in various areas, including awareness generation, recruitment, and workshop planning. This experience has underscored the significance of understanding and addressing the needs of diverse groups to create meaningful impact.