I completed my internship at Colombo University today and I’m actually rather missing it now.Strange, coz I’m quite a firm believer that internships were invented to ruin one’s precious summer holidays. I went there as a research intern, did that for a while, got familiar with a few software packages and discovered that they dont exactly research the fields I want to, and that my knowledge in certain areas was a bit inadequate for me to make a significant contribution to the research that they were doing.

About three weeks later, the head of department asked me if I wanted to contribute to the academic side of things as in, write question papers, modify the syllabus etc. So there I was, plonked with the 1st year math for IT syllabus for the BIT degree and other material and told to “write egs., write notes, make the slides more student friendly and write exam questions, so you can contribute to the question database…” Initially setting about it was rather awkward, for the only time I had dabbled with syllabuses and past papers and the like had been when I was at the recieving end, as a student.

Once I did get into the rhythm of it, I was surprised at myself to find out how much I actually enjoyed it, how it came quite naturally to me. As much as I complained about it looming over my head everyday for the past two months, deep down inside I was kinda having fun.The fact that my work would be appreciated and that it would be ‘eventually’ put into use was, I think, a big contributing factor into the equation and since I was messing around with maths in a more straightforward sense, unlike in my previous work experiences, I actually understood what on earth I was doing.Writing test papers, too I must admit was a flattering task, especially since I’m still a student, myself.Education is something I sincerely enjoy, I really enjoyed my school life and I love university and I know that however much I deny it, I dont exactly mind studying either,I have also come to realise that I love advising people on universities, the subjects they should study and the importance of studying in general; so the field of education,to me in general is, a comfortable one.

Having realised that the fancy corporate/commercial sector is not my thing, I have more or less set my sights on research sciences, so I can remain in and research, what I loved learning about, but after this stint, I’m wondering that maybe I should become an educationist-cum-research scientist, not necessarily in the capacity of a teacher or professor, but in terms of things like syllabus reforms, question papers etc etc, so I can remain in the field that I enjoy whilst actually encouraging people to broaden their perspectives and knowledge.

Working in Colombo uni, too is an experience by itself.Quite a different atmosphere to what I experience(d) as university back in St-Andrews, it, was quite a ‘culture shock’ to me during the first week. Later on though, when I got used to the stares and when the people I worked with got more friendly, it became quite a laugh.I never actually realised the magnitude of the place until I started working there. It is just huge.and pretty too, if only they bothered to maintain it properly. It is such a shame that such a beautiful place is soo poorly presented because simple maintainance procedures such as mowing the lawns and colour washing the buildings are not done regularly.Even though it does lack the resources to push on with sufficient research that need to be done, as one of the foremost universities in the country, it is very academically strong and even though, I will probably never want to make a career in the place, if ever I do take a gap year(which I’m seriously considering) between completing St-Andrews and starting a postgrad or if I ever take a serious break in my career later, teaching in Colombo uni is something I will very seriously consider taking up.