Conchita R. Khan

Conchita R. Khan
Attended RYLA 9800 as a participant in 2018
Master of Engineering student in University of Melbourne


Why did you do RYLA?
I was told about it by a friend who is a former participant. It was during the holidays; I didn’t have any plans. Also, I’m an international student, I’d never been camping in Melbourne before, and I enjoy meeting new people, so I thought, ‘Why not?!’ I did not know anything about Rotary clubs or RYLA and I honestly wasn’t expecting much from the program. But I was wrong – the program turned out to be much more than just a social event. I’m glad my friend got me involved.


What did RYLA mean to you?
My biggest takeaway from RYLA was empathy and compassion for others. In our day-to-day lives, it is difficult, and often inappropriate, to talk about certain issues like mental health or discrimination, but RYLA was a good platform for me to do that with other people in the same age group as myself. Listening to people describe their lives and their struggles with issues that I don’t normally face gave me a deeper appreciation for them. At the same time, it was liberating for me to be allowed to share my story and my perspective on things. These conversations I will hold dear forever, because you don’t get many chances to have them.


How has RYLA helped you on the path you are on today?
RYLA helped me mature into a better person. I’m much more considerate about other people’s struggles and not as quick to distance myself from those who have different opinions. I believe I’ve learned to respectfully disagree and work with people I don’t see eye to eye with. This helps me not only in my personal life, but professional life as well.
 
I also had the fortune to meet the Governor of Rotary, Bronwyn Stephens, who then sponsored me to attend the Social Impact Forum and, a few months after that, the International Women’s Day Breakfast at the Crown. Moreover, a few months after RYLA ended, I was invited for dinner by my Rotary club to talk about my RYLA experience, where I met some amazing Rotarians. I’m looking forward to becoming involved with the Rotary club in some small capacity in the future.


And last, but not least, I made some great friends at RYLA – friends I still catch up with every now and then. We have this unspoken understanding that we’re always there to lend each other a hand or an ear. It’s a support system that lasts a long time.