From April to September 2019, three undergraduate students from the Department of Anthropology, at the University of Toronto University, Canada underwent an immersive learning experience at the Centre for Research and Social Transformation (CREST) in Kerala, India. From May to late June, undergraduate student Annika Olsen undertook this internship alongside master’s student Amanda Harvey-Sánchez. From July to late August, Amber (Xinyang) Ye and Tabitha Oni together joined CREST to learn about the institution and facilitate positive experiences for the students. CREST provides skills training for Dalit (former untouchable) and Adivasi (tribal) youth who continue to suffer from stigma and social exclusion, despite a legal regime that endeavours to protect them. During their time at CREST, the interns learned how social exclusion locally operates and how it is institutionally navigated. At the same time, they each underwent inter-cultural learning experiences with the students, organizing activities to help develop the trainees’ confidence and communication skills. The following reflection posts written by the 2019 interns provide insight into how their experiences in Kerala have helped them to better understand the interconnections between education, identity and social mobility.