What did you learn during immersion? How did you learn it?
Answer:
Perhaps the most tangible "things" I learned during my immersion were: 1. How to coil really long cables without kinks or bends (things that would presumably shorten the life of the cables and make them more difficult to use), and 2. How to operate a TV camera, because I played the role of an impromptu cameraman for an episode of Math 2 Success.
I learned how to coil like a pro through the following series of events: One day I went to internship. There was nothing for me to do, so I sat in a chair and read an engaging book. eventually, a kindly man happened by and asked if I could help in the studio. I enthusiastically replied that, of course, I would help him (probably to a casual observer I did not appear remotely exited, but I assure you that I was bursting with joy). So, after stowing my book in my backpack, I wended my way to the ITV studio, where I was introduced to several other people who were busy as bees. One guy told me that I could begin by coiling up a blue cable that snaked across the floor like a starved anaconda. I did so, naively assuming that one coils a long cable (must have been 50 feet) in the same way as a rope. Sadly, I was not correct, a fact that was explained to me in civil terms by this other guy who showed my how to do it professionally. As he put it, when there are very long cables that need to be kept in good shape (because everything costs money) pains should be taken to coil them so that they lie (I cannot think of any word for this instance better than flaccid, and even that is not a very accurate description) flaccid, without the cable's natural tendency to twist in a certain way being ignored. He showed me a tricky flick-of-the-wrist maneuver so that the cable naturally forms a coil. I would outline exactly what to do, but, not to be blunt, that was a really long paragraph and I still have another one to finish so I'll just leave it at that.
After the adventure with the cable, (I think if anyone ever asks me about that again I will have to make up some elaborate story about wrestling a 50 foot python or something else suitably manly) a completely different guy showed me how to use a camera and what the filming would entail, then the TV kids arrived, and (to cut a long story short) we started filming.
It is apparent that the two "things" I chose to describe were skills. I suppose a skill is subtly different from an ability or talent... (I am very tired right now so I will come back to this part later and hash out some acute philosophical connections) (at least I would like to call them acute but they will likely be horribly obtuse).
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