Reflections on India - 6 Months Post Study Abroad

It's been six months since I ventured entirely out of the realm of my comfort zone and visited India.  My last "reflections" post was written about 4.5 months ago, and I was still disappointed with both my experience, and my reaction to that experience.  Probably more to my reaction if I'm being honest.

Still when asked about my trip, I am hesitant.  My typical response goes something like, "Umm, well, it was challenging..." To which questions follow and a discussion ensues.  I then, more often than not, find myself explaining my experiences, the people, the culture, the political situation, the wedding we "crashed..."

Today, I took part in a Non-Traditional Student Study Abroad Information...something or other.  Basically, it was some of us non-traditionals sharing our study abroad experiences with other non-traditionals that might be thinking about going abroad.  I was able to answer questions, share a snip-it of my experience (the positive snip-its as we were trying to "sell" the programs).  I enjoyed discussing our experiences among others who went to places like Peru, Ireland, Italy, and China.

The more I talk about my experience, the more I realize that I really learned very much!  Though I do hope to go back to India one day, I can't say that I'm chomping at the bit to get back.  This could have very much to do with the absolutely miserable trek required just to get there.  Those 27 hours of travel might have truly been the most miserable travel hours I've spent.  A French child sleeping across my lap is not my idea of a great flight, after all.

However, the experience itself is growing on me.  As I begin to remember, I catch myself smiling at Nate's sweet and fresh excitement at everything!  Zaheer's kind and gentlemanly behavior, making sure that the girls were safe and protected.  Briana was thoughtful, emotional, excited, and in awe of India and her glory.  Kearstyn, fierce and sassy, ready for anything.  Rebeca with her strong will and emotions, and Connor and Alex, Fraternity brothers for life and all that it entails.  Dr. Dembla seeing India through an entirely new set of eyes for the first time ever in her life.  And Ria:  Respectful and funny, full of tradition and beauty.  My confidante, my friend, my sister while I was away from my sister.

Our student hosts who were kind, inviting, gracious, and so hardworking.  They were up for anything as long as we were excited about it.  They loved our naivety about their culture and life (Crossing the street requires hand holding in Mumbai.  Seriously.).  They were accepting and inquisitive; American sarcasm is entirely lost on them, and they are easy to entertain.

I find that as the sting of disappointment ebbs, curiosity and gratitude take its place.  I am blessed to have the ability to work hard and fulfill dreams of seeing the world.  I worked hard to earn that experience.  To find myself hurt and full of sad, disappointed memories is absolutely unacceptable.  I gained memories and lessons from every single second of that experience.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  Frayed emotions, fragile moments, exciting new experiences, and a heart full of love are some of what I left with.  Memories are what I have now.  In addition to periodic discussions via text with Zohra, the oh-so-sweet Indian student with whom I share Harry Potter, Grey's Anatomy, and so much more.

Most importantly, more importantly than all I learned, and experienced, and saw, and did, I remember how excited I was to come home to the most important people in my life:  My Erik and our family.   

India Day 2: Elephanta Caves and Shopping

We started our day early today trying to avoid the heat and the crowds.  I'm so glad we did!  Most of us are sunburned, and the crowds were unbearable on the island as we left.

Elephanta Caves are on a small island about 45 minutes, by ferry, from Mumbai (Bombay).  We passed by The Gate of Bombay constructed when the British left India (very beautiful!) and got on to the ferry.  The breeze on the water was nice, very cooling.  I was completely shocked when I saw a man finish a juice box and simply chuck it over the side of the boat.  It took everything I had not to gawk at him.  I asked about this and I was told that there are not enough waste baskets and since people can't just carry their trash, the must just drop it where they are.  I found this unbelievable and tried to explain "Leave No Trace" to the kind girls hosting us-it wasn't well understood.  We even explained that when you go scuba diving, you don't touch the turtles because it's illegal.  The remark was that no one will know because you're under the sea.

So, on to Elephanta we went.  There was a moderately steep walk up some very uneven stairs to get to the caves.  We saw our first "Indian Monkeys" on the way.  Actually monkeys which are quite comical--until they take your food and all but laugh at you while they eat it and stare you in the eye.  Photos are coming tomorrow of the animals.

We also saw a few goats, many dogs, and a very large cow.  They were all hits as we are animal loving Americans.  Though the real excursion was to the caves.  These are caves that have within them carved statues of the Hindu Gods.  Carved by the Portuguese, and then destroyed by the same, they are beautiful relics of the history of the nation.

We shopped this afternoon.  Oh my goodness, did we shop!  I'm not much of a shopper to start with, so when you had very hot heat, modest (read:  long) clothing, and very many people in very small spaces, you get a very tired Me.  I did buy a couple of items.  Most everything here is so cheap!  Clothing for a few dollars is just crazy to me.  And many people here wear these clothes.  Though they may be more expensive to locals than the seem to us.  I think Indians would be shocked at the clothing prices in America.  Actually, I think Indians would be shocked at the price of everything in America.  I bought 2 liters of water today for $1.

My feet were doing better this morning and most of the day.  Unfortunately, a beer and then extensive shopping led to them swelling again.  Not as sore as yesterday, but not very comfortable right now.  I think the water is helping.  For the first 18 hours or so that we were here, we kept being told to drink water, drink water, but we were only being given juice-size glasses of water at a time.  So I bought many liters and have had almost 3 today.  I feel like a new person!

I'm including a couple of photos from yesterday, today's will be posted tomorrow (hopefully).

Until then...Keep on Burning...

 Train Station in Mumbai

Train Station in Mumbai

 Coast line of Mumbai--The camera settings were off so you can't see all the trash

 Hanging Gardens--A park in the city

A street corner as we passed

India: Flight and 1st Day

After nearly 24 hours of travel time, we have arrived in India (Mumbai).  We breezed through customs and baggage claim as it was only 3 AM yet, only to be accosted by a bunch of squawking Indian men looking to help us with our bags for $1/$2/$20.  There was a delay among our group as our drivers attempted to figure out where our bags would fit, which, I'm told, is quite common here.  Nothing gets done quickly, I'm told.

My feet were extraordinarily swollen upon arrival.  An issue that was somewhat bettered by rest and elevation, but hindered today as we spent the whole day around town with our hosts.  They are a group of students from Mumbai College's HR College, and they are wonderful!  Kind, informative, eager to teach and learn:  We know that we'll enjoy spending our first week with them!

This morning, after breakfast, a couple of us went for a short walk with Professor Dembla around the block.  Our first glimpse of the city in the daylight, and WOW, is it dirty!  I can't even describe it.  Trash, rubble, stray animals, people sleeping smack in the middle of the sidewalk...not to mention the smell.  It comes and goes, stronger in some spaces than others, and a real adjustment.  The natives simply go about their business. Dr. Dembla told us just to ignore those sleeping in the streets, to just take it in as scenery.  I'll try to do so, but it's hard when you are raised believing that it's somehow your job to make things better.  It's such a vast issue here.  We're told that the government made apartments available to some of these people, and that they chose to stay on the street and rent their spaces out for income.

Divya and some of my classmates just arrived back at the hotel after an evening excursion to a market.  I'm excited to hear what the did and saw.  I came back to rest my feet.  Our hotel is in the middle of the city.  It's not in an area that I would consider "safe" at home, but it seems to be fine.  Our rooms are simple, but offer everything we require. 

The food has been wonderful so far!  flavors and experiences never before imagined.  We had a "chai" drink today.  Not like Starbucks Chai Tea (at All), it was curd with spices and tapioca. I did try it, I didn't care for it.  Otherwise, lunch was so tasty.  The service reminded me of The Druze Village as they just keep giving you more food.  But it's so good, you can't say no!

Tomorrow will undoubtedly be busy as well.  I'll try to remember to upload some pictures before posting.  Internet has proven to be difficult here as we have to pay so time is limited.  I haven't been able to talk to Erik which frustrates me because that was my one big worry aside from the flight, but I'm trying to take it in stride and enjoy the experiences as they come.  Hopefully one of my classmates can troubleshoot my wifi issue, and/or the next hotel (in Goa) will be a little more user friendly.

Until then, Keep On Burning!

Inda Jitters

Well, I leave in 12 days to visit a continent half way around the world for three weeks.  A new culture, new smells, new faces...and, No Erik?  It hit me about mid week that I'll spend three weeks away from my family, and my Erik.  What's worse, I've had to work at school work preparing for finals, we haven't even been able to work on communication logistics.  We also haven't worked on our trip to Europe.  We have no plan, no tickets, no definitive accommodations:  Basically, we have nothing.  But hey, you only live once, right?  Carpe Diem?

Despite all of these concerns, I'm excited!  Our final group member waiting for a visa has received it, and our passports (with newly acquired visas) are safely back at the university awaiting our pickup.  I've tried to maintain a relatively lackadaisical attitude toward the trip for two reasons.  First, for the reasons listed above; and second, because I feel like a person can't get a true feeling for the host country when he/she wants to go there, but wants the experience to go a certain way.  I can't tell you what I'll see or feel or do.  Sure, we have an itinerary, but the places you go when abroad are only a quarter of your experience.  It's about opening yourself up to listening and even copying the local behavior.  It's about trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone.  So my expectations are simply to experience each minute as it occurs.    And to live in that moment to my greatest ability. 

I do plan to write while I'm there, and hope to post pictures as well.  Since phone calls are obviously not an option, this will be a means of communication.  I'm excited to share this endeavor, and am hopeful that at least one person reading will be changed for the better.  If one person can learn something from my experiences, it's all worth it!

Punta Cana, Days 4 & 5

We're home now.  Between a non-stop final 2 days and wifi only cell service, these days didn't get blogged.  

Day 4 was a blast!  We went off the resort to take dune buggies out into a local town and countryside.  The views were beautiful, the town was pitiful, many wrapped in barbed wire and/or lockable cages, and the children were heartbreaking!  I've seen photos taken by friends of children in poor countries with hands out asking for money or things, but until this trip I'd never experienced it myself.  They waved and smiled at us as we cruised down the road.  It looked as though they were just excited to see a mass of loud, gurgling go carts riding through their neighborhood, but they were only excited because it meant the possibility of handouts.  It occurred to me more than once that we probably paid as much for that excursion as their families make in months.  We did, however, have a marvelous time getting muddy while seeing Macao Beach and beautiful caves with fresh water to swim in.

 Macao Beach

 Dune Buggies!  Erik has always wanted to drive one of these!

We got a little muddy

Day 5:  Dad and I got up early to meet friends on the beach for the sunrise.  It was very pretty and an enjoyable morning.  We spent most of the morning on the beach before it was time to get ready to leave (insert sad face here!).  

The airport in Punta Cana is something to experience.  Arriving was simple and pretty quick.  Departing, however, is a completely different story!  It took us over an hour to get through security with the three lines and a family of 10+ cut in front of us.  I was not a happy camper.  At customs, a different group of three simply stepped up in front of me from the entirely wrong side of the line.  No "excuse me," or "I'm sorry," or anything!  I was quite peeved.  The world thinks Americans are rude (each of these groups were European)!  Anyhow, it was an ordeal and I was glad to reach home and be greeted by warm smiles and "happy holidays, welcome homes!"  

That said, we wished we'd had 2 more days in paradise.  But alas, we didn't.  We're glad to be home safe and sound to celebrate the holiday season with our families.  A few more photos until next time....

 The view from the security line in the airport...

  

Off We Go

We're leaving, on a jet plane...

Exciting updates coming soon from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!