A Bittersweet Goodbye

A 6 hour bus ride, two stops for food and chai, 4 hours of waiting in the Mumbai airport, 2 hours of security and immigration, a 15 hour international flight to Newark, 2 hours more of security and immigration, saying goodbye to my friends, two domestic flights home, and around six hours of sleep; you could say I'm exhausted. I've been traveling for 36 hours so far and am so close to landing in Bozeman.

Though this is my home, my friends and my family, I'm a bit nervous to go home. After being abroad for this long, home doesn't actually seem like that warm fuzzy place you go everyday. Perhaps this is because it's more of a memory and the home I've been so used to is in India. I'm sad to be leaving and nervous to return for several reasons.

I'm afraid because I really like the person I am when I'm traveling, and I really don't want to lose her. When I am reliant on myself, when I feel confident and totally capable of all that's thrown at me. When I am more thoughtful and analytical, always aware of my surroundings and thinking with a more global awareness. I've found so many new ways to entertain myself. I'm not reliant on technology, anything or anyone for that matter. My patience tolerance is remarkably higher and my attitude always seems to be more optimistic. I want to always be like this, not only when I'm traveling.

I don't want to leave because here, I've discovered that you are able to learn not solely to get a grade or pass a test. You are able to learn because you are passionate about something, because you truly and genuinely are curious and interested. I've been able to experience this new style of learning-without-consequences and it has been infinitely better than any public school system has to offer. 

I don't want to leave because though I do miss my friends and family, the bonds I've established here have been incredible. I've made new friends and a completely new family. It's much harder to leave these people because the uncertainty of when or if we'll ever meet again is constantly in the air.

I don't want to leave because I've gotten so used to living life so simply; with fewer needs and less possessions. Undeniably a shower is going to be incredible and a real mattress will be really nice, but in India I was living out of a suitcase. All I needed, I had- and nothing more. This trip has helped me realize the extent of how many things I own that are purely for the sake of enjoyment. Nothing on the basis of anything necessary for basic survival. It's made me realize how little we need to be happy. 

I don't want to leave because leaving means I have to go back to reality. I have to say goodbye to this fantasy that I've been living for six weeks and face what's ahead to come- school, college prep, tests ect... 

I don't want to leave because, as I was told would happen, I've fallen in love with India. I've realized how big, beautiful an diverse this country is and I really have only gotten a taste of it. I am so eager to explore more of what it has to offer and see more of it's beautiful sights, and meet more of its wonderful people.

Though it's sad to have left, I am so fortunate for the time I had. India has taught me so much. 

I will implement my new perspectives on a daily basis; with everything I find, and every new experience I encounter. I will appreciate all I have even more than before and be conciensious to use only what is needed. It has given me faith that all people are inheritely good, and so incredibly similar. It has taught me how big the world is and helped to put me in place of where I stand, but at the same time, it has also boosted my spirits for my possibilities in this life. India has taught me the importance of resources like food and water, and the impacts they have on people's lives. It has taught me that a place is characterized by the people inhabiting it. I've learned that not only is it possible to be happy anywhere in the world, but it is completely dependent on your mindset. 

India has taught me more about myself than I ever knew. It's helped me to pinpoint my beliefs, prioritize my goals, and to realize my passions and my interests. It has taught me to become more independent and to have more confidence in myself. It helped me discover my abilities, my limits, and ways to cope when these walls and breached. 

So, as I sit on this airplane, eating ice for the fist time in six weeks, I am looking forward to landing in Bozeman in 1 hour and 34 minutes. I do miss my friends and my family. I miss the mountains and the blue sky. 

The thing that keeps me happy about leaving my second home is the fact that I know I will soon be back.

Reflecting On Ancient Cultures

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit a few museums throughout the city. It was so neat to see artifacts of ancient and medieval cultures. To tour old palaces and forts and try to imagine what life used to be like for all these people; having to ride elephants and find refuge in forts and fight the British and serve the kings. It's hard to make your mind believe that the sculpture you are looking at is from the 9th century A.D. history can be a difficult concept to completely grasp.
Looking at these huge swords and engraved gold silverware that royalty used to use in their palaces, and learning about their lives, seeing the beautifully decorated structures that the kings would sit in atop elephants or carried by people and servants was really eye opening. Life used to be so different and it's so interesting to try and imagine yourself in these time periods. Personally, I think it's near to impossible to completely picture their lives. Considering the fact that we are so accustomed to all the possessions in our daily lives that make everything easier, it is so hard to completely imagine a time when people didn't have cars, or electricity or running water. Things we are so accustomed to as a culture yet things that people used to live so independently without.

Six Weeks Has Flown By

To think that today is my last day in school. Hard to believe that waking up in the mornings from here on out, I won't walk to my window and open it to the view of the street below, an image I have become so used to. Trying to imagine that tomorrow I will not be waiting outside for my driver to pick me up, I wont be driving to school with my friends, watching out of the rainy windows as we drive by the street vendors, the four-member-family on a motorcycle, and that beautiful red temple and the base of the hill. Trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is the last time I will be sitting with my friends in this computer lab, taking twenty minutes to log onto these huge old computers. Waiting as the rain drizzles out the window and all the little students on their lunch break wave at us. Really hard to look at all these faces and think that this may be the last smile we ever get. Tough day of saying goodbye to our routines that have come so normal. It's like we're leaving again but this time there's no promise that we'll be back in just six weeks.
Our school is constructed out of an old train, so I've forced myself to think of all these goodbyes as a train stop. We are leaving the station once again, headed to new places and headed to meet different faces. The things we learn along the way are going to help us and the people we encounter will always be with us. Whether these people we meet are physically with us ever again, they will forever have an impact on our lives. Everyone crosses paths with us for a reason, but that doesn't make it any easier when it comes to saying goodbye to these beautiful souls. So now we're off, leaving platform nine and three quarters (Nina K. quote), and headed onto our next big adventure.

Parvati

103 steps and 2100 feet later, we walked to the top of Parvati Temple in the city. It was a beautiful reservoir of serenity among all the city chaos directly at the bottom of the hill.

Becoming "Cultured"

As we are nearing the end of our journey together, we are able to see the transformations that have happened. Not only are we more knowledgeable of another culture, but I think we have all been able to open our minds even a little more. To have more of a worldly perspective on things as they go by. To be able to think of things from more that one angle, and more than one direction. I think we all have gained a greater awareness of what's out there and a better understanding of the world as a whole. Though it has only been six weeks, the lessons we have learned and the experiences we have had together have taught us an immense amount of valuable information. At the beginning of the trip, one of the things I was most excited about upon coming to India was going home. This wasn't because I didn't want to be there or because I was homesick, it was because I was so excited to come home and implement a new perspective into my everyday life. I was so eager to find new ways to look at things differently. In this way, the past six weeks have had an incredible impact on all of us.

Closing Ceremony

Today we had our closing ceremony. This was a time for us to say our thank you's and goodbyes as well as show our parents what we have learned. We recited poems, hosted the entire event in Hindi, danced traditional and Bollywood style dances, and sang prayers and songs. This is the video Sydney and I made as a surprise thank you to all our teachers. I think it's a really good representation of our trip.

Pictures That Can Speak For Themselves

Food! Glorious Food

मुझे खाना पसंद है

I like food.

This was one of the first things I learned to say in hindi, but my vocabulary has now grown, and I can further this conversation with भी मुझे आम पसंद है (I also like mango), and बहुत स्वादिष्ट, यह क्या है? (this is delicious, what is it?)

To me, food is so much more than food, and it becomes more of an experience, especially when trying something for the first time. I’ve tasted new fruits, new vegetables, countless spices, different teas, plants, leaves, herbs, desserts, and even more things I had never even heard of. The food is all so different, and depending on from which region of India it originates, it is also varied. When eating all these delicious new things, you get to further experience the culture and the people of that culture. We learn to eat with our hands, to eat sitting on the floor, we learn how to arrange our plates, what to eat first and how to do so. We experience different tastes; sour bitter, extremely sweet and really really spicy.

Eating here has become somewhat of an adventure. With each new bite comes a bit of excitement. Anxious to discover whether this dish is sweet or spicy. Whether you like it, or if it’s really not your favorite. And then, there comes the time when you have no idea what things are, so you take the menu and point to the desserts page, asking the man for one of each
There are those exciting moments when you get to eat meat, something you haven't tasted for weeks, and other times when you are sweating so badly and sniffling your nose as you wipe your tears. Whoops, didn't see that chile you subtly think to yourself. 
In every meal, it's pretty standard to have a large amount of vegetables. In even the simplest of dinners, you will probably be having at least three or four different types. It's also standard to have some sort of roti (bread, grain) in your meal. Whether it's naan, chapati, parata, this is how you eat all your subjee (vegetables). It's also pretty normal to eat some kind of dal (lentil soup) and rice with your meal.  
The food here is delicious. To say the least. 
Below is a picture of the desserts we got through way of random pointing.

Red Light? Aint Nobody Got Time For That!

Traffic is a thing I was not very used to, considering I do not live in a big city. The honking is so loud but fortunately, I am very used to it by now. Rare moments of silence have started to feel weird. The thoughts of something feels weird.. oh wait, it’s quiet. But aside from the noise, the traffic is a completely different issue. Whereas in the U.S. a red light is always obeyed and there is minimal chaos at intersections, here the people could care less about what color the stop light is. I was having a conversation the other day with a teacher about this topic, and her thoughts were as follows. “It really depends on our mood. Sometimes we just feel like obeying the laws and sometimes (most times) we don’t.” I’m starting to get the hang of how people drive though. Hands on the steering wheel so that you are easily able to honk whenever needed. In order to cross the intersection, just start inching your car farther and farther out and eventually, someone will wait. And when you are sitting at a light and it turns green, there is absolutely no way you are able to cross because all the other people have just run their red light. Just sit tight and don’t worry, you will be able to cross within the hour. The picture below is this exact situation (notice our green signals), and it happens every day on our way home.

The Benefits of [not] Being a Tourist

This trip has been my first experience abroad where I am not traveling as a tourist. I'm not lugging around my camera and swimsuit while my American family and I look for a beach. Rather, I'm staying with a local family. I have found many advantages to doing so. This is better because instead of staying in a fancy hotel and eating at restaurants every night, I am able to experience the atmosphere and the conditions of an Indian family, and the daily rituals and customs that fill their every day. I am able to see religious practices, student life, household chores, neighborhoods, transportation and food. We are shown the little places in the back alleys that we would have otherwise never known existed. Not only is it a more realistic experience, but it is also quite safer and easier; our host families know what we should and shouldn't eat, and when they take us places, we are better protected and in places of familiarity. I have learned more about India through just living in a household than any book could have ever taught me, not to mention the relationships I've developed with the people here. I will be leaving this country with an entirely new family.

One Big Happy Fraaamily

Six weeks ago, we were picked up from the JFK airport in New York City and shuttled to Columbia University for orientation. There, we were introduced to fifteen other strangers and told that these are the people we would be going to India with. Everyone was completely unknown to one another. The only thing we knew were names, where he or she was from, and the familiarity of their face from a thumbnail photo on their Facebook profile. Posing for our first group photo before we drove to the airport, we all were hands to our sides, smiling, with no idea how great these people next to us were.

Starting with a fifteen hour plane ride to Mumbai, our group quickly started to gel together. Landing super late at night and boarding the bus to Pune, friendships rapidly strengthened as we all needed a shoulder to sleep on. I will forever remember sitting on that air-conditioned bus with the fancy mood lighting. 1:00 a.m. and time to pull out the big bag of Pirate’s Booty we bought in the states. Snacking and chatting in between short naps, we were often woken up by the loud sounds of honking buses, which sounded somewhat like "dubstep mario." ( -Sydney quote)

Over the past couple of weeks, our friendships have continued to grow as we are able to talk more and more among ourselves, and tell each other stories of our lives back home. We discuss current topics and share our opinions on almost everything. Lunchtime is quite the social event, and we are always looking forward to our weekend outings and other opportunities to hang out outside of school.

The greatest part of our new found friendship is that we are all so different. We all come from extremely different backgrounds yet we are able to get along so well. We come from different schools, different religions, a variety of geographical areas yet we find so many commonalities between ourselves. 
Upon coming to India, I was actually a bit nervous about the group dynamic, but it is far better than I could have ever hoped for. We are a huge fraaamily and we all complete each other. We have the dancers, the jokesters, the bollywood movie lovers, the language enthusiasts, the artists, the athletes, the feminists, the EMT’s, and the first grade teacher, momma Lauren leading the pack.

And then I realized; how stupid of me for being nervous about making friends. We all applied for this program with intentions of going to India for six weeks and learning Hindi. How could I not get along with these people?

Poverty On The Streets

Dealing with these sights of extreme poverty has been difficult, no question. The way I have come to deal with seeing this every day is as follows.

I remind myself of my luck. I tell myself that, although I would give anything to help each and every one of these children, I cannot. That’s a hard thing to digest. But then, I look back to all of the opportunities I do have. I tell myself that I am going to get a good education, and I’m going to do it for these children who will never step foot in a school. It’s a difficult idea to swallow, but one that is necessary - especially when you see the same families sleeping on the streets every morning while driving to school.

In a sense, I almost feel as though being constantly surrounded by so much poverty has caused me to be a bit more desensitized to it, but then again it’s somewhat necessary. If we all were to tear up a bit every time we saw impoverished children, we would be balling our eyes out constantly, all day every day.

I see the same thing. When we are waiting at the light, the children that come up to your car, their small fingers making prints on the glass, or even your shirt if you have left your window rolled down. Their hair is dirty and messy, their faces covered with dust. The clothes they wear are tattered and too small with stains all down the front. The very young and skinny girl, holding her butt naked baby brother swaddled in a scarf. And then their mothers, usually a ways back on the sidewalks. I always glance at them as they watch their children walk through the streets, peeking their head into each and every rickshaw and knocking on every car window. The universal signal for food; they put their hands to their mouth, as if they were eating, asking for food. Again, a wordless form of communication, yet one we as humans know and understand all too well. 

Shaniwar Wada

The other day, I visited Shaniwar Wada, an old military fort, with my host family. It was a huge area built in 1730 as a safe place from the British. The Delhi entrance door had huge spikes on it to prevent elephants from knocking the door down. After climbing up very steep and narrow stone stairs, you reach the top of the fort walls, and can walk the perimeter of the area. Along the walls, there are various areas where cannons used to be, and protected areas for gunmen to stand and shoot the approaching enemy. At the very top, there is an area to look out and view the city. Inside these gigantic walls, there used to be a palace and gardens and fountains and homes for the men who stayed there. The British burned these buildings down long ago, but we were able to walk among the foundations and allow our imaginations to draw beautiful pictures of what it must have been like. 

An Evening In Rajistan

Saturday evening, we drove to a Rajistani Carnival on the edge of the city. It was such a fun and busy night, filled with so many great activities and memories. To start off, we were greeted with so many snacks. Delicious fried things, this green grain thing, sticky and sweet liquid, some vegetable with red sauce. Moral of the story, we had no idea what we were eating but it was tasty. After our bellies could take no more, they informed us that this was not, in fact, our dinner. Great. And so the night began.

We wondered around this area and watched traditional Rajistani dancers, flame-blowers, rode camels, dressed in traditional clothing, listened to music, made pottery, watched magic shows, puppet shows and stunt men. Then of course, we had our first encounter with the Indian amusement park. Try to imagine that one ride at the fair that makes everyone sick, and is so scary because it is really poorly built and looks as if it will fall to the ground when you are in midair. Well, take this picture that you have and times it by ten, because it’s India. It was so scary, and that’s why it was so fun. We hesitantly handed this man our 15 rupees (about 25 cents) and took our seats on this rickety machine. After we survived the first, we made our way to the second. The ferris wheel. A manually spun, metal machine, run by two men pushing it at the bottom. And the way to stop it from spinning? That’s easy! The men just grab on to the bottom of the carriages and ride it up (hang on the bars) to weigh it down.

After all the fun, we were seated for a traditional Rajistani meal. At this point, I had absolutely no appetite. We had big plates with five smaller bowl. Roti (the tortilla-like grain) in the middle, with all the different masalas and daals on the side. The men kept coming around and refilling absolutely everything. We would say “no thank you, I don’t want another,” only to find two more being piled onto our plates, with the men saying “it’s ok, have some more.” So there we sat, on the ground, with our piles of food and bursting stomachs. So much delicious Indian food.

Indian Education System

Yesterday we went to another private school, City Pride School, about 45 minutes away to get an even better perspective on the Indian education system. Once again, we were given a beautiful traditional welcome, and the students of the school organized an incredible cultural program for us. They acted and sang and danced for us. They gave us handmade crafts and drew henna on all our hands. We were able to sit down with many of the students our age and talk to them about their school and their lives. It was so interesting to hear about what they are currently going through. In India, instead of high school, the students have kindergarten-10th grade in the same school. After 10th grade, they have to face the decision of what they want to become when they are older, and they have three options; sciences, commerce or arts. They then go to these specialized “junior colleges” for two years. The majority of these students pick sciences because it is believed to be the most successful, and from there, one will have the most opportunities. We discussed their parents influences on these decisions and whether they felt free to choose whichever trades they want.

Putting myself in their shoes, I would be in such a different situation right now. I am going to be in 12th grade this year, so if I were an Indian student, I would already be two years into my junior college of whatever trades I had decided. These are monumental decisions for such young children and have an incredible impact on the rest of their lives.

After 10th grade, all students are required to take specific exams. These exams decide which school you go to, and the better your results, the better the school you are able to attend. Due to such a large population of students, these are extremely competitive tests. Even if students are scoring in the 90th percentile, they are usually unable to get into the top schools. Many students often seek extracurricular help in order to aid their test scores. They begin preparing for these exams years prior, and often take supplementary classes after school or on their weekends.

This is such a different system than we have in the U.S. and there are certain flaws and strengths to the way they do this. It seems that this younger generation is quite progressive with the current systems. Though they used to be pressured into many decisions, they now seem to feel more free to decide what they want. Undeniably, their parents make a huge impact on the outcome of their choices, but so do ours in the U.S.

A Day To Remember

Today was the absolute utmost of happy and so terrifically sad. Over the past five weeks, every friday we went to a local school to “volunteer,” but the work we do feels like anything but volunteering. We are working with various students of 8-10th standard, teaching them English. In return for these language lessons, information about our country and some famous people from the U.S., we have gotten more than we could have ever bargained for.

The bonds we made with these children were impossible to describe. Though we do not speak much Hindi, and they do not speak much English, we communicated through so much more than words. There was this sort of unspoken language that we shared. A language consisting of smiles and thoughts; Ideas that cannot be fully expressed through any given speech. This language consisted of laughing at ourselves for horrible pronunciations and mistaken words. It was talking about what we like to do, our favorite foods, and what America is like. They taught us hand games and dances and songs. But above all of these lessons, they taught us much much more.

This is a school that does not have the luxuries of a private school. With students whose parents are mostly illiterate, or who face problems with joblessness and various addictions, many students come from a troubled background.  

They were truly some of the greatest kids I have ever met. They cherished their education like no child in the U.S. ever will. You could tell how grateful they were for the opportunities they had. From them I learned that education is a golden gift and to be appreciative of all the knowledge we are able to obtain. Their school is their “Temple Of Knowledge.”

To say our goodbyes to them today was heartbreaking to most of us. The idea that we will never see their faces again, nor hear of their successes in life, or see where they end up in this world is so sad. But to think that we had the pleasure of meeting these special children makes all worthwhile. This is a memory that I am confident we will all hold in our memories for the rest of our lives. I will always remember the faces of these little children. I will always remember their beautiful smiles and the things they taught me.

Cooler Than English Words

नमस्ते   Namaste

It’s the way everyone here greets each other. Palms together in the middle of the body, you say this word and bow your head upon saying hello to others. It’s how people show respect, and unlike in the U.S., this is usually done instead of a handshake or a hug.

It’s more than just a “hello” though, and for several reasons. First of all, by bowing your head when greeting others, you are symbolizing that you are lowering your ego, and completely accepting of that person, exactly how they are. By joining our palms, we are “honoring the god in the person we are meeting.” The word’s literal translation is “my gods are greeting your gods.”

ओम   Om
After our meditation period, and before we chant our mantra, we recite “om” three times. Many people (including me) have no idea that this actually has a meaning. Allow me to enlighten you. 

By saying “om,” we are exhaling all of our air. by humming the “mmmm” at the end, we create a certain vibration and atmosphere that helps bring ourselves more to the present moment. It’s almost as if this noise, for the time being, infests itself into your mind and consumes your thoughts. The roots of the word, which is actually more like “aum,” also have a significance. 

The आ (a) is from the word fire, the उ (u) comes from the wind, and the म (m) comes from the sun. So one word, so small and seemingly insignificant, is actually very important and meaningful. 

 

The Rain Has Finally Arrived

The much awaited monsoon has finally hit us here in Pune. The rains come every day, almost every hour. One moment it is clear and hot and within a period of three minutes, you find yourself completely soaked and stuck in the middle of a terrenchal downpour. I now have a new definition for "Pouring Rain."

The Luck of the Draw

A few months ago, I traveled to Nicaragua, where my dad attempted to teach my siblings and I exactly how fortunate we are to be born where we are born. Due to lack of a better name, I like to refer to this concept as the “luck of our birth place,” and I’ve been thinking about it often.

For example, when a child is born in the United States, their life is automatically prescribed to be a thousand times different than that of a child who was born in India, or any country for that matter. Although there is no way to determine who has the better life and who has more opportunities (there is no need to compare such things anyway) it it interesting to think that from our very first breaths, depending on where we happen to be, our opportunities are set. Undeniably, there are the incredible exceptions of the children who work their way out of their current situations and become extremely successful, but for the sake of making a point and furthering my argument, this is going to be a generalization of what “generally happens.” Something so simple as the “luck of the draw” can have such a colossal impact on the rest of our lives, yet it’s something we have absolutely no control over.

As I was discussing this subject with my friends a few days ago, we reached the conclusion that this is an extremely difficult thing to judge. It’s hard, if not impossible, to determine the success of someone else because success is a completely personal thing, based on personal beliefs and goals. While some people might perceive one as having a life of poverty, starvation and lacking proper sanitation and necessities, someone else might perceive the same life as the complete opposite. Who are we to judge whether these people are happy? And, given their current situations, what they have is most likely all they have ever known. They aren’t used to a life of eating luxurious dinners at fancy restaurants and talking on the latest iPhone as we drive our brand new hybrid cars through our wealthy cities. With the little possessions that these people have, chances are, they are more thankful for everything than we will ever be. It’s even possible that they have a much more simple happiness due to their lack of these unnecessary and materialistic possessions (distractions).

It really makes you wonder what your life would be like if you were born in another country. Would you be as educated as you are now? Would you have as many/more siblings? Would you have the same job? Would you have the same family? Same marriage even? Did you get to chose your spouse? Did you have your children when you were 17 years old? Do you live in a house? With a floor? And a toilet?

Would you even still be alive??

It makes me more grateful of everything I have, and more inspired to take, pursue, and gladly accept, every opportunity that comes my way. 

Different Perspectives

This blog has been mainly (and by mainly I mean completely) full of my experiences of my trip. Though unique and fun to write about, each one of us has our own experiences and different stories to tell.
Our NSLI-Y group of students has created a "Team Blog" that we each write articles for every week. To read more about the trip and to hear from all my peers, check out the link below! It may be interesting to hear the change in perspectives with a wide variety of students, from the dancers, to the Bollywood movie lovers to the language nerds and so on.. Enjoy!

http://dachailife.wordpress.com/page/2/

Here's The Deal With Hindi...

This is a quick piece my friend Sophia and I wrote to help others understand what it's like to learn Hindi for English-speakers.

Learning Hindi Grammar is like playing a game with a six year-old. At the start of the game, there are rules to play by, however as the game progresses, the child often strays from the original rules of the game. These modifications are generally made to help the child. They are not always rational and there is rarely a pattern to follow. The rules are non-negotiable. It can be difficult to explain and understand why the rules are the way they are, but like playing a game with a child, you have to go with the flow. This can be frustrating in the context of learning a new language, but is crucial to making progress. The immersion process is helpful with understanding these irregular rules, but, nonetheless, it is still challenging. Like a game, learning Hindi is fun and entertaining, and the thought of eventually winning the game keeps us hopeful and determined. The "Aha" moment that comes with each small victory is rewarding, like passing "Go!" and receiving $200. It makes the struggle worthwhile, and supportive peers and teachers are like cheerleaders and make the process more fun. Moral of the story, someone will always come and bail you out of jail, and no matter how far away from "Go!" you think you are, you are just around the corner.

A Rant on Richshaws, My New Favorite Thing

I have come to the conclusion that riding rickshaws is among one of my favorite things to do in India. It is the absolute best way to experience the city and all it has to offer.

You stand on the side of the road, trying to flag one down and often have to argue with the drivers to get them to take you to certain parts of town. Once you've taken your seat, crammed in with three other people, they step on the gas and try to maneuver their way into the ever-so chaotic traffic. Your legs are wet because of the drizzling rain and the slight, but infrequent dripping from the roof above. The rain, however, doesn't keep you from sticking your head out of the side and letting your hair blow wildly in the wind while the cool drops land on your cheeks.  As the driver reaches out of the cart to manually move the windshield wipers, more of the city in front of you is revealed. You drive over the bridge, over the river that yearns for water, and as you look down, you see the cattle scavenging the ground for food and small patches of grass. You pass by the slums and the children sitting on the streets, next to their mothers who are selling anything they could possibly make a living off of, and everything you could possibly imagine. Next, the tens upon hundreds of motorcycles parked on the streets blur into one as your impatient driver quickly squeezes past the slow car in front. You then see the corner where all the rickshaws and their drivers congregate; some asleep in the cabs and many of them chatting amongst themselves. Tightly clutching the metal bar, you duck your head out of the vehicle to get a full view of your surroundings. With luck, you catch a glimpse of a temple or ancient fort - many of which are randomly scattered throughout the tall apartment buildings and hundred-year-old houses. You are bombarded with a new aroma every block. The vast range of these smells circulates through your nostrils as you see the street foods from which they are coming on every sidewalk, in front of every store. The men chopping the fresh coconuts, the little girls who sell the beautiful necklaces of jasmine flowers, those boys who roast and sell the corn, the women who carry the racks of necklaces and earrings and the countless vendors with their carts of pani puri. The colors are incredible, so bright and vivid, all so different yet somehow they come together to paint a more harmonious picture. And then of course, you get out of the rickshaw, splashing onto the soaked road. You pay and thank your driver with a friendly "dhanyavaad."

At this point, the only thing that could possibly be better than a rickshaw ride, is where you are at the end of it.

When Our Words Begin To Lose Meaning

In Hindi, there isn’t really a word for “Sorry.”

I am beginning to notice that there are many words we say a lot as Americans. Perhaps it's a safe  claim that we over-use some of these words. Being in India has really given me a perspective of what these words are, and exactly how frequently I say them.

For instance, I say “Sorry” so many times every day. I don’t even realize the extent of how often I say this until it is pointed out to me. And why do we feel the need to apologize so often? Is it part of our culture to have to feel sorry or regretful for many of our actions?

I was talking to my host sister about how much homework she has and I said, “Oh, I’m sorry.” Then she asks me, “Why are you sorry? There’s nothing you can do about it.” Due to the frequent nature of which we apologize, and often times for things we aren’t actually sorry about, how much do we actually mean it?

Or, "sure" for example. Does it mean yes? no? Why are we (or at least I) always so indecisive and not always very straight-forward with others?

Maybe another word, “Thank You,” for example. If we are “thankful” for absolutely everything, how thankful are we really? Or “Love You.” In India, it’s a cultural thing to not really say this at all. In the families, parents don’t tell their children or their spouses this frequently, so it is implied love. Similarly, there is also implied gratitude and implied apologies. If we say these words so many times, they begin to lose some of their meaning and possibly their impact. Whereas if we were to only say them only when we actually meant them….?

Three Religions, Three Hours

Today was full of fun and lessons of different religions. To start the day off with a bit of Hinduism (and a lot of Hindi), we visited a palace where Gandhiji was imprisoned and toured the beautiful building and grounds, along with seeing where his and his wife's ashes have been spread. The palace itself was huge and had extremely beautiful architecture, landscaping and many paintings and sculptures of Gandhiji himself.
Next we went to a tribal museum and learned about all the tribes here in the state of Maharashtra. It was so interesting to see the different photographs and artifacts and to realize how similar they are to those of the Native Americans in the US.
After this, we visited a Sikh Gurdwara. Personally, I knew very little about Sikhism prior to going but it was a really neat and hands-on learning experience. Upon entering such places of worships, you always have to cover your head, whether male or female. Then you remove your shoes, clean your feet, and enter the temple. In Sikhism, they do not worship idols, rather their "5 K's" so at the worship area, there are the objects which represent the basis of their religion. It was a very beautiful and peaceful place.
Concluding our tour of the religions, we visited a Catholic church nearby. This was also very refreshing to see such a quiet and serene place of worship; complete with beautiful stained glass and very old wooden benches.

Just Another (Ordinary) Day

Today was good, or shall I say great. Another day of waking up to the sounds of honking horns, a cool and refreshing bucket bath, and drinking warm, fresh milk while reading the newspaper. Another day of waiting in the misting rain for the driver to come, another chance to talk with my friends about the happenings of the night before, and to experience the crazy traffic once more. Like all other days, we are going to school, eating breakfast and meditating. Another day to veer off-topic and hassle our teachers with an infinite amount of questions. It’s another day filled with grammar lessons, yoga, bollywood dancing, conversation, music class, more grammar lessons, art, and hilarious hindi-role-play that doesn’t make much sense.

Another day gone by and another one well spent. 

Through Silence Comes Magic

Meditation. Twice a day, a time to sit up right, close our eyes, and focus on ourselves. This is a really true and genuine kind of focusing too. It’s a time to think about your breathing, and, it’s really hard. It’s difficult to completely clear your mind of other thoughts - especially when your mind is like a beehive with thousands of extraneous thoughts constantly buzzing around.

At the school we are going to, all students are required to meditate twice a day for five minutes each time. Inevitably, since they are forced to do so, and because they have been doing it since kindergarten, many dislike it. As new students coming from the US, being introduced to a new practice, many of us have really come to enjoy meditating.

The goal of meditation is to focus on your breathing. Every morning as the intercom speakers come on with the principal ordering students to sit down and close their eyes, her calm voice and already- so-familiar accent reminds us to “sit up straight, backs straight,” she always says. “Now place your right hand on top of your left, thumbs touching. Feet flat on the ground. Slowly close your eyes and focus on your breathing.” She tells us to “Feel the freshness of the air as you inhale” and to “Notice the warmth of your breath on your lips as you breath out.”  

At the end of the five minutes, everyone in the school chants “om” three times. You can hear the ominous, yet beautiful tone ringing out through all the classrooms and hallways as the students sing out. Following this, we repeat a mantra, rub our palms together, cover our eyes, then slowly open them. “Suprabhat” our teachers say. Good morning.

Meditation has become a time for me to focus on myself and on my emotions. A time to really think about the present moment and to bring my mind to a calmer state. A time to accept my current conditions and myself, and to help prepare for what is to come that day, or maybe that week.

I am really attracted to the idea of meditation because within the time I’ve been here, I’m already noticing significant changes in my ability to process thoughts, my patience levels, a decrease in stress and an overall calmness in my attitude. I’ve also been able to stay more focused for longer periods of time. I am very excited to continue this practice when I return to the US because I believe it truly is therapeutic.

USA v. INDIA, Final Score 2-20

Our day suddenly morphed into a day that was much more than even the word “exciting” is able to describe. Like the coming of the rain, we were unprepared and unaware of what hit us. A basketball game, versus the Gurukul School 9th and 10th graders.

So here we are. Fourteen students from the US, all from different levels of skill and experience. We are thrown onto a court (dirt court, might I mention, with lines made out an unknown white and red goo) in a game. Oh, and one more detail. It had just started to rain. While we were trying to finagle lines for lay-ups and rebounds, after, of course, explaining what lay-ups and rebounds are, we started our team warmups. At this point, I had already lost my voice, but the game had only begun. Little did we know that our opponents had actually played basketball before, and we were also soon to discover that we should have reviewed certain rules. For instance, that you can’t stop and start dribbling whenever you want.

By the end of the game, we had tragically lost to these Gurukul students, much younger than ourselves, but our spirits were high. We were drenched from head to toe, with as much mud covering our faces as was on our feet. We were laughing and smiling, hoo-raa-ing and cheering. And to top it all off, coming in from the rain after our game, we indulged ourselves with a nice hot cup of chai.

This was, to say the least, an incredible experience and an extremely fun diversion from our regular Hindi lessons. The NSLI-Y American Basketball NBA Team became even closer as a unit and, once again, managed to get themselves out of conjugating verbs and trying to make sentences.

The Significance Behind The Dot

Many women in India often wear a bindi (dot) on their forehead. Upon pondering the reasoning for their actions, we were finally enlightened with the background of this.

Depending on the individual, and the intended meaning, a bindi can signify a married woman, the religion of the wearer, the societal cast from which the person belongs, and serve as a spiritual aid as well as help to conserve energy. We were bombarded with all of these reasons, but it is very interesting to learn of the different ways and purposes this decorative (and functional) piece is used. Though today, many women don’t know the significance of their bindi, and many also wear plastic ones (purely decorative), the following is why people used to wear them.

Married Women- wear a red bindi to symbolize love, prosperity and strength because the women are the central force in the Indian families and they are the “heart of the families”

Spiritually- The bindi serves as a reminder throughout the day about the purpose of life and to remember that all the things you are doing are dedicated towards the “supreme goal of self-realization”

In Society-

Brahmins (Priests or Academics) wore a tilak of white sandalwood to symbolize purity.

The Khatriyas (Kings, Warriors and Administrators) wore red tilak to signify valor.

The Vaishyas (Businessmen) wore a yellow tilak signifying prosperity.

The Sudra (Service Class) wore black tilak to signify service to the other classes.

For Personal Health- A bindi is worn between your eyebrows, which is believed to be an important nerve center. This helps keep the nerves cool and also is believed to help “keep in/conserve energy.” Most of the powders, like turmeric and saffron, that are applied to this spot were believed to have natural cooling properties. 

The Beauty of the Bucket Bath

This morning was my first experience with the bucket bath. Undeniably, I’ve taken countless showers similar to this when I go camping, but this was my first in India. Starting yesterday, the city implemented their first round of water cuts, so our water usage must be limited, and we need to be even more conservative and thoughtful with this precious resource.

The reason I liked the bucket bath so much is because it gives you so much control and is extremely efficient as far as water consumption goes. Admittedly, I do love my hot and long showers, but after learning about this subject, and experiencing water cuts and drought firsthand, I am going to always think twice before turning on the faucet.

According to the USGS, the average person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. Each shower uses anywhere from 2-4 gallons per minute, so with the average 10 minute shower, this means about 30 gallons in total. Now, compared to the bucket bath, which can easily be accomplished with 2-4 gallons total, there is an immense difference. To think of all the other things you could be doing with that remaining 26 gallons of water…

Personally, I can think of many.

Now, I’m not saying that now you should never again take a long shower. Nor am I suggesting that by we are going to somehow "save the world from thirst and drought" by taking shorter showers. My intentions of sharing this are to further educate people on the subject, to make them more aware and more thankful, and to hopefully leave a small impact on your thought process the next time you do take a shower. 

Chucklesome Conversations

“It’s funny, I know a lot of people in the US, but you’re the first I’ve met from Montana. 
The only other person I know from Montana is the Unabomber.”

-Host Dad

“You drink your mother’s milk right? And you drink cow’s milk right?

But do you cut up your mother into bits a pieces, cook her, and eat her?

I didn’t think so. No beef for you this weekend.”

-Bus Driver

“Wow... Your entire state really only has one million people? 
...Our city has seven.”

-Student

"Hey Mamoo" (dude or enemy)
-Host Brother

Q: "Hey what are we doing now?"

A: "I dunno.. I just really want some chicken and ice cream."

-NSLI-Y Student

Waste Management

Today, we were given the opportunity to talk to 8th grade students at a local school about waste management. We were asked questions about our current systems in the US and how we deal and process waste and recycle plastic. It was a really interesting time to think about my country and the current systems that are being implemented, but also to be able to compare it to those of India. We were also forced to recognize the successes and failures with our current ways. I learned a lot through this question and answer format. For instance, here in India, they currently have no way to properly dispose of electronics, so their electronic (and very toxic) waste goes the same place everything else does. Also, when we asked the children about climate change, what they know about the subject, and if they are aware of it's causes and effects, their answer was as follows.
"We treat our earth very poorly and so climate change is the earth's way of revenge for how we've been treating it."
A very interesting perspective from such a young and educated child. Undeniably, this is exactly what we wanted to hear, but it is so interesting to see what these children think and believe. Especially being in India, the effects of climate change are much more prominent. In the US, common effects that we might see are less snowfall, or maybe 2 or 3 degree changes in the weather. Contrastingly, in India, their monsoon (which still has yet to fully hit) is later this year than it has been in more than 100 years. Many nearby towns and cities face horrible drought, and have to have daily or weekly water cuts. Climate change has a huge impact on India, especially because so many people are effected by it. 58% of the population still depends on agriculture for their livelihood.

Guru Purnima

The day of the full moon, the day to celebrate and give thanks to all of the gurus in your life. We observed and learned of this holiday yesterday and it was so interesting. On this day, many students often make cards or bring chocolates or flowers to their teachers as a "Thank You."
Many people have at least heard the word 'guru' before, but it is commonly unclear as to what a guru is, or even what the word means, so though I am no expert on the holiday, this is what I have learned.
The Sanskrit root 'gu' literally means "darkness or ignorance," and the 'ru' translates to "the remover of darkness." So, abiding to this definition, our gurus are our mentors who guide us out of the darkness. They are the ones who give us gifts of knowledge, love, support, experience and so on...
At first, I thought gurus were our teachers, and, though this is true, there are also many other people in our lives who are gurus.
I've been able to reflect recently on who my gurus are.
They are my teachers who taught me to be curious and to ask questions, but also to seek answers to those questions. They are the people who taught me that learning is fun, and how to be passionate about education and acquiring knowledge. My gurus are my parents who always care for me and support me. They are the gurus who show me the world, and introduce me to my passions and my interests. They teach me about being thankful for my possessions, but also to take all opportunities given and to cherish every moment of every day. My gurus are my grandparents and my family members who are always there to support me, and lend a hand whenever needed. They always push me to be the absolute best that I can, to set goals, and to constantly remind me that there are endless possibilities in this world. Even younger people can be gurus. My friends are my gurus because they are role models for me and inspire me to adventure and to explore, but are always there for when I fall or don't succeed. They give me guidance when I am confused and feel lost, but they are also the people I am able to learn all my lessons with. My coaches are my gurus because they train me in things I would not otherwise learn. They share their passions, their knowledge and talents with me, and they encourage me to try, try and try again whenever I encounter failure.
These are the people who are accountable for the person I am today. Collectively, they are the reason I think the way I do, the reason I see things how I do, the reason that my name is Sami and the reason that I am currently in India.
So, in light of Guru Purnima, if you are one of my gurus, I thank you for leading me out of darkness, and I urge you to notice and appreciate the gurus currently in your life today. Happy Guru Purnima!

The Life Of Chai

Masala Chai is quite possibly one of the most extraordinary things ever created. Prior to coming to India, I had tasted and drank chai, but I had no idea what I was in for upon embarking on this trip.

We drink chai three times a day. First, in the morning after we’ve had a delicious breakfast. Second, at around 11:00 when our brains are fuzzy and frustrated. And finally, we drink it around 4:00 when we have finished with our classes, right before we leave school.

For some of us, at the beginning of the trip, our first taste of chai was questionable. We couldn’t quite tell what to think of this strange, hot and very sweet beverage when it was nearly ninety degrees outside. But, sip by sip, it grew on us. It escalated to the point where it has become a part of our daily routines and without it we would not function the same. Some of us even drink four or five cups at a time! This delicious concoction of chai leaves, milk, sugar, and local herbs and spices has become such a hot commodity among the NSLI-Y students.

There comes a time everyday, somewhere around 10:30, when it’s the only thing you can think about. You begin to watch out the window for the woman with the tray of tea cups and a pitcher to walk by.

We often like to joke about how we need an IV of constant chai flowing through our blood, and how when we return to the states, we are going to experience withdrawal.

It has become a part of our lives, an infestation of our very souls, and we’ll proudly admit that

we are happily living The Chai Life.