I remember coming down the stairs of Miguel Hall and seeing a flyer at the bottom of the staircase announcing a study abroad program in India. I immediately snapped a picture and marked the dates on my calendar. After submitting the paperwork, and waiting for the next steps, I received an email stating that only myself and one other student had signed up. I felt disheartened that the program would be unable to run. Luckily, the study abroad office and our professor worked diligently to make the program run, and it would be a personalized once in a lifetime experience. We would be home staying with our professor and her family. A feeling of adventure and anticipation bubbled up inside of my chest! Before I knew it my visa application was submitted and I was boarding an Emirates plane for a 24-hour journey to New Delhi.
When we arrived, it was only me, another student, and our professor embarking on a fifteen-day journey through New Delhi, Agra, and Hyderabad. We landed late at night and met with our driver and our professor's father, and the journey began. We mostly split our time between New Delhi, and Hyderabad with a one-day excursion to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
Every day was a new adventure, and you could never anticipate what the day or the city would hold. My senses were on fire. There was the unfamiliar sound of a variety of languages and dialects interacting on the streets, an explosion of new tastes from the masala, roti, and my favorite paneer, and a variety of colors littered the streets from all of the sarees. No day was the same, and while in the North in Delhi, it was the coldest it had been in 100 years with dense fog coating everything in the city and not letting up for days. As we traveled to Agra, we left at 4am and drove for four hours through the more rural parts, seeing a quiet part of the country. The Taj Mahal was as beautiful and breathtaking as one would imagine, a true landmark that embodied the definition of undying love. The marble was cool to the touch and adorned with the most intricate spectacular jewels and designs. Halfway into the journey, we embarked on a domestic flight to the south to Hyderabad, where our professor and her family is from.
This city was much less congested than what we had experienced in Delhi and much warmer! We stayed in the family home where we were able to live and interact with our host family, eating meals, taking a yoga class, and doing cultural and religious excursions all together. This was my favorite part of the experience because we got to develop a routine and truly immerse ourselves within the neighborhood and family. Along with all of this, we were having class and being able to tie the things that we were learning and experiencing together. I was able to ask questions that enhanced my understanding of India as well as the material we were learning in our class sessions.
The day that we left, I remember feeling immense sadness for this place that had become a temporary home to us. I learned a lot about India, and its rich culture and history. My favorite thing that I learned was about the multitude of religions that coexist on the subcontinent. Additionally, I also experienced and gained a deeper appreciation for human connection and love. I feel a deep sense of appreciation to my professor and her family for opening up their homes, treating us like family, and working to show us the magic of India. These fifteen days will forever be ingrained in my college experiences as well as my heart. I hope to return soon to continue to explore the vast beauty of India!
When we arrived, it was only me, another student, and our professor embarking on a fifteen-day journey through New Delhi, Agra, and Hyderabad. We landed late at night and met with our driver and our professor's father, and the journey began. We mostly split our time between New Delhi, and Hyderabad with a one-day excursion to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.Every day was a new adventure, and you could never anticipate what the day or the city would hold. My senses were on fire. There was the unfamiliar sound of a variety of languages and dialects interacting on the streets, an explosion of new tastes from the masala, roti, and my favorite paneer, and a variety of colors littered the streets from all of the sarees. No day was the same, and while in the North in Delhi, it was the coldest it had been in 100 years with dense fog coating everything in the city and not letting up for days. As we traveled to Agra, we left at 4am and drove for four hours through the more rural parts, seeing a quiet part of the country. The Taj Mahal was as beautiful and breathtaking as one would imagine, a true landmark that embodied the definition of undying love. The marble was cool to the touch and adorned with the most intricate spectacular jewels and designs. Halfway into the journey, we embarked on a domestic flight to the south to Hyderabad, where our professor and her family is from.
This city was much less congested than what we had experienced in Delhi and much warmer! We stayed in the family home where we were able to live and interact with our host family, eating meals, taking a yoga class, and doing cultural and religious excursions all together. This was my favorite part of the experience because we got to develop a routine and truly immerse ourselves within the neighborhood and family. Along with all of this, we were having class and being able to tie the things that we were learning and experiencing together. I was able to ask questions that enhanced my understanding of India as well as the material we were learning in our class sessions.The day that we left, I remember feeling immense sadness for this place that had become a temporary home to us. I learned a lot about India, and its rich culture and history. My favorite thing that I learned was about the multitude of religions that coexist on the subcontinent. Additionally, I also experienced and gained a deeper appreciation for human connection and love. I feel a deep sense of appreciation to my professor and her family for opening up their homes, treating us like family, and working to show us the magic of India. These fifteen days will forever be ingrained in my college experiences as well as my heart. I hope to return soon to continue to explore the vast beauty of India!
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