Indian Courtesy

Hey, guys! I hope you all are well. Me? Well, I'm actually very proud of myself. I think I am finally settling into the life of an Indian college student. My body is use to the time change, my stomach is use to the food and I'm use to the showering areas ( though I will admit I still miss my hot water). I believe that when I return to the States both me and my immune system will be much stronger from this journey. I'm really learning to live in another culture with people who are extremely different from myself and the people I am use to living with. One thing I have noticed is that people always want to know why I would ever come to India. The idea of an American leaving her comfy life to spend several months in a developing country both confuses and amazes them. From these questions I get a feeling that to an extent people here glorify the US. I just simply tell them that I love America and am proud to be a citizen of the country, but that every country has its pros and cons including America. I am not sure if they were sure of the point I was trying to get across, but at east I tried!
Most people I have met are extremely polite and respectful. They understand that I don't know their language and so we mostly communicate through body language. I try to be just as respectful so that I create a good impression of my school and the US. (Fun fact: people love Obama here and they always compare him to Bush.) However, there are a few incidents where I've seen the uglier side of India. For example, a week ago, I was walking from school to my hostel when a man decided he really had to pee. So, he just turned to the side, whipped it out and drained the lizard. Don't get me wrong, people in my city do this, too, but it was broad daylight and I was right there! I closed my eyes, walked around him and tried to erase the image from my mind ( all efforts have failed). There is  also the issue with drivers. When walking around the city, the drivers here expect me to jump into water puddles( its rainy season) just so they can have space in the street. They beep their horns and I just look at them. I'm sorry, but where I come from pedestrians have the right of way and so I don't move. Call me a snob if you wish, but I am not a fan of the traffic here I have to admit.
I get along pretty well with most of the other college students though I know some of them only want to be my friend because I am the American (lame). There are a few people who purposely don' t interact with me because they want to be so cool that they don't even talk to the American (also lame). These people I just ignore. Overall, I would say most people here are courteous, but it is a city so (let's be honest) manners can only go so far. I may get some special treatment because I am a foreigner and female. I know in the airport several Indian families guided me on my way to Cochin because they knew I was traveling alone. I don't think they believed this was appropriate, but I didn't mind because it gave me some company during my journey. I was an orphan who had temporarily been adopted. :)
Actually, a friend and I had an interesting conversation the other day. I asked her if she planned to do an arranged marriage or a love marriage. She said an arranged marriage, but she admitted to me that the idea of getting married and having kids scared her. Now, it's not like she is a child bride or something. She probably won't get married until 23-25. Similar to when a lot of Americans get married. She asked me about my relationship and if I had ever thought of marriage or family life. I admitted to her that I had thought of both, but just like her the idea terrified me. I found this interesting. She was doing an arranged marriage and I planned for a love marriage, but we were both terrified despite these differences. If you ask me this is a perfect example of finding similarities through our differences. I can't imagine having an arranged marriage nor can she imagine having a love marriage, but beyond that, at our center, we still see ourselves as young girls, much too young for marriage. We have hopes, dreams and goals that we want to accomplish before we are tied down by the bonds of marriage. It makes me happy to know that people aren't so different after all.
Actually, this weekend this friend and I will be traveling to the slums of India so I can interview two people living there. First,crack at journalism in India! I am so excited. This is one of the things I dreamed of doing in India. I have started a youtube channel and will be posting videos on there so I encourage you all to watch. Please and thank you! Below is the link and I'll be writing to you all later! Until then! :)

http://youtu.be/XPtYm2xrF48

The Steps of Studying Abroad

Hey, guys! Man, I have been in India for only two weeks and the only thing I can say is that I chose the right country. I wanted a culture shock that would take me out of my comfort zone and reality in my face and that is exactly what I got with India! This country is so different than America. Actually, when compared to many of the other Asian countries it is quite different as well. When most people think of Asia they think of China, Japan and maybe Burma. Before planning to study here I honestly didn't even consider India part of Asia. I know that looking at the geography it is but geography was never my favorite subject. Not to mention that despite the geography India stands separate from many of the other countries in this continent. For example, in many Asian countries, chopsticks are used to eat. In India it is all about the hands! Buddhism originated in India but there are essentially little to no Buddhists here and I'm not just referring to the part of India I am studying. This goes for the whole of India. India just stands as its own country. Unique and different. Even though they were colonized by the British, I still feel like this colonization had only some effect on their culture and that India still held onto its own traditions. Anyway,onto the title...

So, in just two weeks of being in India I have gone from ecstatic to depressed to indifferent to ecstatic again and then back to depressed. Honestly, my emotions here are crazy. I am so excited to be here, but at the same time I miss my home, family and friends very much. I am constantly struggling between these two feelings, being tugged by all the amazing things I am seeing in front of me and all the fond memories I have of home. However, now, I believe I am finally starting to adjust to my new home for the next four months. Here are the stages I believe anyone who is traveling to another country and will be residing in  said country for an extended period of time goes through:

1)excitement

2) shock at the different culture

3) inability to adjust

4) home sickness

5)sadness or depression

6) acceptance

7) adjustment

8) happiness

I pretty much went through all these stages in just two weeks (I'm even getting use to the mosquito filled shower). I know I sound bipolar, but when India hit me it hit me hard. No holding back! However, the more time I spend here the easier it is getting for me. The school officials are also being extremely helpful in trying to make me comfortable and they are also being very understanding about my culture shock.

Since I've been in India, I've picked up some Indian books (which are always a reflection of culture) and have found an author in particular who I enjoy. Chetan Bhagad is an Indian author but writes in english. His books ahve allowed me to learn much about Indian culture without traveling too far from school. One thing I find interesting is the division ( and some would even go so far as to say racism) between North Indians and South Indians. Though they are all India there is still this line that won't be crossed, particularly when it comes to marriage (in India people don't date really). Mr. Bhagad's book "Two States" focuses on such an issue. 

Though the part of India I am in is different, in many states people still worry about castes (which there are so many different kinds). In some places it is unheard of for someone of a low caste to marry a high caste or for someone from one state to marry someone from another state. In the cast of Mr. Bhagad, his wife was a Tamilian (South India) and he was a Punjabi (North India). If you want to know how hard their struggle was I highly recommend this book though I am not trying to use my blog as some sort of promoter site.

Also, like the fool I am I thought there wouldn't be many language barriers in India since people here speak English. The issue is they also speak 27 more languages and English is usually a last resort. Therefore, many people are not well versed in english. There is a huge language barrier! However, for any country I do recommend learning at least a little of the native language. Not only is it easier to make friends but the native people will appreciate your effort.

Anyway, my laptop is on the verge of death and there aren't outlets in the room so I feel I must say goodbye for now, but I will be updating next week with more details about some of the crazy experiences I have had in India so far. Thanks!

India So Far

Hey, everyone! So, first rule of India: INternet is hard to come by. I had expectede to update you all one day after landing, but when I found out the hostel (yes, a hostel, not a dorm) I'm staying in has no internet access, I knew my plans had changed. Honestly, the first two days I found hard. The school, specifically the living arrangements, we're not what I expected. I knew I would be living with 6-7 other girls. That's fine and dandy. I actually like my room mates. I knew the living faciilities would not be located on the campus but near it. That's fine, as well. What I was prepared for was the showering facilities. Okay, here is my rant. Criticize me as a uppity American if you will.




No hot water. At best the water is luke warm. No shower. Okay, so the stalls have a shower head but there is no water pressure so there really is no point in usiing the shower. Instead we all use buckets and cups to rinse our selves off. Not to mention that the same stall where the "shower" is located is the same stall where the toilet is located. Oh, I forgot to mention that in India toilet paper is not a necessity. To clean your bottom there is a little hose attached to the side of the toilet that you squirt yourself with. I found this out when I was on my way to India. That was a slap in the face pretty much, but you know what? Honestly, I think I could get past all of this, everything, if the showers were just cleaner! Clean bathrooms are one of my pet peeves. If a bathroom is clean who gives a crap about cold water and no water pressure. At least you are bathing in a sanitary area where mosquitoes don't fly in and try to give you malaria. Despite all of this, I don't want to dwell on the negative. I have few more things I could complain about, but studying abroad is suppose to be a good experience and I plan to make it one.



I don't think you have expereinced true culture shock until you have traveled from America to India. The two countries stand on opposite ends of the spectrum with a srtong disconnect between them. I have found during my time here many Indians aren't as aware of America (the culture that is ) as I had thought. I mean, I am not an expert in Indian culture, but I had some basic foundation to guide me and even did more research into topics I was familar with before coming here. It seems to me that a lot of the students here rely on stereotypes to guide them. First, everyone just assumed that I didn't want to try Indian food and that I wnated to binge on burgers and fries. Several people repeatedly said , "She will like fries and burgers." It took many explnations to get people to understand that (1) I came to India to experience India menaing the food as well and (2) Americans eat more than burgers and fries! I tried several times unsucessfully to explain to some of the students that America is made up of immigrants and so I eat a variety of food. Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, African American, Greek, etc. I'm not satying I don't love burgers and fries, but if that was all I ate I would be dead. This disconnection with America saddens me because it creates another cultural barrier. I hope some of the studnets from the school will visit the states so they can truly understand what America is and is not! Still, many of them are willing to listen and learn just as I am willling to learn about India from them. I feel like I am learning more every day.



The thing I like most about India, so far, is the difference in acceptable practices between people opf the same gender. Okay, get ready for mind bender here. In India mean hold hands and wrap their arms around each other's shoulders. Yeah, and the biggest thing is that it doesn't make them gay! Straight men are doing this, not gay men (even though gay marriage is legal in India. That was surprising, as well). It's nice to see guys so relaxed around each other and not having to worry about being Mr. Macho. Girls, hold hands too, but in the states, I think if guys do it, there are more issues.



Currently, it is the rainy season in the part of India I am staying. All the rain is awesome. The flowers are blooming and everything seems a live. With two of my friends, the other, we all got cauhgt in the rain, running through Indian traffic which is crazy ( worst than China). Traffic here seems like there are no rules, but the little adventure in the rain was awesome so I didn't mind. I probbaly wouldn't be saying that if I got hit, but whatever.



Just like in China, people stare at me all the time. God, do I miss just being another blak girl walking through the halls, but everyone is very helpful. Even in the air port, faimilies would temporarily adopt me and make sure I got ot my gate on time. It was obvious that I was a little lost and confused. I mean it was my first time flying solo so what can you expect? I managed, though. Anyway, I have to go. School is about over annd right now only here can I get internet access. Hopefully, that will chnage today , but only the future will be able to tell me. Thanks and talk to you later.







P.S. I did not check this for typos or grammar, so allow me to apologize in advance.