This trip to India was my second study abroad class at SPC and while it may seem like a dream vacation (that you get a class credit for), I’ve found both trips to be equally satisfying and exhausting! For students interested in studying abroad, it’s important to know what to expect. I will take you through a typical day and some of the customs and information specific to India.
Most days start around 6-7AM with a wake up call and early breakfast. In India it is best to start the day as early as possible as the temperature has risen to over 100 degrees almost everyday of the trip. I’ve found that our daily necessities include a good amount of drinking water, sunscreen, bug repellent, hand sanitizer, a bit of cash and of course a camera! Some of us carry over the counter painkillers and stomach medicine as a precaution. Once you leave home base for the day, it may be hours before you return. The food has affected everyone differently, many of the Indian spices are uncommon in American dishes, so it takes some getting used to. There are usually “safe” options available at every meal but it’s great to try out the local cuisine even if it’s just a taste.
As we leave the hotel we immediately feel the morning heat and as much as I want to be wearing shorts and a tank top or a light sun dress, it is important to respect the culture by staying covered up. In India, most men and women dress very modestly, keeping most of the body covered. This can be for religious or cultural reasons and sometimes just to protect the skin from the harsh sun. May and June are the hottest months, followed by monsoon season in July and August. This cools down the region and provides a natural rebirth of the landscape.
Our day usually consist of visiting temples, museums, historical sites and national monuments. We visit 2-4 places each day with some breaks for eating lunch and browsing shops and markets. On a typical day we leave the hotel around 7-8am and don’t get back until 6-7pm. Most of us are completely exhausted and ready to eat dinner and fall asleep. It can be hard to find time to keep up with reading and journaling for class assignments especially when so much has been experienced in such a short time. All of the senses are stimulated in new ways each day. There have been a couple days with downtime to allow our bodies and minds to rest, and to catch up on course work.
During the day our tour guide has been extremely informative about the culture and religious traditions that take place in India. As we weave through traffic in our bus or weave through masses of people on foot, he is constantly pointing things out and answering all of our questions, all the while making sure the group is staying together and everyone is feeling alright. We are all extremely grateful to have him and I can’t imagine making a journey like this without a knowledgeable local guide.
There are so many cultural aspects in India that we would never see in America. The traffic patterns are crazy to watch! Whether there are lines on the road or not, nobody is paying attention to them. It’s basically a free for all including motorcycles, bicycle cabs (called rickshaws), small covered three wheel cabs (tuk-tuks), regular cars, horse carriages, trucks, tour buses and the occasional fleet of water buffalo. What seems like total chaos, somehow works pretty harmoniously, but not without constant honking to keep drivers aware of their surroundings. We rarely noticed a driver using a cell phone!
As much as we were fascinated by the beautiful women adorned with brightly colored saris and ornate gold jewelry, they were equally fascinated by us foreigners. We were constantly asked to take pictures with strangers and often would notice people trying to “sneak” pictures of us without asking. Being in a group of obvious tourists we were also bombarded by what we referred to as “hawkers”. These are street merchants who prey on tour busses and relentlessly follow you trying to sell anything from small trinkets to handmade musical instruments. I could never get used to being followed around by these guys but I did learn to simply ignore them if I wasn’t interested and to wait until the end of a guided tour to make a purchase. Yes, they will follow you all the way back to your bus and by then the asking price will have come way down!
This class is based on world religions and India is the perfect place as there are several different religions practiced among the people here. Hinduism is the most prevalent, however there are very few historic Hindu temples here due to their destruction by Islamic rulers in the past. Therefore, many of the sites we have visited, such as the world famous Taj Mahal, were built by the Muslim mogul kings. Almost all of the existing Hindu temples were built in the past century, many using the same style and materials as the ancient temples would have been constructed with. The intricately carved stone work was one of my favorite aspects of the temples we visited. Religion is so important among the Indians and noticeably tied into the culture and everyday life here. People do their best to respect the traditions of others, but conflict is unavoidable with so many different belief systems attempting to coexist in one place.
At the end of the day, we all meet for dinner at the hotel (usually buffet style) and discuss things we experienced as well as plans for the following day. I feel blessed to have had such a great group of people to travel with. It’s amazing how a group of strangers can get to know each other so well in such a short period of time. This trip has left me feeling so inspired and humbled by the beauty of the Indian culture and the connection experienced within our own group.
Namaste!