3 things I’ve learned in my first month in IndiAI’ve learned a plethora in this first month of being in India on a Fulbright research grant, but here’s three main takeaways:
As I boarded my flight from San Francisco, my stomach awash with butterflies. The Air India flight craft was an older model and all the TVs in our row were broken. So much for movies, I rolled my eyes. I opened my book of short stories by Indian author, Jhumpa Lahiri, and buried myself into the depths of the Indian-American journey that I knew little about. As soon as the first meal was served, I struck up a conversation with the young man sitting next to me, Himanshu. During the 17 hour flight, we talked together about 4 hours. I don’t usually like talking during flights, but this man was so prideful about his country that he couldn’t stop sharing pictures with me of all the places I had to visit in India. Goa, Lej, and of course I have to come his family up North, he insisted with a bright smile. He even taught me my first words of Kannanda: namaskara (greeting), and kannada gothilla (I don’t know Kannanda)- clearly the most important words. As I stepped off the plane in Delhi a humid wave of air embraced me with two loving arms. In Delhi, I spent four days with around 30 other Fulbright researchers for an orientation put together by the United States India Educational Foundation. The other Fulbright scholars are fascinating humans, with diverse intellectual and social interests. It felt incredibly humbling to be surrounded by a group of young change-makers. You can read more about the other scholar’s projects in India here. One night we had a reception and the foundation invited a bunch of important people, namely folks from the US Embassy in India. These individuals provided advice about how to be a “successful” Fulbrighter. They emphasized the importance of academically rigorous research, but they stressed the significance of community and cultural engagement. One even spoke about getting involved in yoga, and seeing the magic essence of the practice ( I couldn’t agree more). Something one of the speakers talked about stuck with me: “be slow to judge India.” After an informative few days, four researchers and I made our way to the airport to head to Bangalore, the garden city. On the flight, I noticed the woman next to me tearing her roti and eating her sweet with the roti wrapped around it. Being a curious human, I asked her if that is the proper way to eat the sweet (I’d never had an Indian sweet before). She laughed kindly. “No, this is not the way.” We began to chat and I learned she is an acclaimed professor and a social activist, identifying children who come from slum-like communities and ensuring their access to education in the best schools. We laughed like best friends and felt inspired by each other and our humble attempts to make a positive impact on this earth in some small way (though she is making an incredible impact on dozens of children’s lives). Flash forward two weeks, I met this woman at her home and she took me to three of the schools where her “children” now attend school. They are the most kind mannered young individuals with the biggest smiles, grateful for the chance to learn. The way she looked at these children exuded all the love in the world. More on this incredible woman later. But, let this be a testament to the beautiful opportunities that can manifest when you approach a stranger with an open mind and listen to their story. The unlikeliest of friendships may blossom, like ours, a young, bright-minded researcher and a social activist in her mid 40s. A little bit about my research: It is an incredible challenge to be completely self-driven as a researcher. But I am beginning to understand that before I can ask my own questions, I have to understand the local context. Only then, once I understand a bit more about the historical, social, and functions of Pollinate can I begin to grasp what questions to ask. So these first months are a practice in listening, observing, and analyzing. I’ve had a few experiences in the field already, in which I simply observed. I visited Pollinate Group’s first woman entrepreneur called a Suryamukhi (it means sunflower in Hindi) in an urban slum. I also took a day trip to a rural town called Tumkur to observe Suryamukhi recruitment. We entered into homes of all shapes and kinds and were greeting by woman dressed in brilliant colors with dazzling smiles. They always offered chai, biscuits, and one offered baby bananas! It was fascinating to observe these woman who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs and hear about their motivations as well as their struggles. Apart from my research, I’ve been meeting wonderful people all over Bangalore. I’ve attended two conferences, one on social impact careers, and another on the role of arts in creating equality. I learned how to slackline in one of Bangalore’s beautiful parks. I’ve gotten trapped in evening celebrations for Ganesha festival, and danced with locals in the street to the rhythm of drums and laughter until midnight. I’ve been practicing yoga, dancing salsa, learning some traditional dance forms, and learning to boulder. I’ve made some incredible friends so far and have moved into a new apartment with some lovely housemates. Slowly, but surely, I am feeling more boundless in Bangalore: free to learn, question, laugh, and to be constantly filled with wonder. Lastly, some of my favorite moments so far have been a smile exchanged with a stranger on the street. A symphony of shared laughter with the man on the motorcycle in front of me. It’s these moments that bring a sense of contentment to the every day. I am seeking to be open to all of these types of moments here and am finding a lesson in everything. Readers, what practices do you follow to always cultivate an open mind and heart while you are in a new place? I’d love to hear your experiences. Love from Bangalore.
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Sammi Bennett I am a dancer, singer, creative non-fiction writer, yoga teacher, outdoor lover, and book-binder. Archives
August 2022
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