Date leaving: Dec. 28, 2012
Date returning: Aug. 31, 2012
City and country: New Delhi, India
Courses: Taking three online courses while I live in India
Year in school: Junior
Major: Interdisciplinary Social Science
Hometown: Palm Harbor, Fla.

Entry No. 6 | May 4, 2012

The semester has ended and so has my time in India. I unexpectedly had to leave India exactly one week before the semester was over. There was a mix up when our visas were issued and it turns out I had to leave by the 23rd of April. We were originally told we would get 6 months from the date of entry into the country, but that was incorrect. Although I was a bit concerned about having to finish the semester from a new location, overall I was ready to get to a new place. Don’t get me wrong--I love India. However, I was ready to get out of the craziness that is the city of Delhi. Because Delhi is one of the largest cities in the world, people constantly surround you. I have never experienced anything like it, even in New York City. Although I felt relief in leaving, it was bittersweet. India will always hold a very special place in my heart. I met so many amazing people there; I will especially miss the family I lived with. While in India, I learned more about myself in the four months I spent there than I have in the past few years! I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, and it seems words cannot accurately express just how I feel about it all.

Moving on, as I said John and I unexpectedly had to leave India. We had already planned to head to Singapore after India, so we changed our flight to leave a week early. Coming into Singapore was like a breath of fresh air—literally! The city is so nice, new, neat and clean. One of my friends in India said that “Singapore is antiseptically clean,” and that you cannot even chew gum there. I thought I could go for antiseptically clean after living in a place where trash is strewn about everywhere!

The city of Singapore reminded me a bit of South Florida mixed with Waikiki beach. However, this city is much more of a melting pot than in America, as people from all different cultures have immigrated there. There are four national languages in Singapore: Tamil, Chinese, English, and Malay, and this is reflected in the people you see throughout the city. Of course, with diverse cultures come a variety of religions as well. Within the city, I witnessed the practice of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and the Chinese tradition of Daoism. It was very inspirational to see the many diverse people, from around the world, coexisting. Everyone in Singapore seemed very happy about his or her life. The city/state of Singapore has one of the best economies in the world right now, and this is displayed in the attitudes of its citizens.

Now you may be asking yourself how did I finish the school semester from Singapore? Fortunately, that is the magic of technology, the Internet and Starbucks! Thank God for Starbucks! John and I are on a budget, so we stayed in hostels. In Singapore you can stay in a hostel for about $15-$20 USD a night, which is a great deal! Thankfully, hostels have Wi-Fi, although they can be a bit noisy. Therefore, the first few days we were in Singapore we went to Starbucks early in the morning, got a table and plugged in. I wrote two of my final papers in Starbucks and finished a discussion post and response. I think it is pretty incredible that I finished the school semester in a hostel in Southeast Asia! I suppose this accomplishment is amazing to me because I am a non-traditional student, and this was my first semester back after being out of school for five years. As a result of taking this trip, I feel like nothing can hold me back. Previously, I would put limitations on myself regarding what I was capable of accomplishing. Looking back on it now, I see that many of these limitations were fear based. Thanks to this journey I feel a renewed sense of self and purpose. I am very excited to get back to USF and to graduate next Spring!

In addition, John and I left Singapore on Wednesday. We are now at Tioman Island in Malaysia. This place is the most beautiful place I have ever been. A true tropical island and somewhat deserted! We love it here. Yesterday we went snorkeling and saw the most amazing coral reefs and tropical fish. There is a slower, more laid back pace to life here. I think being here is just what I needed to “debrief” before returning home to the States.

School is officially finished for the semester and in one week I will be flying home from Bangkok. I am returning back to the States to take classes this summer. Once again, I feel very bittersweet about this transition. I am excited to get home to see my friends and family. However, I wish I could continue travelling—it is almost addicting! John is staying abroad until mid June and I must say I am somewhat envious that I did not choose to continue on with him. But, I know in my heart I am meant to go back now. Especially to return back to USF in person, which I am very excited about!

Consequently, this will be my last blog entry, because my time abroad is coming to an end. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, as it has helped me to express my thoughts and feelings about what I have experienced. Hopefully, I have been able to bring pleasure to someone who has read this blog, that is has benefited someone in some small way. I appreciate USF College of Arts and Sciences for allowing me to be apart of their blog.

Thank you.
Brittany

Entry No. 5 | April 3, 2012

This past Saturday morning I got a knock on my door. I was annoyed at first as it was the weekend, and I was being disturbed from my slumber. The time was 7:30 a.m. When I opened my door I saw at least one dozen children sitting on the floor in front of my room. I thought, what is going on here? The children ranged from the ages of 3-12 years old and they were being served food on trays, in the traditional Indian style. I was very confused as to why these children were at my landlord’s house so early in the morning.

My landlord then explained to me that today was a special holy day within the Hindu tradition. It was the Navratri, or celebration of the Goddess Durga. This day was the eighth day of Navratri, which has a total of nine celebratory days. This festival occurs five times a year and the dates depend upon the lunar calendar. Hindus believe that on the eighth day of the Vasanta Navratri, or spring Navratri, the children the true image of the Goddess Durga. I was so excited to see this celebration taking place in front of me! I aimed a barrage of questions toward my landlord and he answered as best as he could. He told me that at least one boy will accompany the girls, who are suppose to be at the age prior to their menstrual period.

Half asleep, I witnessed my landlord, his governess and her daughter worshipping Durga by feeding the children. In Hinduism this is called, Darsara. I couldn’t believe that I was able to take part in this sacred activity! Since I have been in India I have had the opportunity to witness and experience so many new and different rituals. Sometimes I feel like I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming!

 

Entry No. 4 | March 15, 2012

I apologize I haven’t had much time to blog in the past few weeks. Things here are crazy, and I have been very busy with school and traveling. Since my last blog a lot of amazing things have happened! John and I attended an Indian wedding; we traveled to Jaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar, and Agra. We are halfway through our stay in India and the school semester. This week we are both trying to get all of our work finished in preparation for Spring Break. We plan on traveling to Varanasi, Bodhgaya and Sarnath. I know if you are reading this you are probably thinking what are these places? Haha…come to India and find out!

First, the Indian wedding was spectacular. Before coming here, I was secretly hoping to somehow get invited to a marriage ceremony. However, I had no idea how that would actually happen! I met a woman who is from India originally, but lived in NYC for many years. She invited John and I to her sister’s wedding. Three days before the wedding they hold a Sangeeth, which is similar to our reception. At the Sangeeth, there was great Indian food, dancing and a “band” performed traditional Qawaali music. The marriage ceremony was full of Hindu tradition, as John explained in one of his blogs. The priest spoke in Sanskrit and the bride looked amazing! A friend took me shopping for the event, and I got a sari and John got a kurta and pajama.

Next, we headed to Jaipur, which is in the state of Rajasthan. This state is known for its tourism and rich cultural tradition. A lot of women in Northern India, including Rajasthan, participate in purdah, or covering of the face and/or head. This part of Hinduism here comes from the Islamic influence over many years. It was so interesting to see women with their faces covered, just with the end of their sari. If they do not cover their face, then they at least cover their head.

From Jaipur, we took a train to Ajmer, and took a very crowded bus to Pushkar. Pushkar is one of Hindu’s seven holiest cities, and a backpacker refuge. I must say it was so nice to see so many westerners’! (We don’t see many where we stay in Delhi). Pushkar is surrounding a lake that lord Brahma is said to have created when he dropped a lotus flower. There are ghats, or steps, surrounding the water. Hindu’s believe this water is god, and therefore they can be seen bathing in the water, especially early in the morning. It was such a nice place, I could have stayed there for a long time!

This coming week we plan on traveling to Varanasi, probably the holiest Hindu city of all. This is where people go to die. It sits on the Ganges River, the holiest river in Hinduism, and this city is known for its cremations. Here bodies are burned along the river. That way the ashes go into the river, which is god, and that, is suppose to help the soul for the next life. In Hinduism they believe in the soul’s reincarnation. I am excited to see this take place! Then, we will go to Bodhgaya, where the Buddha obtained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree. This is the number one pilgrimage cite for Buddhists in the world! So, we will be among good company! Then onto Sarnath, which is where the Buddha first taught the Dharma.
Our goal while we are here is to go to the most spiritual places. I look forward to writing more after spring break!

-Brittany

 

Entry No. 3 | Feb. 3, 2012

India is an up and coming democracy and has improved in strides since its independence from Britain in 1947, but the effects of such long term colonization can be seen and felt everywhere, at least in my opinion. When we come home at night there is a trash yard next door to our neighborhood and next to a great shopping market with many named-brand stores. There is usually a cow rummaging through the trash trying to find something green to eat, and typically a child as well looking through the trash. My Indian friend who went to NYU in NYC said to me one evening “I don’t understand how such a supposed up and coming country and government can allow this to happen, it disgusts me” and she lives here! I don’t know how either, but it does.

I think most people are aware of the beggars in India, and although I haven’t encountered nearly as many as I had anticipated, they are still around. Children, on street corners putting their hands from mouth to belly saying “bhookha” which means hungry in Hindi. It is quite sad to see, but my friends here have advised me not to give them any money. Food is OK, but money is not. Typically, a mob boss who takes all their money and extorts their efforts controls these children. So, if you really want to help in India you have to do so first hand. John and I have arraigned a trip to the orphanage in a few days and I look forward to sharing that experience with you. There has been so many experiences thus far that I have had, it is hard to record them all.

Another thing that I have noticed here is the lack of lines; it is a “get mine first” kind of attitude here. There is no such thing as manners in regards to waiting in line, and if you aren’t on your game people will just continue to cut you. It is honestly one of the most frustrating things I deal with here. To the people here it is not rude, because there is no such thing as “waiting in line” whoever gets served first, gets served first and that is that. You can see this example so clearly in the way people drive here. Who ever has the smaller vehicle and can squeeze in gets ahead of others and home faster.

When John and I go out we get a lot of attention, and a lot of stares. Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable, such as when I get on a packed metro train and I can feel the eyes piercing me from all around. But, sometimes I think it is just comical and I play into it making funny faces back at people or throwing my hands in the air as if to say, "Okay, I give up." I now know what it feels like to be the minority in a society, and I have more compassion for others than I did before. We have been told people are not staring at us to be rude; it is because we are light skinned and probably because we just look so different. Here in India, though, the lighter you are the more attractive you are. If you are getting married you want a wife with light skin. Typically the lower classes have darker skin, and the upper classes have lighter skin. So, people are enamored with us I suppose! Or so I choose to think!

So far in Delhi we have gone to the Jama Mosjid, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. It lays at the origin of a very busy central street of Old Delhi, the Chawri Bazar Road. It was beautiful and I have attached a few pictures. Then we went to a Sikh Gurdwara, which is a temple in Old Delhi. Later, I learned the area of Delhi we were in is famous for the intersection of religions and faiths within one square kilometer. Last weekend, we went to Swaminarayan Akshardham, which holds the Guinness world record for “worlds largest comprehensive Hindu temple” it was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately there is a very strict no cameras or electronics policy so I have no pictures of the temple itself, but I took a picture of a picture to share with you. It is an all day experience and we plan on going back again because we didn’t have enough time to really see it all. The complex is huge!

 Well there is lots of homework to be done here in Delhi for me so I must be going now, but I look forward to writing more as soon as I have some time! Bye!

-Brittany

 

Entry No. 2 | Jan. 26, 2012

I am currently living in New Delhi, India with my boyfriend who is also a USF student. We live with an Indian “family” so to speak, as paying guests. Our landlords name is Roop Chand Jain, and he comes from the Jain Tradition in India, which means they are strict vegetarians. He has never once eaten meat or drank alcohol and he is 72 years old! Mr. Jain has a “Governess” named Rita; here a governess is a caretaker or house manager. There is another paying guest named Osheen that lives here; she is a student at Delhi University and is a junior. There are two servants here. From what I understand, and have experienced, is that anyone here in Delhi that is to my American standard of middle class has at least one servant, some have more, depending. If you can afford the modern conveniences of everyday life here in Delhi such as a nice home, a car, cable, Internet, etc. (things we take for granted in America) you can afford human servants. Most of the women I know here have drivers for their cars, cooks in their kitchen, maids mopping their floors, and doormen at their doors; but these women are of a high class, some of them diplomats wives, and local socialites.
 

Where we live, we have a cook, Sunil, and a maid, Lakshmi. Sunil lives on the terrace of the flat. Mr. Jain said everyone who lives in this building has servant’s quarters up there, and one day I went up to see for myself. I was saddened by the living conditions I found--the space was just big enough for a bed and a few personal items. There was an Indian style toilet and shower that all the servants use. If you don’t know what an Indian style toilet is, now is a good time to Google it!  
 

This semester I also am taking an African and women’s studies course, and during the readings that I have done so far for both courses I cannot help but to think of Lakshmi and Sunil, and relate my own experiences to that which I am reading. Lakshmi is 35 years old and has a 17-year-old daughter who was married just a month ago in an arranged marriage. In India they say the caste system no longer exits, because it is against the law, but I believe there is very much a living and working class system here in India. I experience it in the very home which I am staying; I see it outside on a daily basis, for it is hard not to in this place. It is something that I find myself struggling with, and I think more so because of the material I am reading in my classes this semester. I am reading about the “black experience” and how history has shaped African-Americans today. I am also reading about women and the social issues we have faced throughout history. Now, most of the literature I am reading is coming from an American perspective, and so being here in this place, reading about African Americans and women in America, I keep wondering if the experience of Lakshmi and Sunil is similar to the Americans I am reading about, and I am almost sure they are able to relate. If only I knew Hindi I could ask them myself…
 
I think about the world I was brought up in and how strikingly different it is from this place. I wasn’t raised with household help or servants--my mother, aunt and grandmother typically did the cooking around the home, with my dad chipping in to help during the week when mom was working late. Here, having servants is the norm. I keep thinking how uncomfortable I would be to have servants, and how I feel it is so dehumanizing and unfair. But is it really, and am I that uncomfortable? I am not sure. Obviously I am comfortable enough to have all my cooking, cleaning and laundry done for me without complaint. And honestly it is nice to not have to worry about these “mundane” activities. And, at the same time I find myself thinking that because I was brought up in a world where I do things such as cooking, cleaning and laundry myself that I am better then the people here who have others do this work for them. But am I really any better? I don’t really think so, after all we are all human beings, are we not? And this is where I find the internal struggle with what is happening here. The very fact that all of us are human beings, created equal, and I firmly believe this and therefor find the fact that some people are obviously treated different than others by mere status or lot in life extremely dis heartening. In America, one thinks we have moved past this, but here it is normal everyday life.

-Brittany

 

Entry No. 1 | Jan. 12, 2012

Hi!

My name is Brittany, I am 27 years old and a returning USF student. This is my first semester back to USF and I am very excited about finishing up my coursework to earn my bachelor's degree. I am a Florida native--I grew up in Palm Harbor. I guess I am not in the average returning student's position, in that I have decided to live half way across the world in New Delhi, India for the semester!

What brings me here is a mix of many different things. I love to travel and always have wanted to have the experience of living in abroad. Upon my return to USF I changed my major from elementary education to interdisciplinary social science, focusing on sociology and religion. I am excited about the opportunity to really learn hands on in these two different disciplines. I hope to learn a new appreciation for what others value in their own lives, what drives people, how their family roles function, etc. I also want to become a more culturally diverse person, through my experience here. I am also looking forward to learning about all the different religions as they are practiced here in Delhi. From Hinduism, to Buddhism, to Sikhism, to Islam. I plan on getting involved in one way or another with as many of these different faiths as possible to really learn and understand how each is practiced, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you!

-Brittany