Namaste in India

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to live in another part of the world? Would you completely immerse yourself in the culture of the locals and embrace their customs?

Kathryn Wills did a great job of providing us with insight into her experience while in the Republic of India with her firsthand account. 

Read on as Kathryn gives her account of experiencing the Indian culture.

Volunteering at the Animal Care Trust adoption camp and free vaccination clinic for animals.

 Kathryn Wills

Early Childhood/Childhood Education, Junior

Binghamton, NY

I am a C.U.R.E. (Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators) student, transfer student from SUNY Broome, member of the CRU group at SUNY Cortland, and a member of the student education committee.

How does your daily schedule in India differ from your schedule here at home? Do you eat or sleep at different times?

My daily schedule here in India seems to be very busy. There is not that much downtime because we are always doing something or going somewhere. The days fly by because from start to finish I am moving, but I have to say that I do not mind it at all! It is fun and each day is an adventure with so many new experiences. I am thankful that I have no 8am classes here. My earliest class begins at 9am, which is great. Throughout the week, I go to school for my classes and while on campus I usually bump into students, friends, or an occasional program that the school is holding. Events on campus are almost a weekly occurrence, with cultural food, music, and dancing all put on by students. I love coming to school, seeing the courtyard (Katte) decorated for an event, and watching beautiful dances or singing take place. The school is within walking distance from where we live so we often walk home and will sometimes walk to school (but mostly we take a rickshaw to school…). Then in the evenings, we have dance and yoga classes throughout the week, and then it is time for dinner and homework. On the weekends, I attend my internship with several of the other girls, at the Prajna Counseling Center in Mangalore. I have also been volunteering some time at the Animal Care Trust shelter. Other times I am with my friends at the beach, movies, or trying new foods. Dinnertime has definitely moved from eating around 6 or 7 o’clock to about 9pm almost every night, which is the typical dinnertime here. Oh, and what is sleep when you have one of your best friends as a roommate.

A cultural event in the Katte at school during college fest weekend.

How does the attire in India differ from the attire here in America?

The attire of India varies amongst the people; some older women wear the traditional sari every day, whereas some of the younger girls and women dress in clothing we would wear in the US. Although, some wear long shirts called cortas, dresses, or skirts. I love the clothing here. It is beautiful. Almost every piece of clothing is full of rich colors, patterns, and made of fantastic material. The clothing here is honestly one of my favorite parts of being here. I am intrigued to see the various styles of clothing (especially of saris). At the school, most students are required to wear uniforms and some have the freedom to wear whatever they want as long as it follows the dress code. For example, I must cover my shoulders while at school, and I wear a tunic that goes down to my mid-thigh at least. In addition, while at school I have to wear pants that go down to my ankles. When I am not at school, I can wear what I would like, but I respect the culture and avoid the stares by dressing conservatively. The clothing is definitely a large part of the culture here, because (to me) everyone always looks “dressy.” I think this because at home we wear sweatpants to lounge. 

We attended an engagement party for a couple with our professor Shalilini Ma’am.

How do people greet each other? Would you say people greet each other formally or informally?

I would say that people greet each other formally, by saying hello or a greeting in their native tongue. Students and some adults address each other as “sir” or “ma’am” out of respect. The way that students greet one another is very animated and they are more physical with one another, compared to the way that we greet our friends in the US. I think that adults seem more serious often times, quiet, and less animated. 

A dream of mine came true on this day at the Dubare Elephant Camp.

Do you see differences in the social class system?

There is a definite distinction in social classes here, because in India they follow the caste system, even though by law it is not practiced, the people still practice it. I have been learning more about it and the more I learn my heart breaks for the people and the way they are treated, stereotyped, and segregated. The society still has a traditional approach in many parts of India, which causes brokenness and an inhibition for unity to occur. Not all people practice this and have an open-mind for change. It is a devastating thing to watch people treated less than what they are worth and because of it, suffering both physically and emotionally, due to a label. I have heard many stories so far about this subject and to hear that it often begins in primary school within classrooms, where there should be equality amongst all students, it saddens me and makes me even more passionate about the matter. This system reminds me of history in the United States in regards to race and gender.  

Taking a snooze in the back of his rickshaw on the streets of Mangalore.

How present is religion in everyday life?

In the city where I am living, Mangalore, there is a strong Catholic community where the people openly practice Catholicism.  I have seen religious practices of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism. Buddhism is of the minority here. I visited a temple in a small Tibetan town where they had a small amount of land allotted for the temple and the monks to stay. From time to time, I will hear a prayer announcement in the city, or we will walk past a gathering, festival, worship service, etc. People openly practice many different religions and there is usually peace among the people. This only speaks for Mangalore, not all of India. Religion directly influences the life of the people here through the way they dress, what they eat, whether or not they can have animals, and in many other ways. For example, the Hindus believe cows are holy; therefore cows are not slaughtered or eaten and they roam freely within the rural areas and some cities (mostly outskirts). I am attending a Jesuit school therefore Catholicism is openly practiced but there are people from all different religions here. Each morning everyone must stop for morning prayer and some attend mass on certain days of the week. These are among the few ways religion plays a huge role in everyday living in India.

My first day of classes at St. Aloysius College.

Are people attached to their electronic devices like in America? Has being abroad made you less attached to your devices?

This is not something I have really observed throughout my time here, but if I think about it, I do not see very many people attached to their phones here. Even the students are not on their phones often. They use it for communication or social media occasionally, but they are not glued to their phones as we are in the United States (not saying that everyone is in the US). I find that the students hangout often and are usually talking and joking with their peers without the presence of a cell phone in their hands. Not to mention, I do not think students are supposed to have their cell phones out during the school day or during class time, so that could have a correlation to less phone usage. For me, I have never felt much attached to my cell phone and I try not to be on it constantly. If I am using it, it is for taking pictures, listening to music, and communicating with my peers to meet, etc. Therefore, I would say I have about the same if less attachment while abroad. 

Proud moment of reaching the top of Konaje Kallu Mountain in Moodabidri with my mates.

What are some things the average person wouldn't know about India unless they travelled there?

There is so much that someone would not know until they travel to India. I feel that there is so much to share and not enough space to share all of it, so I suggest you venture to India to experience it yourself. You can look at the pictures and watch movies to get a good idea of India but there will not be a connection to the people, lifestyle, and culture. Although, I can give you a brief idea of somethings that I have discovered or learned from being here for over a month now. First, everything is spicy, even French fries or spaghetti sauce. You will get used to it, maybe. Things here, compared to at home, are very inexpensive but they are great quality when referring to clothing. The streets are full of “street dogs”, which is something I am still getting used to because I am a dog lover and it has been difficult to see this and not be able to do anything about it. I attempt to give them dog treats (which they will not eat), and began volunteering at an animal shelter where I am able to love on a few dogs. I wish I could adopt and feed them all. Additionally, pedestrians do not have the right of way here. It is still a learning process to cross the streets and each day I feel I am getting better at it. My goal is to keep all of my toes by the time I get home. The cars flow on the opposite side of the street, many people do not use seatbelts, children sit in the front seat, and there are not many traffic lights at all. (I do not want to sound negative, just want you to have an idea of what driving is like here). We take super cool taxis around Mangalore, called rickshaws. In addition, sometimes “I feel famous because of all the stares and pictures. When I say, “Bless you” or “God bless you” if someone sneezes, I receive strange looks because that is not said here when people sneeze. On a daily basis, I feel like I am at the beach because of the tropical climate and coconut trees right outside of my window. Culture is everywhere. India is beautiful. 

Views from the rooftop at school, which opens once a year for students to climb up and observe the view.

Stay Tuned for next week's blog  featuring Inclusive Childhood Education major, McKenna Cannon Bailey!