My time at Manipal has come to an end. As I write this post, I am sitting in the Mumbai airport awaiting my connecting flight to Delhi where I will meet my mom for 2 weeks of traveling across North India (I really can’t be too sad given that my adventure on this continent is far from over). However, this is the first time I have had a second to sit and reflect after a hectic end of the semester. So, to compile my four months living in this country, I have created a list of the lessons I have learned and what I hope to take back home with me.
Time is an illusion– alternatively, everything always running late is an exercise in relaxation and going with the flow
If you aren’t crying, your food isn’t spicy enough
Petting the stray dogs may get you strange looks from people passing by, but it worth it for your own happiness (especially the puppies!)
Miming is a great way to get through language barriers, even if you look beyond ridiculous trying to mime “q-tips” to a store attendant
Indian waiters are very confused when you order french fries and mashed potatoes at the same meal
Sidewalks are a privilege
Traditional Indian dance is not for the faint of heart or weak legged (its all squats)
Every place you go in India has a different types of people with unique cultures and experiences and the only way to understand this vast country is to visit as many placed as you can
Whenever there is a patriachal figure who attempts to invalidate your ideas because you are a not a man, there is a wonderful woman waiting in the wings to teach you how to circumvent their foolishness
There is always time for snacks, ice cream and chai-coffee
I will miss Manipal, especially as I return home and have to reintegrate into life as it was before. However, I have so many memories and friends to take back with me. Now I need to stop writing before I get too mushy and become too much of a study abroad cliche. Looking forward to my time left in India and all the new places I still have yet to see (✿◠‿◠)
While drinking chai at high tea (a beautiful, institutionalized Indian snack time) today, my friends and I came to an upsetting realization. We have only three weeks left in India. I finally feel acclimated, which makes the idea of leaving all the more bittersweet. Given the distressing passage of time, I figured the time has come to share the adventures of my favorite travel weekend so far.
Three friends and I spent Diwali, one of the biggest festivals in India, in Mumbai. Now, Mumbai is one of the cities you associate with the idea of “India”. Mumbai means many things to many different people- the capital of Bollywood, the former colonial stronghold, or the sprawling metropolis that is the basis for Indian stereotypes. Movies like Slumdog Millionaire have done a good job making the city seem like one endless slum to the Western consciousness. With all of these different perceptions in my head, I was nervous to travel there alone. I was worried I would encounter the crowded, overwhelming India so different from isolated Manipal. However, I ended up falling in love with Mumbai.
I find myself at a loss for words about why I became so infatuated with this city. Looking back, I did not even take many pictures. We spent much of the weekend just wandering around different areas of the city and experiencing the unique feeling of the place. The suburb we stayed in, Bandra, is known for being posh, full of nightlife, and home to one of the only basilicas in India. Drive an hour into historic Mumbai, though, and you see a breathtaking mix of gothic and Indian architecture that houses a mix of government services and museums.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Gateway to India
Skyline from Bandra Fort
Highlights of our wandering tour of the city included the many art museums, the street vendors, and the food. I could write sonnets about the meals we ate in Mumbai. I ate everything from duck and mashed potatoes to crab to gluten free cake. At the end of the trip, the conclusion of the group was that we ate our way through Mumbai.
Diwali, which celebrates the end of Ram’s exile and his triumphant return with Sita at the end of the Ramayana, was another factor which increased the vibrancy of the city. The Festival of Lights has its name for good (and mildly terrifying) reasons. Every night was filled with firecrackers and twinkling lights. Driving around the city at night was gorgeous. However, the night of Diwali was an exercise in reaction time with the amount of fireworks being lit off in the streets. We had a couple close calls with dodging errant ones as we turned corners.
Our final day was spent on Elephanta Island. This UNESCO World Heritage Sight is an hour ferry ride from Mumbai and is filled with elaborately carved caves. The carvings are huge, floor-to-ceiling masterpieces. We had a nice final day exploring the caves and buying presents for family and friends at the island market. I unfortunately only got one good picture of the carvings- my camera and the lighting did not get along well. Pictured is Brahma, the god of birth with his three faces.
The slump after our Mumbai weekend was real. We came back to a month of term papers, exams, and final presentations. I am still in the midst of the final push. This week was particularly hard given the election results and the pain being felt by many at home. My peers and I have had a few days of moping as we process everything that has happened in a foreign environment.
I try not to be too despondent, however, because I have several good things to look forward to. The weekend after our finals finish will be spent at the beach AND I get to see my mom in 3 weeks as we start our own North Indian adventure. I will definitely cherish my final few weeks of escape…
So it has been almost a month since I have last posted… Apologies for the radio silence but it has been an incredibly busy month! Midterms came on quickly in my classes, and that was followed by a week of travel through South India. I have spent the last week just resting and preparing myself to finish the semester after so much activity.
This blog post will mostly be about travel week since it is one of the most exciting things I have had the opportunity to do thus far. My whole program embarked on a 7 day journey through Kerala, the state below the one Manipal is in. Kerala is known for its beautiful landscapes and as being one of the cleanest, well educated areas of India. Kerala roughly translates to “God’s Own Country” and it certainly lived up to its reputation during my visit.
The map below should give a good idea of the huge distance we covered in a week. There were 3 overnight trains and multiple 4-5 hour bus rides to get from place to place.
Our first destination was Kochi (also known as Cochin during occupation), a famous port city in Kerala. This city is known for its Portuguese influence as it was a major colonial trade hub. We got to stay in the most beautiful renovated Portuguese guest house near the massive fort that spans the historic district of Kochi. Kerala is also one of the most Christian states in India, so there were many Gothic style cathedrals to visit as well. We even got to see one of the only synagogues in India near the expansive, historic Jewish market. The area of the city is still colloquially known as the “Jewish quarters” despite there being only four remaining Jewish people actually residing there. It was interesting to see the remnants of different religions and their interactions in such a diverse city.
Church where Vasco da Gama was buried
Colonial house
Chinese fishing nets
Blue door of the synagogue
The real highlight of Kochi, however, was the food. Indo-Portuguese fusion food is the most delicious thing I have ever had the fortune of tasting. The port nature of Kochi also meant we were eating fresh seafood for the first time since being in India. Now for me, a girl who grew up eating seafood from Washington or Hawaii, this was heaven. All of my cravings for fresh fish, crab, and squid were fulfilled in a day. I would go back to Kochi just to continue eating my way through the city.
After a day in Kochi, our group continued on deep into the Western Ghats to get to the hill station Munnar. Hill stations were where British colonialists would retreat during the miserably hot summer months from the coast to mountain towns for cool air and relaxation. Munnar is known for its many tea estates. We spent two days trekking around, touring tea plantations, and generally enjoying not constantly sweating through our clothes.
As we were preparing to leave Munnar, disaster struck. Two of the girls on my program spent the night before leaving sick with food poisoning. As we traveled to Thekkady, more and more of us began to fall ill. Unfortunately, I was one of the unlucky ones who caught the bug. At first, I thought I was just feeling car sick from a windy bus ride through the mountains. As soon as we sat down at lunch, though, it became apparent much more was wrong. I can now say I have had the unique experience of laying on the floor of a random Indian restaurant’s bathroom trying not to throw up.
So, many of the people on the program and I ended up not seeing very much of Thekkady. The day was spent sleeping in our hotel and trying to recover from whatever bacteria got into our food. All in all, 7 out of the 10 of us got sick. Turns out even public health students can succumb to the microorganisms we are dedicated to studying.
After a difficult, bumpy bus ride to Alleppey the next morning (many thanks to the bus driver who didn’t mind pulling over for people to puke), we made it to the house boat where we were supposed to spend the next 24 hours. After being on the move semi-constantly for the last four days, a day of relaxing on a boat was much needed. The food poisoning was slowly subsiding from the group and we spent the day playing board games and reading. Although I have very few pictures from the houseboat, it was a very nice recovery period for all of us.
Sunset from the top of the houseboat
Originally, our group was supposed to spend the second day in Alleppey touring around the town. However, a political murder and fear of riots resulted in the Kerala State Government instituting a curfew. This was good news for us, as it meant we got to spend an extra day lounging around the houseboat. While it would have been cool to see the proper town of Alleppy, I think all of us sick kids needed one more day to get to 100% before moving on to Bangalore.
An overnight train later, we arrived at our final destination of Bangalore. Now the 3rd biggest city in India and a tech capital of the country, this was the first true Indian city we were visiting. I didn’t realize how much I had been missing metropolitan areas until we got here. There is just something about the vibrancy and energy of cities that I love being in. The Manipal University campus is large and beautiful, but it is definitely a college town without the amenities of a big city. My program director was laughing at my excitement about my first Starbucks latte since coming to India.
After two days running around Bangalore and a 14 hour train ride, we were finally back to Manipal. Travel week was one of highs and lows– the beginning and the end of the trip were so fun, but the middle (food poisoned) portion was a big low. The worst part about returning from travel week was the realization that my stay in India is about half over. Time is flying by, and I still feel like I have so much to see and experience before my time in this country will be fulfilled. For now, though, I have finally caught up on sleep, and am looking forward to what the second half of the semester will bring.
With midterms and a whole week of program sponsored travel quickly approaching, my time has quickly been flying by. I have already been in India for a month and a half (despite it sometimes feeling like I got off the plane a few days ago). I will try and summarize all that I have been up to in the last couple weeks–or, more honestly, all of the places where I have been lucky to travel.
As I have mentioned previously, Manipal is situated very close to the coast. One of my favorite places we have visited is Kapu Beach. Featuring a scenic lighthouse and lovely stretch of sand, this beach was perfect for a relaxing day trip. This day also featured an excursion to pick out fabrics for saris. I am anxiously awaiting the finished product once the tailor finishes alterations. Even though I had to be restrained from buying a black sari, I am very happy with the gem-toned one I found.
The next places we were fortunate to visit were a Jain temple and a Catholic church. Representative of the vast diversity within the Indian population, there are many different religions celebrated in India. One of the prominent ones in Jainism. Founded by a contemporary of Buddha, Jainism celebrates non-violence and mental victory over the senses. The religion was formed as a response to unjust practices that had developed in Hinduism. Jain temples are known for stunning architecture. The temple we visited was in the middle of a lake and required us to go by boat to reach it. In addition to a beautiful temple, we also had the experience of sticking our feet in the water and having the fish come up to eat the dead skin off them. It is like a less controlled version of the spa treatment they offer– the fish are swarming, jumping, and biting your feet. After this, we visited a large Catholic church also in the area. The architecture was an amusing mixture of European Gothic and Indian and much more colorful than I am used to seeing. However, I love to see such different religions peacefully celebrated in such close proximity.
This leads me to perhaps the best thing I have had the opportunity to do in India thus far. Two of my close friends and I were invited to stay at the home of our Indian classmate for a weekend. Not only did we get to spend a weekend in a real home, but we also got to explore the beautiful city of Mysore. Mysore is known for its many palaces and royal history, as well as recently being awarded the cleanest city in India. It is an 8 hour bus ride south of Manipal. The palaces and surrounding temples were fantastic, but my true love lies with the city’s food. Never have I eaten as well as I did in our quick 2 day stay. Not only is our friend’s mom the former owner of a catering business, but Mysore is known for its sweet shops and bakeries. India’s lack of dependence on wheat meant I could eat most things with no problem so I was happy and full the entire trip. A day would start with sugar dosas, feature biryani and Mysore pak, and end with tandoori chicken in mint chutney. The biggest disappointment of returning was the mess hall food after our truly royal eating.
The next week is midterms, so I am relearning how to manage the “study” part of “study abroad”. I can’t be too sad, though, because once midterms finish we are off for a grand loop through Kerala and southern Karnataka. The Indian experience continues to impress and change me, and I look forward to see where I end up next ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀
To even begin trying to describe our first weekend of independent travel, a short lesson in history is needed. The modern town Hampi is surrounded by miles and miles of ruins. It was once the capital of the Vijayanagara dynasty in the 16th century. In its time, it was one of the largest cities in the world. Walking around the ruins for three days was a humbling experience. We forget how many unique ways of life came before us and how little we understand about the history of human existence.
Hampi is a small, tourist town in the northeastern part of Karnataka. The climate is very different from the coastal Manipal– it is brush, red rocks, and a very hot sun. We took a 10ish hour sleeper bus to get there. This meant we left Friday night at 10 pm to arrive in Hampi at 8 am Saturday morning. The jolting and rocking of the bus does not make for the best nights sleep, but we made due. We stayed in a cute little guesthouse right in the main bazaar. My only complaint was the active construction site outside my room until 1:30 am every morning.
The best way I can try to describe the Hampi experience is through pictures…
Virupaksha Temple
Climbing the red rocks
Carvings telling the Ramayana
Lotus Mahal
Jal Mahal, Royal Center (I’m a big fan of Indo-Islamic architecture)
Vittala Temple
Vittala Temple
Vittala Temple
Vittala Temple
Walk to Vittala
Monkey Temple
Monkey Temple–we had a nice little hike to get to this one
My two favorite activities in Hampi were the sunrise hike we took and the Monkey Temple. Both were decent climbs through all the red rocks for gorgeous views of the many ruins, rice fields, and rolling hills. I also got to indulge my inner mountain goat by scrambling up boulders and jumping around. There is nothing like climbing up rock faces at 5 am in the dark in hopes of a sunrise on a cloudy day.
Now we are safely back at Manipal after another overnight sleeper bus. I am sunburned (the sandal tan is too real right now) but happy to have been able to explore beyond the confides of the university.
With classes and activities in full swing, time is beginning to resume a normal pace. While I end each day exhausted, I feel much more at home. I was even able to get my wifi to work well enough to download Blond and have been annoying all my friends, whether in India or virtually, about how Frank Ocean has spent the last 4 years partially detaching himself from systemic ideology in order to create this masterpiece. In other words, nothing has changed.
Being the ~intellectual~ I am, classes have been the highlight of the last two weeks. The two standouts are my Ayurveda class and the Evolution of Indian Cinema course. Ayurveda is the ancient medicine system of India. A lot of the medical treatments I grew up with are heavily based in Ayurveda so I am very excited to learn the theory behind the practices. The professor has been impressed with my knowledge/the number of practices I already follow. If I have ever made you rub oils on your feet because you were feeling sick, you have already experienced Ayurveda (kind of). The class goes over theory as well as a weekly practical where we actually get to take turns undergoing the treatment. I volunteered for a full body massage on Monday which should be an interesting experience.
On the other end of the academic spectrum, I am in a one-on-one class about Indian cinema. No one else opted for this course, and the film class I was originally supposed to be in was a basic film theory class I had already taken, so it ended up being a course of just my professor and I watching and discussing different films. Needless to say, my levels of pretentiousness about film theory are at an all time high. Not everyone can say they are having a specialized course designed just for them. We started this week with Bollywood film Om Shanti Om (which I would describe as a cross between Singing in the Rain and a telenovela) , but will later move on to Indian art films. I am learning so much about Indian culture as a whole through the themes, morals, and styles of the films.
Couldn’t resist playing with this lil pup (sorry Mom + Dad we knew this was coming)
A group of locals who wanted a picture with us at the beach– its not unusual for people to ask for photos due to the color of our skin
A group photo of the public health program
Bharatanantyam, the title of this post, is the name of the style of classic Indian dance I am also beginning to learn. The program offered an extra-curricular dance class which myself and 5 others decided to try. Our teacher is a professional dancer who, despite the varying skill levels in the class, demands perfection and form. I have been sore for the last week and a half from moving my body in ways it is not used to moving. The class has to perform at the program’s closing ceremonies so let’s hope she improves us to a point where we don’t fall over every couple moves. Dance classes are far outside my comfort zone, but I have quickly come to realize dance is an integral part of Indian culture. We have encountered student organizations that start every meeting with 45 minutes to an hour of group, choreographed dances (which is very impressive and tiring when they make you join) and the classic dance forms are primarily used to tell Hindu stories. I am enjoying learning the parables by acting them out rather than just reading them.
I am looking forward to continuing to immerse myself in classes, as well as our travel weekends beginning to ramp up. Tomorrow we are off to Murudeshwar to see the second tallest statue of Shiva in the world. Best to all until the next update (◠‿◠✿)
After just a few days in India, I am not sure that I have the capability to accurately represent the experience in words. Everything here is alive, loud, crowded, and constantly moving– and I am still figuring out how to navigate all of it (and not just sit and stare in awe, which is most what the last week has comprised of) (this also makes crossing Indian roads difficult as the process tends to be a little too reminiscent of a real life game of Frogger)
I arrived Wednesday night in Mumbai for a less-than-12-hour rest before myself and the rest of my program traveled onward to Manipal University. After another flight and a bus ride, we started our orientation. The rest of the week and weekend were a blur of sessions on classes, culture, and filling out forms. All of this has been interspersed by 3-4 huge meals a day. Indian hospitality seems to revolve around making sure their guests are well fed, and it is rare to escape a meal without someone getting you to eat two more servings than you meant to. The food is delicious, though, and I finally don’t feel like everything is under-spiced or under-flavored.
Blessed Cow at Sri Krishna Mutt
Henna
Monday was off for Indian Independence Day. We took a trip to Malpe Beach and saw the Arabian Sea in all its crowded, humid glory.
Monsoon season is in full force, thought, so we were chased away by a torrential downpour. I have already been caught outside once without an umbrella or raincoat and ended up arriving at an activity soaked and dripping. Turns out I will have to get over my moral opposition to umbrellas and begin carrying one.
The hardest part so far has been the number of stray dogs that are everywhere. I have never met a dog I didn’t want to pet and play with and have been having trouble with the “no touching strays” custom. The occasional glimpse of puppies hiding in the bushes is the real test of this rule. No one should be surprised if I start fostering stray pups in my room (not really Mom + Dad I know they carry disease). I have enjoyed the many cows that freely roam the streets. Given their sacred status in India, traffic and people tend to wait for them to move rather than force them to get out of the way. The cows definitely know this and show it in their attitude.
Today is the first day of classes. This evening will be our first “Classic Indian Dance” lesson which will be a nice way to unwind from the academics. I should have more updates and observations as I settle into a routine and realize this is where I am living for the next 4 months. The summer camp charm has not yet worn off, and here’s to hoping it will take its sweet time going away.
wa // dc // ka 