India: Indian Culture & Traditions

I can't stress enough how wonderful of an experience I had. Before leaving, I didn't want to have any expectations, and I am glad I didn't. I went into the trip with an open mind and got so much from it. I was introduced to 17 other people (including two group leaders) that made the experience beautiful. Our time in India was eye-opening and filled with indispensable lessons about ourselves, each other, and the beautiful people and earth around us. Our trek to the other side of the world, despite being tearful, painful, and tiresome, has left us with beautiful marks that will never leave us.

The blend of narratives and identities of all of us, including our leaders, added to the way we absorbed the experience; we all contributed in our uniquest of ways. We cried together, laughed until we cry, and most importantly, pushed through the challenges as a unit. Among these low points were having to ride an overnight train, battling homesickness, and living amongst tropical bugs and animals in a rural village.

However, our battles were made close to insignificant after the countless moments that made everything worth the struggle. We danced and sang in colorful dresses with schoolchildren, shared intimate moments over dinner with local village families, received the warmest of welcomes from the people of the Baraich and Tharu tribe villages, and simply enjoyed nature and the company of the beautiful people around us.

For many of us, our metropolitan lives are close to the opposite of the lives of people we have been honored to meet. Nonetheless, it has been made evident that our souls reflect the same light: one of immense curiosity and love for those to whom we felt so different from.

The journey has made us thankful for what we have at home. It was an eye-opener to see how a civilization can thrive without the things we deemed necessary in order to live. Thus, we also adapted some of the lifestyles that we encounter. Our complaints have become almost nonexistent while our eagerness to go further beyond barriers of differences has increased.

We all felt privileged and overjoyed to have been sharing the same space and time on this earth, and holding each other up through all of it. We have been touched by the open arms of India and it’s beautiful faces all throughout.

As far as safety and accommodations, we were very well taken care of, from physical health to mental health. We had to check in with group leaders to make sure we were processing and feeling okay. Lodging was always up to liveable standards, and the wonderful staff is always careful to make food that is less likely to upset our stomachs.

Goutam Gi and Archna Gi, the in-country leaders, are some are the most wonderful people I have ever met in my life. They will care for you like children. Learn from them as much as possible, they have so much wisdom to impart.

“I felt so loved and appreciated by people who did not even know me. This clarified so many things in my life and made me a better person in many different ways“ – anonymous entry from our group journal.

“My eyes are opened more and more each time to the vastness of India. No matter how much time I spent here I find myself increasingly confused – a never-ending collection of people, stone, cultures, languages, and lands. But isn’t home the same way?” – Anonymous entry from the group journal

Going to India was always a dream of mine, but actually being there was such a great feeling. I had the time of my life while I was there and I met some of the most genuine people ever. Everyone was so welcoming and uplifting, I felt so comfortable around everyone. India was very beautiful and I had the best time ever. I had the opportunity to visit villages where I was able to see how people who did not have much were still happy with their lives and welcomed us into their homes and families for the short periods of time that we were in those villages. Being able to interact with the local people and their families especially the babies was the best part of the entire trip.
I was not only able to interact with native Indian people but also Tibetan people as well. While in India, I felt like everywhere I went the people I met soon became like family quickly.