India!
As
some of you know, I will be spending this next semester studying abroad in
India! I know I don’t have the
best track record with blogging on a regular basis, but I’m going to work to
keep it up for this adventure.
The
Program is called Social Justice, Peace, and Development and consists of
students from both Gustavus Adolphus College and Concordia College. The sixteen of us met up in Minneapolis
last week for an orientation before beginning our journey to India. Orientation was jam-packed, but
wonderful! It was a great time to
start getting to know one another, as well as a time to start delving into some
of the heavier issues we will be examining during the semester. The focus of the week was looking at
Social Justice in the United States. We participated in a simulation that helped us experience
what life would be like for a family living at the poverty line, spoke with
members of the community who work for social justice causes, listened to a woman
who had been homeless speak about her life experiences, ate meals and met
people at soup kitchens, and overall were exposed to a side of the United
States that many people do not realize exists. Through our discussions regarding poverty, disparities,
privileges, and prejudices in the US, we began our journey of examining these
issues in both India, and in a global context.
We
arrived in Bangalore at around 1am Sunday morning after nearly 24 hours of
travel. Visthar, where we are
staying, is absolutely beautiful.
Its campus functions as an education center for peace and justice
studies, as well as a school for girls.
It’s also currently housing some students from around Bangalore who are
studying social work, and often serves as a retreat center. There are a myriad of lush trees and
plants, wildlife (cows, pigeons, and the occasional cat or dog…), and open,
airy buildings. Visthar is located
just outside of Bangalore, so its tranquil setting is an escape from the chaos
of the city.
It’s
only been two days and India already feels like both a peaceful sanctuary and a
chaotic adventure! More stories
and pictures to come as I have a chance to write.
-Zoë
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