Missing Kolkata

Nick Fazio
SCU Global Fellows 2018
5 min readSep 17, 2018

From the wild car ride with Bijoy on our first day in Kolkata to quickly enjoying the front seat, six weeks in India offered some of the most memorable experiences of my life. I really do miss it.

Streets full of energy, warmth from chai tea and spending time with wonderful people, inspiration from countless youth leaders, and so much more spark my desire to go back in time. Despite being busy with travels abroad, I find myself thinking about how active we were in India. My day-to-day routine has felt boring at times because of the hectic days we had in Kolkata. Breakfast around 9, work until around 5 (if all went smooth), then afternoon/evening adventures with the fam. This is how our days passed so quickly.

Confluence of Cultures Walk

Nearly every minute of the six weeks was fulfilling in some way. I was able to get to know an incredible group of people, meet intelligent and powerful youth, scholars, and faculty, be a part of a teaming working for a tangible cause, and do so much more that brought me happiness each day.

Of course, not everything was perfect. Sometimes our days in the office felt long, the weather too humid, and the chaos overwhelming. However, these moments really did influence my experience for the better. These moments, and many more sparked the growth of my global perspective.

Bus ride home from the Maheshtala school visit. The breeze felt so good until the rain started, windows closed, and people packed in!

I learned quite a few lessons throughout the six weeks in India.

  1. I learned how important it is to have a plan. Having a plan proves that time was taken to go over information, think through different scenarios, and get some ideas flowing before choices are made.
  2. On the other hand, I also learned how plans may not always work out. We had quite a few adventures. Google maps didn’t always have the correct route as planned and one time we did not have a working projector for a Green Rhinos club presentation, but in the end, everything worked out.
  3. I was reminded how important it is to be clear and to the point with requests and communication. If I would like someone to do something, I must trust that they will make their own decision after I clearly present my own side. Diti pinpointed and helped address this habit mine.
  4. I was also reminded how nothing comes easy in this world and how education truly is a blessing. The number of people and level of competition in India took me aback at first. However, I have developed an understanding of it all. In order to make it anywhere in India, it seems like one cannot be last. With over 1.3 billion people, the system does not help those who finish at the back of their class. Students are eager to earn great notes with the goal of increasing their chance of acceptance into one of India’s top schools. Education is very important and taken seriously. It was so cool to see students walking, biking, and hitching a moped, tuk-tuk, or rickshaw to school!

One of the most interesting comparisons I have made between India and the U.S. relates to environmental issues, specifically those from a student’s point of view. It was refreshing to meet so many students with a keen desire to learn about environmental issues and the ways in which they can live more eco-friendly lives. From my experience, there are many students in the U.S. who are aware of environmental issues, however, the students we met in India were clearly driven to be the change they wish to see in the world. Their ambition felt steps ahead of many people I have met back home. I think this is because the effects of environmental issues really hit close to home for those who call India home.

The priorities that stood out to me in India were family, friends, sports, and ambitious academic goals that students must work very hard to achieve. Although there is overlap with the priorities of many Americans, I think that many of us have become complacent with a materialistic life, or one that is spent stuck in our phones, social media, and following the most recent trends. Witnessing such ambitious students in India allowed me to become more comfortable with something Diti said. I thought the population was India’s problem and evil against the environment. Of course, it does have many negative impacts, but Diti made us realize that is can also be a powerful force with the ability to change things for the better.

To India and everyone whom I was fortunate enough to spend time with, thank you.

Tata!

ASED TEAM

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