Week 5: A week in Hyderabad
This week we flew to Hyderabad for a work trip to interview public officials, a journalist, and police women who are dedicated to women’s issues in India. We were welcomed into Sandhyamma’s daughter’s home and even got to tour around the city. Hyderabad is one of India’s oldest cities rich in history as well as one of India’s tech hubs!
This experience also made me reflect on the concept of home because yes, I do miss home. I am gone basically the whole summer and when I go back on August 15, it will be the first day of school for my family in Napa. However, when I think of “home” I also think of SCU, my friends, moments, scents, boba at ShareTea, etc.
Although India is a new culture and world for me, I recognize that I am in the homeland of the 1,354,051,854 people who live here and those whose heritage traces back to India.
I think of my own Mexican heritage, the familiar scent of walking down the street past the taco stands, the smell of fireworks, and theof ponche during the holidays. I think of growing up in Napa and running down the street to my grandma’s house to enjoy a cafecito con pan as we watched the evening telenovela. I miss my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my siblings, and my community. And I am so grateful to have to be able to go back home to them.
Interestingly, as we returned from Hyderabad to Kadapa, I felt like I was coming back home, whatever that means, and it felt good.
Here are some highlights of our time in Hyderabad:
Highlights
Eating Domino’s pizza. I don’t even love pizza in the U.S. but it was soo good here & they topped it with corn!
Exploring the Indian McDonald’s Menu (so many vegetarian options & fun spices & potato burgers, wraps & wedges)
Watching a movie in the Hyderabad IMAX (Mission Impossible 5) & realizing that I will never watch an action movie in theater ever again
Walking & hiking through Golkonda Fort
Bangles shopping at Charminar’s Night Market
Chowmahalla Palace
Interviewing the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Hyderabad and the director of She Teams, a division of Police for enhanced safety and security of womxn
Tried the famous Biryani (spiced fried rice) that literally brought tears to my eyes (it was so good) but very spicy
