Chai on the brain
A common question I was asked as I was preparing for my departure: “How are you feeling?”
Leading up to the trip, I felt sort of at ease about the whole thing — it hadn’t really ‘set in’ yet that I was going to be living and working in India for six weeks.
This morning, when Dana and I arrived at the airport, I confidently walked up to the Cathay Pacific counter to check my bag and print my boarding pass. I handed the woman behind the counter my visa and passport; a man took my bag — packed with too many things that I do not need, like peanut butter and eyeshadow — and dropped it on the conveyor belt behind the counter. As I watched my brightly colored bag float away, it all set in. I must have looked at the woman behind the counter with a certain panic in my eyes because she came out from behind the counter and handed me my passport, visa, and boarding pass with a kind smile. In a calming tone, she described to me where I needed to go and wished me luck on my journey.
My eyes in this photo may be the best representation of what my face looked like in that moment of panic.
All joking selfies aside, over the next six weeks, I will be working for a non-profit organization called Association for Social and Environmental Development (ASED) in Kolkata, India. The organization serves to educate and support leaders in the environment through a variety of programs for both students and adults. I am excited to meet Diti, the founder of the organization. I look forward to working alongside a businesswoman who is paving the way for other environmental and ecological projects in her community. I am curious to see if any of the knowledge I have gained as an Environmental Science major at Santa Clara University will be directly applicable to the work I will be doing for ASED.
I also cannot wait to drink chai. I have been told that it is frequently served in small clay cups from a street cart. Once you finish the chai, you throw the clay cup on the ground and it shatters. I am also excited for the food. I enjoy Indian food in the U.S. and am eager to taste the food in Kolkata and across India. In addition to learning about and feasting on the food, I also want to learn more about the cultural, social, and political aspects of India and Kolkata.
With regard to my personal intentions for the trip, I hope that I will take full advantage of the time I have to explore the city of Kolkata during the week and travel to other areas of India on the weekends. In addition to using my time wisely, I also need to remember to find my own balance. I have a long, eventful six months ahead — after India, I will be studying abroad in Ecuador and the Galapagos for four months. I need to ensure that I can sustain myself mentally and physically throughout the whole journey . . . I think the chai will help with that!
