Intimidation to Inspiration
I forgot a book for the plane ride, so I decided to head to the book store in the airport terminal. I browsed through the best sellers for a long time until I came across a book titled “The Uninhabitable Earth, Life After Warming” I was not initially sold on it and I can’t explain why I decided to buy it in the end; though I think it could have had something to do with the cute little bee on the front cover. After reading for a while on the plane, I was glad I purchased the book. It was so relevant to what I am going to be researching at the Sehgal Foundation, soil salinity, which is occurring for a variety of reasons but is exacerbated by the effects of climate change. If you read the book, you will find that in the section titled Hunger, Wallace-Wells begins a discussion on Doctor Norman Borlaug and his incredible work during the Green Revolution. When I reached that section, I was astounded that I happened to choose a book that was so relevant to what I am working on. I took it has a sign that I will do meaningful work at the Sehgal Foundation, that will honor one of the people who made it possible for me to be here, Norman Borlaug.
By the weekend of my first week in India, I was feeling a little overwhelmed. I was feeling lost trying to decide what to do research at the Sehgal Foundation and a bit of good old culture shock had set in. I know that this is normal and is something one just needs to work through, so I went to find the one thing I could think of that is universal to all of us, something we can all find a sense of comfort in, art. Any city I have visited, when I began to feel a bit overwhelmed, I would head to the Modern Art Museum; Dehli was no different. I think art is one of those amazing things that we can all find a sense of belonging in.
I may have also found something else to find comfort in that is apparently universal to many countries, Starbucks. No matter where I go, I will still love an almond milk latte.
The Monday after my adventure to the museum it had officially been a week since I arrived at the Sehgal Foundation and I was right about the significance of Norman Borlaug being mentioned in the book I choose at the airport. “The Uninhabitable Earth, Life After Warming” inspired me to do my project on rural Indians’ understating of climate change and how that impacts the Sehgal foundations pilot program with salt tolerant varieties of crops. Climate change is such a relevant issue and I realized that the Sehgal Foundation can give me a platform to add my own commentary to the discussion. Needless to say, I realized that I just needed to give myself a little time to adjust to life in India and my mind a little time to see what was in front of me all along.
