After preparing for a couple days before all the students arrived, the South Asian students presented on their cultures for the international students. You can read more here, and see a few student interviews here, beginning with Olga!
Monica
Mohammad
Rohini
Kultwisiso
Shilpi
With the rain coming and going, the spicy foods, & all the sights we saw, life has been great in the major city of Mumbai. I have been in India for about a week and it’s nothing like I ever expected it to be. This country works in unique ways which makes it a beautiful and surreal place to be. I love how each day brings me closer to my new family. This experience wouldn’t be the same without them. I am very excited to be uncomfortable and soak up as much knowledge as possible on this journey.
Day 5 in India 💃(I actually taught I would not last that long), Anyway today we said goodbye to life in the Kautilya leadership centre in Khumbivali, which meant last night was bitter- sweet, it was bitter because we were leaving a place which we had gotten so used to, it felt like home but it was sweet because finally we get to truly explore and experience India.
Today we got to visit the GATEWAY TO INDIA, it was so beautiful. The completion of the gateway as explained by Sridar was in 1924 though it was to commemorate the visit of King George the Vth in 1911. The gateway was used, as the name states, the gateway in and out of India, significantly the same gateway was used by the last British troops to leave India following the independence of India.
As I heard Sridar explain this beautiful place, I had a realization that the gateway was built as a symbol of oppression but when the British troops left through that same gateway it became a symbol of freedom. This took me back home to South Africa and reminded me of the time the late Nelson Mandela was released from the gate of Victor Verster prison, as he marched out from that gate walking hand in hand with the late Winnie Madikezela Mandela, with a clutched fist in the air, That gate of Victor Verster was just like the gateway of Mumbai, it was built as a symbol of oppression but when the late Mandela and Mama Madikezela-Mandela walked out of that gate it represented freedom and how finally in some sort of way we were free at last, just like the gateway of India. This all just showed me that home is everywhere you just have to find it in the beauty of the place.
India is just too beautiful and rich in history, great food and beautiful places. If I had the opportunity to stay in India forever I would grab it without hesitation.
Today we had the amazing pleasure of going on a hike to the Bhaja caves. This opportunity made me very excited, because we hadn’t left the campus sense we had arrived in India. While I was just happy for a change in scenery little did I know I was about to witness the most stunning site that my eyes have ever seen. Not only was the mountains and waterfalls beautiful, but the caves were as well. The caves were very intricately carved and had many small details engraved on the walls. The caves were created in the second century of B.C times and served as a place for monks to meditate. Each monk had a stupa in their honor. Seeing this place was so Awesome, but seeing it with my new friends made it unforgettable.
