I’ve been in Phoenix for a couple days now since finals ended, and I can’t believe I thought these 6 days would be lax… It’s been a whirlwind planning two separate programs abroad since I’ll be studying for 3 weeks in Japan before flying straight to India! I’ve had an exhaustive to-do-list, so I don’t feel like I’ve had time to process that I’ll be exploring 2 incredible countries within the next 4 months. I know I’m thrilled deep down,…
As the start date for my trip to India inches closer, my excitement continues to build. This summer, I will be working with Atma, an organization that serves as an accelerator for education NGOs in Mumbai and Pune. During my time with Atma, I will work to research what makes some educational programs more successful than others, specifically within the context of India. My journey with Atma began while I was looking at various organizations specializing in education, and I…
The irony of studying human rights from the classroom is learning again and again the importance of local context and input without ever having the chance to make use of that lesson. All of my experiences working with women’s and human rights have operated across distance, whether that be physical, cultural, or both. These experiences have privileged a viewpoint rooted in my own culture and upbringing. I’ve never had the chance to see how human rights worked in any other…
Hello web-world! I will be using this platform to document my travels to and throughout India this summer. Through the Summer in South Asia fellowship program at the University of Michigan, I will get the opportunity to travel to Bangalore, India to work with a non-profit organization called Child Rights and You, or CRY for short. This public health NGO is doing amazing work to further child rights all over India by increasing children’s education, rates of vaccination, and overall…
My visa finally came in the mail last week, which means it’s time to buy my flights to Hyderabad. I’ve been looking at different dates and companies, trying to find the best deal and perfect dates to travel. I have so many mixed emotions about this trip– mostly excitement, with a fair amount of nerves mixed in there as well. I have always wanted to go to India. My aunt, who is pretty much my hero, lived in India for…
This program allowed me to achieve my goal of expanding my global horizons through an immersive, international internship experience. It expanded my knowledge on international perspectives of sexual and reproductive health, practices used in rural medicine, and operations of international businesses. At the same time, I developed comfort in adapting to unpredictability and gained a deeper appreciation for Indian culture. The diversity of work I was exposed to during my time with FPAI gave me a glimpse into the grassroots…
I was fortunate to visit India in a period where I could see three holidays take place. With the celebration of India Independence Day, Eid, and Ganesh Chaturthi, I was lucky to see the different public celebrations that occurred for each event including a parade on Independence and a quick visit to the largest Ganesh idol in Hyderabad. My favorite holiday was the 11 days of celebration for Ganesh Chaturthi. This is a Hindu festival that celebrates the god Ganesha,…
There is no doubt this past summer will have a special place in my heart. It played a huge role in solidifying my passion for research and introduced me to some of my now closest friends. Looking back, one thing I did not really touch base with on these blog posts is how my experience in India as an Indian-American was different from some of the experiences of the other SiSA Fellows. India was an obvious choice for my first…
*Supposed to be posted June 22nd I look around my empty room. This tiny studio apartment with the little kitchenette and cube like bathroom lays empty and my bed is bare. I’m exhausted as I spent the previous night and much of the early morning trying to fit my life her in Goa into my tiny blue suitcase. My flight to Varanasi is in three hours and I can hear the cab driver downstairs honking his horn to let me…
*Supposed to be posted June 15th This is my last weekend in Goa and luckily I had a visitor to share it with me! Brianna is also a student from the university of Michigan who is conducting an internship this summer in India at a PHC in Delhi. She flew down to Calangute to stay with me for the weekend and we went out to a great local restaurant right on the beachfront. Souza Lobo is a famous restaurant located…
