I’ve spent several moments throughout the week trying to think of what to say in this final blog. First of all, thank you for going along with me on this journey. Being connected as I traveled certainly helped me not feel so far away from home. My family, as always, has been wonderful to “carry on” while I was gone. From what I understand, the animals are all still alive (there’s even a temporary extra), the house is picked up, guests have been entertained and new carpet is on the way! I always come back from trips with a renewed sense of thankfulness to God for creating such a remarkable world for us to inhabit – so much to see and enjoy – and I am very grateful that we have had a safe journey through all these miles. I’m “filled to overflowing” with gratitude to the Fulbright Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education for this incredible gift. This opportunity has been valuable to me both personally and professionally. The fact that someone would invest this much in me and what I do has also helped validate the significance of the career choice I made 25 years ago. I look forward to seeing that my students are primary beneficiaries of this experience.
We have seen so much and done so many things. I’ve taken copious notes in multiple formats to try to help keep it all organized in my brain, not to mention all the pictures. I suppose that a major theme I take away from this trip, as well as my other travel experiences, is that underneath all the “trappings,” – what clothes we wear, the language we speak, the architectural style of our homes, etc. , there is a basic universality among people. Regardless of the physical geography, people love their families and want what’s best for them, they enjoy the camaraderie of friends, they have a need for something bigger than themselves. For my students to embrace the concept of being part of a global family, they need to understand the many similarities they have with people all over the world. It’s amazing how easy it is to find the familiar in the unfamiliar.
Out of the almost 2,000 (I’m not exaggerating) pictures I have made, I found it quite simple to select the one to put on my final blog. I had posted a quote by one of our lecturers in an early blog that said something to the effect of “India is like a garland of flowers.” He was speaking to the diversity, yet unity, found in the country. We have gotten to experience some of that diversity, be it religious, lingual, the physical geography, even the clothing, among other things. Yet, it all weaves together, like the multiple colors in our elephant driver’s turban, to create something beautiful and exotic. Thank you, India, for sharing yourself so freely with this group of Fulbright Scholars. Namaste
We have seen so much and done so many things. I’ve taken copious notes in multiple formats to try to help keep it all organized in my brain, not to mention all the pictures. I suppose that a major theme I take away from this trip, as well as my other travel experiences, is that underneath all the “trappings,” – what clothes we wear, the language we speak, the architectural style of our homes, etc. , there is a basic universality among people. Regardless of the physical geography, people love their families and want what’s best for them, they enjoy the camaraderie of friends, they have a need for something bigger than themselves. For my students to embrace the concept of being part of a global family, they need to understand the many similarities they have with people all over the world. It’s amazing how easy it is to find the familiar in the unfamiliar.
Out of the almost 2,000 (I’m not exaggerating) pictures I have made, I found it quite simple to select the one to put on my final blog. I had posted a quote by one of our lecturers in an early blog that said something to the effect of “India is like a garland of flowers.” He was speaking to the diversity, yet unity, found in the country. We have gotten to experience some of that diversity, be it religious, lingual, the physical geography, even the clothing, among other things. Yet, it all weaves together, like the multiple colors in our elephant driver’s turban, to create something beautiful and exotic. Thank you, India, for sharing yourself so freely with this group of Fulbright Scholars. Namaste
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