This spring break is turning in to one of those periods in my life that I will look back on and think, “Did that really happen? And how?” [But perhaps that will be how this …
India
March 5
It’s getting to the point where I can see the end of this endeavor, and it goes without saying that the feeling is bittersweet. I think part of the reason I’m so nervous about going …
Home and Family Life
Given how grateful I feel for having the opportunity to live with my wonderful host family, I have not given them justice through this blog so far. The people in my house are Pinkuji, his …
Highway
There is no way I can think of to write this post without spoiling the ending of the Bollywood movie “Highway”, so if you ever plan on watching the film, stop reading this now so …
What I Did Yesterday
I went to bed yesterday sensing a radiating warmth that had accumulated in my soul throughout the day. Before falling into a dreamy sleep, I took some time to reflect on what contributed to my …
14 Hours in Agra
This weekend I went with seven of my fellow students to follow in the footsteps of every other traveler in India, meaning I finally made it to the Taj Mahal. To be honest, I think …
Good Morning, Varanasi
Depending on who you ask, a Banarasi morning starts anywhere between 4 and 9 am. I sometimes catch waves of these variations when a mosquito buzzes in my ear at 4 in the morning. At …
An Up and Downhill Slope
Life in Banaras has gone back to normal after winter break, though occasionally, like when I stop to think about how I’m doing something ridiculous like spending an hour plucking fenugreek leaves off their stems …
Beautiful Chaos
After months of anticipation and two weeks of orientation in Delhi and Jaipur, we have finally arrived in Varanasi (or, as commonly called in India, Banaras), where we will be studying this semester. This past …
Update from Lydia (Varanasi)
Welcome to the details of my second semester in Varanasi! If you have stuck around this long to read, then I thank you, and I promise to post updates as regularly as possible again in …