It still surprises me to see such an openly diverse country such as India where people never forget their common identity makes them all the same—Indians. Everyone seems to accept one another for many of their differences, and it also appears that relationships break boundaries between social constructs. The population varies between Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, ...
Varanasi: Spirituality Is In Its Identity
Like any other city in India, you would expect extremely crowded streets, no organized traffic, a bellow of horns, and the roaring of voices trying to communicate from shops and sidewalks. Varanasi definitely contains all the elements of a classic Indian city that we have seen, but the chaotic elements multiply into the most overwhelming sensory experience we have witnessed so ...
An Intersection of Two Paths: Humans and Animals
Characterized both by a high density of human beings and a rich diversity of flora and fauna, India has often found itself conflicted by priorities. The struggles of coexistence between animals and humans in India has always subsisted. A variety of attitudes towards man and nature’s coexistence have resulted in different outcomes. As we learned throughout the semester, early ...
Let’s dive into some reefs. Shall we??
Spending the past two weeks in the Andaman Islands, our group got to experience a side of this trip that we haven't seen much of, but we have learned a lot about—biodiversity. Up close and first hand we had the chance to see rainforest ecosystems, mangrove ecosystems, and of course marine ecosystems. While we were in the Andaman, we worked with the Andaman Nicobar Environmental ...
Transecting Hyderabad: The Communal Power of Water.
Spending the past two weeks in Hyderabad has rushed to the forefront of my favorite part of this trip thus far. The large central Indian city felt like it had so much to offer: crowded streets, great food, fun bars, rich traditional celebration, and even better people. By people, I mean Hyderabad Urban Labs. The past two weeks our group has had the chance to work along-side Dr. ...
Rickshaw-shank Redemption
Travelling in Hyderabad and Chennai has had frustrating moments. Technology provides apps and services like Uber and OLA where as a group, we can rely on hailing a ride to locations at a usually low and affordable cost. But time and effort put into hailing a vehicle over a cellular device can cause too much frustration. Short fused, we usually have to resort to alternatives. ...
Religion in India: a visual beauty, but an environmental burden.
Unlike anywhere else in the world, India’s religious character has an overwhelming abundance and diversity. It has provided so much to share with the world, including celebrations, monuments, and medicine. Religious life in India pulls westerners into exploring this country’s complexity. Many seek out the religious presence in India as a chance to experience something that will ...
Walking Into and Away From a Flood: Comparing the Cities of Chennai and Houston
Taking those first steps outside of campus, you notice the things that are most overwhelming first. For instance, the streets feel claustrophobic, packed hip to hip. Everyone stacks on top of one another. You can clearly see the crowded chaos, but its more than just a visual confrontation. You can hear the crowded streets through the symphony of horns coming from the cars and ...
