Exploring a Bit

This is me with the three Singapore students (Jeannie, May, and Yi Sze) we are on the balcony of the boys' hostel 13. We were being shown around by the student representative and turns out the boys' hostels are much nicer than ours. It was huge and much newer. I asked about the exact male female ratio, at it is about 1:10. So the two female hostels are also a lot smaller than the boys. We had a fun time today exploring outside the campus gates. The student rep (Abhi) took us to a shopping area and to a grocery store. We needed to buy some basic things like shampoo and toilet paper. Before we were allowed into the grocery store we had to check our bags which I thought was a bit odd. It was so crowded as well and quite small. The grocery store has some brands that I recognized such as Dove (Thank goodness), Herbal Essences, etc but then there is a lot of local, non-English brands too. The selection is also much less, like they will have Dove, but only two types of bar soap and face cream, not the rest of the product line. I'm not sure if I was more surprised to see brands I recognized or to realize that they didn't carry all of the line... Oh well, the essentials are there so it works out. The four of us also went out to the streets close to campus to explore a bit which was fun. We went into a few fabric places to ask about custom clothing. I was disappointed to find out that they can make me any custom fit traditional dress I want but Western US style clothes is a no-go. So I may just have to start wearing Saris. Hey, they are pretty amazing in color and texture - I just don't think I could wear it back in the States.

I realized today that I've got to keep making more Indian friends because now that there are four of us international students, all chemE it will be very easy to not branch out and meet more Indians but I want friends! I also realized that I get stared at - a lot. I turn a corner and all the shop people just look at me, if I smile they will smile back but they just stare. I sort of was expecting it but it is a bit odd. My height doesn't really help either. (In the picture, I'm standing on a lower step than the other girls - for an idea of the height difference)

Miss you all!!

*cow sightings - more than I have fingers and toes*

Mood Indigo

So my mission to make friends proved to be very succefull. I have a friend who lives across the hall from me and I got to hang out with her and her friends for most of the past two days. She is very nice and willing to help me with all my problems, and trust me they are many! We attended a lot of the cultural festival (Mood Indigo) events these past two days, I got to see street dance performances, a fashion show, a concert by two famous Indian musicians, I learned a Gujarati traditional folk dance, and I helped to fly about 5 kites!! It has been quite fun.

My roommate has arrived along with two other Singapore students who are all very friendly. We've gotten along great so far. It's strange that they are coming to me with questions because to them I know a lot more than they do.

We are planning to buy some essentials today and tomorrow, things like towels. Trust me showering here without a towel is tricky. Actually showering here in general is tricky.

Day 1

Oh my, how glad I am to have my laptop up and running! It took two communication secretary people to figure it out but I've now got internet! This should be easier to keep in touch with everyone. On the downside, my messanger systems don't seem to be working with my new proxy settings, whatever that means! I may have to come up with something else or get my hands on one of those two secretaries again.

So after my arrival to campus I was given a room on the first floor and signed a bunch of papers and that was about all. No tour, no explanation of anything, just a key and goodbye. I've been trying to make friends which has proven difficult because there is a huge cultural festival going on right now on campus. This means I've met loads of people, just not from IIT. They are from all over India which has been interesting. Needless to say I've been getting a lot of strange stares from people and a few have commented on my height. I met with the head of ChemE to work some things out and I hope my classes turn out all right. There is so much paperwork to do it frustrates me greatly. Oh well, I'll figure it out.

I'm going to try to make friends today. It's weird to think that I have that as a mission of mine. At Purdue your friends just sort of happen, but here, I've got to reach out and say hello because most people seem to be content to just smile at me.

Having internet is actually making me feel a lot better about things. I've sort of been in this state of mild nausua for the past two days and it seems to be better now. Of course this could also be due to the pepto-bismal that I took. So much to do still, so much to say, I'll try to keep posting so everyone can stay up to date. And I love the comments people! I miss home a lot already but knowing that you all are still in touch makes me feel a lot better.

Miss everyone!

I made it!

I'm here!!! I'll post more when time permits and I've got a better computer, this school one leaves something to be desired... Such an adventure! (I ran into a huddle of monkeys while on campus today - that was crazy)

Psychotic episodes

My mom asked me if I wished I wasn't going to India today. She asked me this after having a bit of a heart to heart about leaving. I adamantly said no, that I do want to go and this is something in my life that I would regret forever not doing if I changed my mind. It does bring up the ideas of all I'm missing again. I'm so close to departure now that my nervousness is overcoming my excitement. My fear of little hick-ups or missing information or sickness, is starting to become more of a reality. I started my malaria medication yesterday so if I start having psychotic episodes, you'll know why.

*5 days*

Visa

It's here. My mom called me to tell me my passport and visa have been safely sent to my house in CO. I'm really going now... no more turning back, nothing left to take care of, just me and a plane and 27 hours until my adventure begins.

It's going to be so hard to say goodbye.
*13 days*

Comfort Zone

I received some pretty cool maps and paperwork from a returning student the other day about IIT. I found IIT on a map of Bombay which was fun, sorta cool to see where I'll be in relation to the world. I also got a welcome booklet that they give to freshman with a lot of info about campus life. I'm starting to realize how elite a place I'm going and it's starting to really scare me. I've heard multiple times that the level of student is really amazing over there. Their math skills are apparently unparalleled. My fluid mechanics TA is Indian and he was telling me about the entrance exam. Basically he broke it down into numbers for me, there are ~1billion of people in India, if just 0.1% apply to go to IIT that's 100,000 people. There are about 4700 undergraduates on campus. Imagine how smart these people are!

I'm definitely outside my comfort zone on this one. That's a good thing though. I reread a quote of mine that says "Feel the fear and do it anyway." That's what I'm doing, right now I'm feeling the fear, and I'm doing it anyway. Makes me feel like I'm living my life though and that feels great!

*14 days*

Waiting

It's finally off. All of my paperwork to get my student visa for India. It is now 100% out of my hands and all I get to do is sit and wait, sit and wonder if I remembered everything, filled everything out properly, paid the correct amount. I'm confident that I did, but you never know. There is really nothing left for me to do for India aside from a few logistical things here at Purdue and of course pack and get home! Not such an easy task I suppose. I'm getting nervous. No point in denying it. I'm nervous because this is quite possibly the biggest change in my life and I'm nervous. Halfway across the world makes the 1000 miles I've been away from home seem like a day trip. I'm going to India... what am I doing with my life... what am I doing...

Deep breath, it's worth it, I know it is. Thank you to everyone who has supplied me with such constant positive reinforcement and support. I'm going to miss you all so much!

*20 days*

We can't expect perfection

There is no reason why anyone should ever expect to achieve perfection. Yet when it comes to somethings, we hope, we strive, we work to attain something hopefully very close to flawless. I was all set to head to Chicago today to FINALLY obtain my student visa for India. I had my paperwork filled out, I had my financial arrangements papers, my passport, my money, everything all set except one little detail. I only had a copy of my admittance papers from IIT, not the original signed copy. I called and asked the consulate if this would be okay but I couldn't get a hold of anyone and seeing as it is quite the time commitment for me to go to Chicago I couldn't justify taking the risk of being turned away because of this. So why don't I just get the original you ask? Because it is currently in the wonderful process of being mailed to me. It was scanned and emailed to me the same day it was air mailed, yet I have yet to receive the paperwork. I've got only a limited number of days until I'm supposed to be on a plane and I do not have a visa... I'm trying really hard to stay calm and trust that it will all work out. I just hope this doesn't' destroy my plans and everything I've been looking forward to for almost a year and a half now.

I just wish this was a little more perfect...

*25 days*

Internship

I just turned down my General Mills offer for the summer of 2007 internship in LA California. I am going on complete faith now that GE will pull through in India. I've been told numerous times that they are expecting me and that I most definitely have an offer and a job this summer. GEARE hasn't let me down yet so I'm sure it will in fact all work out but there is something disconcerting about turning down offers based simply on a verbal promise from a professor. On the plus side it is was cool to have an offer to turn down. General Mills really seems like an amazing company with all types of great people working there. I had a great plant trip with them and I will most definitely consider them for full time employment upon graduation. I'm hoping to have a bunch more offers to weigh come November/ December next year. It's been fun to see all the seniors going to plant trips all over the country and hearing about the recruiting process, I hope to be that lucky. I suppose I'll have a pretty good shot with international work experience under my belt, but then again I may have a GPA problem after taking my classes at IIT. I'm not sure how to explain that to recruiters... sorry my GPA is crappy, but I failed this class at IIT!! I doubt that will be as impressive to hear about. HAHA oh well, I'm sure I'll be fine, it's not like everyone at IIT is partying it up and never studying so I'll be in an environment that is conducive to extreme studying. CAN'T WAIT!!

*35 days*

Sooner than you think

I filled out some paperwork for my stipend that I receive for going abroad today which made me feel pretty good. The program I'm going abroad with provides some funds in an attempt to make the experience close to 'financially neutral' as they call it. Basically they don't want cost to be a deterrent for study abroad. This made me pretty happy seeing as it is more than covering the cost of my airfare and housing for the semester. Granted I am probably going to spend a ton of money just traveling around because lets be honest, if I'm in India I'm going to try to explore all of it!

I have been getting asked a lot recently if I'm nervous or not. I sort of smirk whenever I'm asked because how do you really answer that? If you say yes and launch into a series of reasons like "I'm not going to know anyone, I'm going to be the only white female, I'm not going to speak the local language, I'm going to be literally halfway around the world from anything I know or have ever know or could ever consider familiar' you get all worried and start thinking maybe I should just stay. But if you say no you aren't nervous they laugh at you and ask in a semi-condescending tone why not. I sort of play it off like, yes but I'm more excited than nervous. That usually suffices as a good enough answer for them and I'm spared the barrage of safety questions.

*40 days*

I'm getting closer! As I sit quite literally counting the days I've found myself a bit melancholy about my departure. I've begun to realize how much I'm going to miss by not being at Purdue next semester. I understand the experiences that I'm opting out of are going to be replaced by a far more exciting adventure, but it is still hard to think about missing them. My sorority big sis's wedding for example. I really wish I could see her look so beautiful, but it just isn't in the cards. Senior send off at my house, my 21st birthday, The Fray concert, and the countless hours of laughing in the library with my classmates. These are all things I'm giving up and I really hope that because I am that I'm not forgotten. I hope my friends don't forget about me, or don't treat me differently when I get back. Who's to say how I'll be different though? There always is a bit of a bitter side to every decision, just seems like the longer I'm here the more of it I see. I'm going to miss so many people. I'm going to miss growing certain relationships and sharing more experiences. I hope it is a good trade that I'm making... I'm certain it will be.

*47days*

IIT Encounter at Purdue

I met a really nice lady from IIT Madras today in the Potter Engineering library. I saw her wearing a sweatshirt from there and I thought hey, I should be friendly and go say hello. She was really nice, a graduate student in Aero/Astro Engineering. Oddly enough she jumped right into telling me about IIT and India. She told me that the profs are going to be pushy especially at the beginning of the semester and that I'm really in for a culture shock. She told me about her cousin who grew up in the States and came to visit Bombay and simply started crying because of the poverty. From everyone I've talked to I hear very similar stories such as that yet at the same time they tell me I can never be prepared for such a difference in lifestyle. I've taken on the view that I'm going to have a culture shock, and all I can be is aware of its coming. No point in trying to force myself to understand a way of life that is so foreign from mine until I actually see it and feel it for myself.

*57 days*

Preparing

2 months! I depart for an amazing trip in 2 months. I'm heading to India for a little over 7 months to study and work. I'll be in Bombay for the spring and Bangalore for summer and I couldn't be more excited. Right now I'm working on getting a lot of the logistical things worked out such as my class schedule and my visa etc. It seems so crazy that I will be on the other side of the world for so long without seeing any of my friends or family. Hence the purpose of this blog, an attempt to remain connected while off exploring my life and myself. I'll be doing my best to keep things updated so those who are interested will be able to share in my adventures and hopefully leave me some comments so I can share in their adventures back in the States or wherever their lives take them.