DAY 1: People Make People (Community Edition)
As I attempt to marshall my thoughts about this extraordinary opportunity I am embarking on, the word that comes to my mind is community. Let me share why.
When it became public knowledge that I would be traveling to India as a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms (Fulbright TGC) participant, I was humbled by the overwhelming support, interest and connections I made through the initial social media post.
EXAMPLE 1: My friend, Michelle, insisted that we get together to catch up before I leave. I met with her at a coffee shop, but we didn’t stay long because the shop was closing early that day and neither of us realized this beforehand. Without missing a beat, she proceeded to ask for an empty cup so she could share her drink with me (she’s such an amazing person!) and we decided to take our drinks for a walk. During the walk (which included exploring a sculpture shop and then finding a tree to sit under) she promised to put together a care package for me of things I may need for the trip.
EXAMPLE 2: Some family friends offered to keep an eye on my 11 year old, in case she needed friends to play with while I am away. My husband and son will be working during the weekday and they wanted to make sure she didn’t feel lonely.
EXAMPLE 3: As part of the preparations for the Fulbright experience, I and two other participants were assigned to a host country teacher in Chennai, India. She met with us 3 times via Zoom to get acquainted and discuss plans. During every meeting, she initiated a mindfulness activity (typically involving breathing and visualization exercise to help diminish the overwhelm and keep us focused). I truly appreciated the connections she was forming with us, even before we met physically.
EXAMPLE 4
My neighbors (Sarah, Adam and Liam), made some pre-travel dinner plans and presented me with gifts (a hand made bead bracelet from Liam, and a personal care kit). Their thoughtfulness added to my courage and excitement for the trip.
EXAMPLE 5: On the flight from Paris to New Delhi, I struck up a conversation with an Indian gentleman sitting across the aisle from me. He told me about his kids in the U.S. that he and his wife had just been visiting during their 5 month stay. We both shared pictures of our families and he taught me how to say ‘thank you’ in Hindi. It’s ‘dhanyavaad’. For some reason I thought it was ‘namaste’.
EXAMPLE 6: When we arrived at the Oberoi hotel in New Delhi, the staff at the reception easily welcomed us into their community through their expressive and meticulous concern for our wellbeing, and the aarti performed in our honor. An aarti is a devotional act where a lit candle, surrounded by flowers, is placed on a cup or plate. The staff pronounced blessings over each Fulbright TGC participant before ushering us to our rooms.
At the end of day 1, the feeling of community was palpable and I knew it would carry me on for the duration of this adventure.
