#anubhav2018

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Brittany Margrave

    Reflecting on my recent trip to India with our group from UNO, thousands of words come to mind. Upon my arrival I was bombarded with bright colors, overwhelming aromas, and loud noises everywhere. I was astonished by the beautiful historic sights we saw such as the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, Qutab Minar, and many more. I must say that when I look back on my experience in India however, it was not the tourist explorations that left the greatest impact on me, but the Indian way of life. 

     As we rode in our tour bus and walked along the streets, the issue of poverty started to surface in my understanding of the country. I have never experienced children coming up to me to beg for food or elderly women grabbing my arms in hopes for spare rupees. I can say these experiences changed my entire view of wealth and opportunity. I felt humbled and realized how much I have in my life to be grateful for. I now understand how easily I have taken these blessings for granted. Simple things such as adequate housing and sufficient food to survive are not commonplace for all Indian citizens but are considered basic expectations for most Americans. I have developed a greater appreciation for the small needs in my life that are easily met. 

     Another striking revelation I had while in India related to their pollution. I was stunned to see mounds of garbage and litter throughout the streets. At first, I had trouble understanding how a small issue could get that bad, but the more we traveled through the north of the country, the more I understood that this is a generational problem India faces. Many of India’s eldest population was not taught any better than to throw their trash on the street and thus, taught their children the same. I also found this to be a systemic issue because many of the public streets do not have adequate waste management services because of the overwhelming population. This issue will take a couple generations of teaching about pollution to be resolved. I was extremely surprised about this difference in environmental mentality between the U.S. and India. 

     Ultimately, I found the experiences that were the most prominent to me were the interactions I had with native Indians. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt such a strong sense of welcoming and I felt extremely at home during my stay. It is a common Indian custom to treat one’s guests as gods and I certainly felt treated as such during my visit. I will cherish all of the friendships I began and the connections I have taken with me from our faculty led trip.

Brittany Margrave

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Liz Meister

     When reflecting on my short visit to India, I have had a whirlwind of emotions.  I’ve come to appreciate the welcoming culture that India had to offer.  Strangers would welcome me with warm smiles, happy waving, and generous gifts.  One of my favorite parts of traveling abroad is talking with the locals to see how they live their lives.  On this trip, we were able to spend a lot of time talking and hanging out with some of the students at Bennett University.  They sat with us at meals and stayed up to hang out with us even in the midst of all of their exams.  It was very cool to see the similarities and differences of each of the cultures.  It was shocking to realize how much we all had in common even though we lived on different sides of the world.  We, as a group, were able to connect with some of the students on various forms of social media to continue the great friendships that were formed in the short 10 days we were there.  

     One big thing I was able to bring home with me from the trip to India was an appreciation for cultural roots and different ways of life.  In my line of work I come in contact with many different individuals from various different backgrounds.  Now I know that in the Indian culture family, traditions, and education are important.  It was shown in the various sessions we sat through either at Bennett University or other businesses in the community, that while they are all striving for success in areas they are passionate about they still incorporate different aspects of their culture to their work.  As a future mental health counselor, I will now have a sense of respect and understanding of the values and traditions of individuals who have connection to this culture.

     Reflecting back on some of my favorite moments, I keep thinking about our moments at the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.  We were able to sit and meditate briefly in the Sikh temple was very empowering.  Sitting in silence in the beautiful temple really brought a sense of peace to the hustle and bustle that India has to offer.  Experiencing a religion that is different than mine was an eye opening experience that I will never forget.  The temple offers food to individuals for free all throughout the day.  Helping make the food was such a rewarding feeling.  Locals were willing and gracious enough to show us how to roll the dough.  We were fortunate enough to eat alongside the locals and we were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles.  The experience was very humbling because it was able to show me that people from different backgrounds, cultures, and religions can come together and experience something beautiful.

     After digesting all that India gave to me, I have found an amazing appreciation for the culture, traditions, beliefs, and norms that the country showed me.  I have a passion for traveling and experiencing different cultures, this trip through UNO gave me a way to experience the beauty of India in a way that I would have never been able to experience if I went on my own.  With the help of Dr. Khazanchi, the UNO faculty, and Bennett University, I was able to have a one in a lifetime experience that will stay with me forever.  All of the hard efforts did not go unnoticed and even though this trip only lasted 10 days, I have made great friendships and experienced amazing things that will last with me for the rest of my life.  India pushed me outside of my comfort zone in ways I could not imagine, but I am so grateful for the amazing opportunity that UNO offered through this program!

Liz Meister

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Jasmine Ayers

    India was a movie! Coming back to Omaha it feels like I just left the movie theater after watching a three hour film. I guess you could say I am still in culture shock from the drastic differences between western, and Indian culture. This trip was not what I expected in any way, we were treated like royal guests, and got to see in person things millions of Americans may never get the chance to see. Our Indian hosts were the most genuine, and welcoming people I have ever met in my life. They really went the extra mile to help ease the culture shock we were clearly going through. As a Psychology major I did not think this trip would academically benefit me the way that it did. Looking at the way children in this country develop, and live is drastically different than the way kids are living back in the United States. It broke my heart having children younger than my youngest sibling coming up to me begging for me to give them money for food. I was even more heart broken when I was told the money doesn’t even go to them, but in reality there is a system where the kids don’t even benefit from the money given to them. 

     India definitely had some positives, and we got to see some of the most beautiful sights, and architecture I have ever laid eyes on. The temples, mosques, forts, and palaces were so detailed and vibrantly colored. The fact that many of these were handmade hundreds of years ago is even more impressive. We don’t have things that look like this in Omaha, and I do not think I will see anything as beautiful as the Taj Mahal anytime soon. 

     Some of the practices from a hundred years ago aren’t as cool as the architecture. When we visited  Wildlife SOS, we got a real view of some other practices stretching back hundreds of years. Seeing the inhumane treatment of the animals in India for the reason of gaining income is saddening. I couldn’t believe the things that these animals had to experience on a daily basis. This just goes to show how important school is as these people don’t have a formal education and this is what they have to come to put food on the table. I loved so many things about India from the food, the culture, to the many beautiful cities we visited. I met some great people on this trip, and maybe one day I can return to India to see everything I didn’t get the chance to see.

Jasmine Ayers

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Melia Markham

     I was told by many people before my trip to India that this country would be a shock to my senses. Everyone always talks about the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of India. While I was impacted by each of these senses, it was the shock to my emotions that struck me the most throughout the entire Anubhav program. Although this trip was relatively short compared to previous travel I have done, my ten days in India included some of the most impactful experiences I have gathered so far.

     As I discussed in my previous blog post, I was shocked by how welcoming Indian culture is. I had never encountered such gracious people before coming to India. The Indian students at Bennett University were eager to talk to us and help us with anything we needed, even if they were not in the select group of students chosen to help us with our activities. Even outside the university we were greeted with smiles and waves from many people in the cities and villages we passed through. Many of the smiles and waves we received were coming from the poorest of the poor in India, which was surprising to me. We were taught that in Indian culture, people try to be happy with what they have, even if they do not have much. Although the poverty was hard to handle at times, I could see that this notion of Indian culture rang true.

     The poverty in India is one of the things that struck my emotions the most.  Right next to the Mall of India, we saw a very large squatter village where the ground was completely covered in trash. There was a huge billboard for H&M facing the squatter village. I could not stop thinking about the irony of this sight. H&M employs and underpays workers from developing countries to make their clothes. While most of H&M’s clothing is made in Bangladesh, India’s neighbor, many Indian workers face the same issues working for other multinational corporations. The image of the squatter village next to the mall has not left my mind since I witnessed it. While I had some awareness of the poverty in India before I went on this trip, I never imagined it would be to the large scale that I saw.

     Although we saw a lot of poverty while travelling through India, we were also able to see many of the beautiful museums, temples, forts, and landmarks that India has to offer. It was very interesting to me to see the different architectural styles in India. Many landmarks we visited (such as the Taj Mahal, Qutb Minar, and the Red Fort) had and Indo-Islamic style, a type of architecture I had never seen before. With the help of our tour guides, we were able to learn about the history of each place we visited. For example, we learned the Taj Mahal was commissioned by an Indian emperor to hold the tomb of his favorite wife. Once the Taj Mahal was built, it is said that the emperor had the architect’s and his workers’ hands cut off so they could not recreate the building elsewhere. I was glad to learn the history of the sites we visited because I now know more context behind India’s history. Even the security officer in the New Delhi airport asked me if I knew the history behind the Taj Mahal and, thankfully, I was able to tell him yes.

     While I loved seeing each of the beautiful landmarks we visited, the most impactful site we went to turned out to be something that was totally unplanned. We were supposed to visit the Agra Fort after we finished at the Taj Mahal, but due to the intense heat, our faculty leaders and guides decided it would be safer to do something in the shade instead. We ended up visiting Wildlife SOS, a wildlife conservation center devoted to rescuing Sloth Bears and Elephants. We visited the Sloth Bear rehabilitation site and learned about the dancing bear industry in India. We were also shown what Wildlife SOS has done to eradicate the dancing bear industry altogether. It was touching to see all the work that has gone into saving the bears from the abuse they experienced on the streets.      Additionally, we learned about the abuse that elephants face in India and around the world. Many elephants are taken when they are babies and raised to be exploited for money. Most of them are used for rides in tourist spots. The Indian government gives permits to elephant owners that allows this, making it a practice that is very difficult to stop. Visiting Wildlife SOS and learning about the issues of animal exploitation in India has inspired me to volunteer for them in the future, something I hope to do in the next few years. 

     My ten days in India were jam-packed with stunning landmarks and eye-opening experiences. I learned so much about Indian culture, business, technology, education, and daily life. Although we witnessed many apparent socio-economic issues the country faces, I was very pleased to see how hard people are working to improve their young democracy. On top of that, it was great to learn about the areas in which India is very advanced, such as in the business and technology sectors. India is unlike any place I have ever been, and I am extremely grateful that I was able to participate in the Anubhav program. I have brought home new perspectives and have enjoyed sharing the impact India has had on me with my friends and family. I feel that I now have a better understanding of a country that I had previously only heard stories about. I had a fantastic time while on this program, and I can’t wait to go back!

Melia Markham

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Blaine Minden

    This trip to India was my first time studying abroad and technically my first trip overseas. It was a great experience for me, besides the food. I’ve rarely left the Midwest and because of that I’ve been limited in the experience I have with separate cultures.

     What was interesting to me was when we got to speak to the students and when we got to see the people in India. It was when we got out of the university that we began to experience India as it is meant to be experienced. 

     Dr. Khazanchi describing India as “an assault on the senses” became apt when we walked through the streets of India and could smell curry as we heard people shouting at us from their shops with promises of good prices.

     I think the Indian people are what stuck out to me most and had the biggest impression on me. On 3 separate occasions, I had people welcome me to India without any reason than their own kindness. It also wasn’t uncommon for people to wave at our bus or to try to take selfies with us. Every time I wondered if the same thing would happen if there was an Indian in America and I don’t think it would. I wish we were more welcoming to foreigners and I hope to incorporate that in to my own life.

Blaine Minden

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Al Holman

In this final reflection on our Student Abroad trip known as Anubhav 2018.  The key feeling I now take from the trip can be summed up in the synonyms of the word “Extreme.”  Excessive heat, high level of honking,  extreme range of living conditions for the people, utmost care and consideration of our group, ultimate places that we visited, intense flavor of foods eaten.   I could keep going with the synonyms, but in the end I would simply say amazing and exhausting.  

From our initial welcome with our India “Momma” Manisha caring over us like a mother hen watching over her baby chicks with such loving care.  To the details of each day with the best group of transportation team members to get us to/from our agenda locations safely. The extra effort the students that shared their time and experiences with us to go that extra mile to make us feel welcome. And the faculty from both UNO that came with us, and the faculty from Bennett University, I sincerely say “Thank You”.

The most impactful part of this trip is how our group truly came together as a family.   As the oldest of the students it was heart warming of their acceptance of me as part of the group.  It was so nice to celebrate my birthday with such a great group of people.

I will take back with a sense of what it takes for my employees having to deal with their environment just to get their work done for me in this country of extremes.  

My favorites from this trip was the first day of presentations with the Dabbawalas,  the meet and greet with the students, the 98.3 Radio Mirchi experience, Taj Mahal, Wildlife SOS, and lastly the water palace.

Al Holman

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Ashley Ceja

     The country of India is its own little world. There are various languages, religions, geography, and cultures for every city or even 100 meters that you go. But, no matter where you go, the people will be welcoming, loving, and there will be plenty of bright colors around you and spices in your food to go around. New Delhi, is no exception. It was very polluted and crazy busy, it was something I have never experienced. I thought driving in Mexico was hectic, but it is nothing compared to their traffic. Motorcycles will try to fit anywhere between cars and many cars will even drive in the opposite direction than they are supposed to. The most important thing I learned that people need while driving is a working beeper on their car, because that is also one of the many languages that they have. It is used to signal that they are next to you, that they are about to move, that you are in their way, and I am pretty sure that they beep just for fun. 

     One of my favorite places that we visited was Jaipur, also known as the pink city. It was not as polluted, and the buildings and architecture were so beautiful because they had a lot of history to them. Although the buildings are no longer pink but more of a tangy color, it was still very beautiful and so were the people. Even though every city was different, something that was reoccurring was the amount of piles of trash in the streets. The majority of the population in India are males, which I am pretty sure is one of the factors as to why the streets are not as clean. Apart from the piles of trash, I also saw a lot of kids in poverty. They would beg and pull on our shirts to get our attention so that we could give them money. This impacted me while I was staying there since I would always feel very guilty every time I did not finish my meals because I knew that right outside the restaurant I was at, there was a child who did not eat that day. However, no matter how poor the people are, they are still happy. 

    People would wave, smile and make funny faces to us. They were not shy to ask people in our group to take pictures with them. I was never asked to take pictures because everyone thought that I was Indian and would talk to me in Hindi which I enjoyed. I thought I did not look Indian but after a worker at a textile shop put me in a Saree and placed a Bindi in the middle of my forehead, I had my doubts that I was Mexican.      One of my favorite events that we went to was at the Mirchi radio station. As soon as we entered they treated us as friends which was no surprise considering that everyone in India treated us so friendly and they danced for us which I enjoyed because I got to join in on their dancing. This was also one of my favorite experiences because while we were there I was on the live radio station. Just the thought that millions of people heard my name when I said “Hi, my name is Ashley!” still is unbelievable to me. They also got me hooked on some of the music that they played, which I still listen to now and have asked my friends from Bennett University to recommend me more. 

     Just like everyone I met, Bennett University was AMAZING. The Bennett University staff and students made our time in India so comfortable. They gave us gifts, always provided us with water, and if we ever needed anything they were willing to help. Bennett University is truly a great school. Through the workshops I learned that they help students with their start-up companies and will not even take any money from them to do so. They also have a great computer lab that provides students with access to create quality newspaper articles. As a girl in IT, I was pleased to learn that India has many girls who are in IT which is very different that the U.S. because here I would be only one out of three girls in a class of thirty students. 

     The friends I made in India was my highlight of this trip. Although we live so far away, we share the same personalities and similar customs. I enjoyed hearing about India through their eyes. It gave me a different perspective from what I just saw in the ten days I was there. They explained to me their night life, how they deal with their parents being so involved in their life as college students, and also how they interact with each other which when compared to the U.S. is very different. They taught me a lot of things and I made sure they also learned from me. I am planning to return to India one day and explore the rest of the country with the friends I made there.

Ashley Ceja

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Final Reflection: Marcus Mallum

    The 10 days spent immersed in India went by very quickly. However, in this time a lot was learned about the culture of India. One big impression felt by all of us was the great hospitality and generosity provided by the students and faculty at Bennett University. It was ever-present from the beginning to the end. They helped us settle in to the dorms, socialized with us, gave various advice to help us enjoy our visit to India, and provided care when we got sick (“Delhi belly”). Their hospitality and generosity was greatly appreciated.

     In addition to learning how generous the Indian people are, another aspect that stood out unfortunately was the poverty. We saw many impoverished people while traveling between various places in India. However, an interesting and surprising observation was that many of these impoverished people still appeared to be happy, despite having very little. Along with the poverty, another unfortunate observation made was the large amount of trash that was lying around. I am sure that the piles of trash across the cities, help contribute to the high pollution that India has.

     Despite some of these unfortunate realities, there were a lot of memories and friendships were made along the way as well. One particular memory that helped break the ice between us and the Indian students was a dance performance. On one of the first nights there, they performed different traditional Indian dances for us. It was neat to see how their dances compare to ours. Then, after they finished performing, our group was put on the spot as we were asked to perform a popular dance from the USA for them. Needless to say, we humiliated ourselves by performing the Macarena. The Indian students loved it.      In addition to interacting with the Indian students, other highlights of the trip included learning about the Dabbawalas, experiencing the Sikh Temple, and visiting the Taj Mahal. The Dabbawalas were very inspiring as they demonstrated their service to others. It is also amazing that they can deliver meals at such a high accuracy, without using any technology. In addition to the Dabbawalas, visiting the Sikh Temple was also a cool experience. We were fortunate to walk through the temple, make bread for the lunches, and share our lunch time with many other people. Lastly, no trip to India is complete without visiting the Taj Mahal. Surviving the very hot weather, we were able to enjoy the amazing view of the Taj Mahal. It is definitely one of the most beautiful buildings that I have ever seen.

Marcus Mallum

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Five: Brittany Margrave

Brittany is studying Psychology and Spanish at UNO. Brittany will be spending her fall semester studying abroad in Argentina. She is most looking forward to getting to know the daily lifestyle of Indians. 

Today we had an exceptionally early start to an exceptionally hot day! We first started our trek to Agra at about 5:30 AM with only a few bumps along the way, speed bumps of course. Once we arrived and grabbed breakfast, the sun was in full blast and so were we! As we arrived at the gates of Taj Mahal, we could feel our excitement in the air. Once we entered one of the new seven wonders of the world, we walked up to the front, taking pictures along the way. With the Indian sun beating down heavily on us, we frequently stopped in the shade to hear the tour guide explain the historical significance of the Taj Mahal. Dripping sweat, we were relieved to finally enter the shaded mausoleum to admire its beauty. As we were leaving the picturesque site, the heat really started to set in; even the locals were a bit overwhelmed by the scorching sun. 

Our plan from there was to have lunch then leave for Agra Fort; however, due to the heat, there was a shift in plans and the opportunity to go the Wildlife SOS Bear Sanctuary near Agra opened up. We jumped at the opportunity and as we arrived, we learned the focus of of this sanctuary is to help save bears from the abuse they experience as dancing bears. I think it was fate that we ended up at this sanctuary because it is sponsored, partially, by the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. As we walked the the sanctuary, many of us were taken aback as we learned about the torture these animals went through.

I have developed a greater understanding of how animals can be mistreated and the efforts to help them regain some of their life as freed animals. Many of us showed our support for this cause and contributed through buying t-shirts available. 

There is a certain nature of India that I seem to find inescapable, and that is “to go with the flow.” Just as with today when our plans got flipped upside down, plans in India don’t seem to workout exactly as scheduled. It is through this wonderful change in our schedule though, that we got the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience at the sanctuary. India is showing me that sometimes the most beautiful things come from something completely unexpected. 

Brittany Margrave

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Six: Cameron Brown

Cameron Brown is a Cyber Security major. Next year, he will be his third year in college and he wanted to get some insight on the field from a different perspective and chose India to start with.

India was an extremely beneficial trip for me as I got to see the differences in the IT field, and communicate with individuals who have had great success in my career field. Today on May 12th, we visited the city of Jaipur in India and it was magnificent, and such a beautiful place. Jaipur is nicknamed the pink city as everything was painted pink and will always be as it is illegal to change the paint. The city actually looks orange at his point, as years of repainting has darkened the color of the city. Today, we visited shops where they make jewelry, and fabrics by hand. I found the individuals making jewelry interesting, as they showed us how they take the raw material and make it into a beautiful ring or necklace. It was also nice to hear that these people can make a decent living as skilled laborers without having a formal education. In the United States it’s tough to make a decent living without having an education. In some states, we actually have people with a formal education who are struggling to find work and provide for their families.

While in Jaipur, we saw and did a lot of things that were extremely interesting to me. One thing I want to reflect about was the animals that I had seen today and how some were clearly being treated inhumanely. After visiting the store where we could buy jewelry there was a camel outside sitting on the sidewalk waiting for it’s owner. After a closer look, we noticed that the camel had his nose pierced with some type of rod, and there was a rope placed in the hole to lead the animal. We learned the day before that this is painful for the animal, and they do this as a way to control the camel. It’s extremely sad to see, but I know these people are uneducated, and this has become a norm in his country over the years. This was not the case with all of the animals. While in Jaipur we also saw another camel which had a rope tied around his mouth and not going through it’s nose, which gave me the feeling that the owner cared more about the animal, and it was treated somewhat humanely. I also saw a few elephants walking through the streets of Jaipur that were decorated with beautiful colors. I’m not sure how these elephants were being treated but I have read that elephants have a pointy bone structure in their back and it can be uncomfortable for the animal when a human is on their back. Other than that, I couldn’t identity any abuse as I only got a short glimpse and there were no chains or ropes running through the body.

The last thing we did today was visit the village of  Chokhi Dhani. This is pretty much a little village that is celebrating some sort of Indian traditional fair. The village had different traditional dances, food, and animals rides. One thing that bothered me during this visit was the animals here were not being treated humanely by any means. There was camel, and elephant rides but the camels in the village had the holes in their muzzles and a rope tied through. There also was a camel that was branded on its neck. It is very hurtful to see these animals have to endure pain even if it’s for a short amount of time! I didn’t partake in the riding of any of the animals as I did not want to support that cause. We also went to have a traditional Rajastani dinner where we sat at these tiny wooden tables on the floor and eat the food with your hands. Everything was vegetarian and I was not a huge fan as I cannot handle spicy foods at all. Overall today was a really good day on this trip and I feel I learned a lot about the culture!

Cameron Brown

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Five: Blaine Minden

Blaine is a Computer Science major who is interested in India because of it’s people and culture. He is also interested in India’s role in the world as it develops.

The first big stop of our day was the Taj Mahal. It is a palace that was built by a king in memory of his queen. The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders and it is absolutely beautiful. Had it not been incredibly hot, I would have wanted to spend the whole day there. But, it was incredibly hot so we left after seeing the essentials.

On our way back to the bus, we walked through a market created for tourists. These kinds of markets are unlike anything I've ever experienced in America. They are very busy with each booth yelling at tourists to come to them. Also, everything is overpriced on purpose so you need to haggle for anything and everything.

Our final stop was to an animal sanctuary. This stop wasn't planned at the beginning the day but I'm very glad that we went. The main goal of the sanctuary is bears that have been tortured as dancing bears but they will take any animal that can live there. Wildlife SOS was a great way to learn more about the treatment of animals throughout the world, not just in India.

Namaste - Blaine Minden

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Four: Stevie Peterson

Stevie Peterson just graduated magna cum laude and earned her bachelor’s degree in International Studies. She was interested to get to know Indian students, firsthand, at Bennett University.

Day four in India was full of culture! We started the day off by having breakfast with the students at Bennet University--then off to Delhi. Our first stop in the city was the National Museum where everyone got to have a walking audio tour to learn about different artifacts of Indian history. 

After the museum was a trip to a Sikh temple. This was a once in a lifetime experience! Everyone took their shoes off and covered their heads with scarves. We then went inside to see the temple and were able to see them honor a sacred object and hear some chanting as a part of prayer. After we were done in the temple we got to go to the community kitchen and help roll out pieces of dough that would be made into bread for the meals given every day to anyone that needs food--no matter the social or economic status.

This truly makes you appreciate the generosity found in people. We then got to eat in the dining hall with all of the visitors present at that time--the food was delicious! 

After this life-changing experience, we were off to visit a company that helps launch start ups in India called Nexus. They work closely with the University of Texas and have teaching programs for those that are accepted to participate and be given advice on their businesses. On the way there we drove by the Presidents house, parliament, and the Indian Gate--a memorial for the fallen Indian soldiers of World War 1. 

Next, it was a shopping stop before dinner at the Broadway Hotel. This restaurant was so fun! Full of joke boxes, photos of Hollywood stars like Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Munroe, and even a car with flashing lights. To end the day, we went to a light and sound show at the Red Fort, and old military fort, where we learned about its history. Overall, this day was amazing! India is such an incredible place to dive head first into the culture and truly learn about different ways of life. 

Stevie Peterson

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Four: Jason Albeno

Jason just completed his first year studying Early Childhood Education. He was interested to learn more about Indian culture, especially the difference in education.

I never imagined that a simple road could be invaded with multiple amounts of cars, vans, busses, and even motorcycles on a daily commute. Indias traffic is a constant flood of vehicles. I did not expect this when I gained information regarding the faculty-lead program in India. Being interested an Indian interactions within their communities, this boosted my interest in being involved. While pursuing a bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education Inclusive, this trip has been an amazing experience on furthering my knowledge on Indian beliefs, food, and their educational influence within the country.     

Traveling to our first destination with the swarm of traffic was a welcoming introduction to India’s daily routine. The first destination was the National Art Gallery followed by the National Art Museum. These museums contain various artifacts of ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia, gods, and other external paintings. Learning about the personification of gods in India is very interesting. One of the personified gods is Ganesh. The elephant god, Ganesh, is also the god of prosperity, success, and wisdom.    

Throughout the day we visited Rashtrapati Bhawan, (the president’s house.) and toured around the city. Another interesting stop was Bangla Saheb, a sikh temple. This was impactful because of scenery, the devoted volunteers that help with cooking, cleaning, and providing offerings. We ended the day with a tour throughout the Red Fort and having a light and sound show over the independence of India. 

Jason Albeno

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Three: Morgan Haworth

Morgan is a second-year student pursuing a dual-degree in computer science and cybersecurity.  She decided to learn through experiencing international travel to India.

Today's activities were so exciting.  It started with a bus ride to Tech Mahindra where we met with the president, a talent and recruitment specialist, and a employee working with pre-sales.  With each of them, we asked questions and learned about the history of the company, its direction, desirable skills, etc.  For each of the students and faculty, Tech Mahindra graciously provided lunch and a gift.  

Afterwards, we took a bus to Times of India.  As we approached ToI, the street was too congested so we had to walk through traffic to arrive.  Once inside, we learned about the process of setting up, filming, and editing news  segments.  We got to see part of the broadcast being shot live in the control room and studio.  Then, our group visited India's largest radio station, Radio Murchi 98.3.  There, we were greeted with dancing and continued to the studio where we had the chance to meet the DJ.  Inside the studio, we were encouraged to mess with live callers and answer to their calls with "Mirchi!"  There were plenty of laughs from the confused callers.  The DJ then proceeded to answer the rest of the call.

In the evening, our group made a quick stop to Delhi's mall.  Following, we joined previous speakers and contributors to our experience at Barbeque Nation in Greater Noida.  There, we had a range of kebab appetizers, entrées and delicious deserts.  The day finished after we stuffed ourselves and rode the shuttle back to Bennett University. 

Morgan Haworth

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Three: Marcus Mallum

Marcus is an undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in computer science and computer engineering. He chose to go to India to learn about a new culture, and to understand how IT differs between the United States. We started the day off by traveling to Tech Mahindra, a tech company that provides IT services and support to clients that span the globe. One interesting statistic is that 50% of their revenue comes from the United States. This includes our Omaha-based company Union Pacific. After visiting Tech Mahindra, we ventured on to the Times of India TV station. We were provided a tour of the production control room and the room where they shoot the news. One surprising difference between their news channels and the U.S. news channels is that the Times station displays many, many more graphics on the TV screen.

Next, we visited Radio Mirchi, the most popular radio station in India. The work culture their was drastically different from the Times office. They had a much more relaxed and fun work environment. We were even lucky enough to listen in and participate on a live broadcast. 

To finish out the day, we headed over to Barbecue Nation, an Indian barbecue restaurant. We tried many different kebabs, including fish, chicken, fruit, and veggies. We were fed sooo much food.

Marcus Mallum

[unoeducationabroad-blog]

Day Three: Liz Meister

Liz is currently getting her masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UNO and anticipates her graduation in August 2019. Liz received her bachelors degree from UNK in 2016. Liz has a lot of experience traveling throughout Europe and was excited to check an Asian country off her list with this India excursion!

We started the day off by visiting Tech Mahindra in Delhi. We were greeted with warm welcomes and a traditional Indian blessing! We were able to enjoy various sessions with different representatives within the company. It was very intriguing to see how India is growing and succeeding in the IT world.  Great discussion and great insight!

Later in the day, we were able to visit Times of India, which is the most read and most trusted newspaper in India. It was amazing to see all of the hard work that goes into the news media everyday. We were also able to have a short visit with the CEO of Times of India where he was able to share some resourceful insights on Indian news and journalism.  We then went up the stairs to Mirchi 98.3 radio. We were welcomed with a traditional Indian dance where some of us were able to join in! While we were given a tour some students were able to go live on the radio talk show with the DJ. We were shown various popular hits that are played on Mirichi radio, which helped us dive in more to the Indian culture.

We are all learning more and more about the Indian culture with each day that passes! We, as students, are soaking up every possibility we can to experience and learn about this beautiful country and what it has to offer!

Liz Meister