Living in India is completely different than living in the U.S. From the food one eats to the quality of air one breathes to day-to-day life, India and the U.S. are quite different. As a result, adjusting takes time. First I had to create a system that allowed me to stay mentally and physically in good spirits. I joined a gym, and I make sure to eat healthy foods, attend a weekly meditation class, and try to stay connected to my friends and family from back home. After all, I need to take care of myself to be positioned to fully enjoy the amazing adventure that life in India brings.
Next, I am all about creating friends with diverse groups of people. Within the Delhi community, there are many sub-communities that one can explore. Making an effort to connect with people from many walks of life has been an amazing part of my experience. Whether it has been playing futbol at the adidas base plaza, attending art galleries with other Fulbright students, going to dance clubs with my cousins, getting lunch with think-tank colleagues or having study sessions with my IITD classmates, the spectrum of people I have become friends with is amazing. Recently I had a birthday celebration, and over 50 people attended! The incredible thing was not the number of people, but rather the amount of diversity within that group! I was unsure if people would get along, but it turned out to be a really nice event. People came from all countries, backgrounds and interests.. it's definitely the best party I have had!
As you can tell, I'm really enjoying life in India! I look forward to sharing more stories with you over the next few weeks.
