I'm Packing Again!?! Really?

So its a Saturday night, and I find myself packing...again! It feels like yesterday that I was settling into my apartment here in Delhi, but in reality it has already been 24 days! I remember when a month seemed like such a long time, but now I am left wondering where the days went. And I'm not just talking about my independent study period; my whole abroad experience has felt this way. Arriving in August, December seemed SO far away to me, but here it is. At the same time, I have experienced so many things that it seems impossible that I've only been here for 3 months. Time is a tricky tricky thing! I literally have only two weeks left in India, and I am ready to make the most of it! Tomorrow I am taking a train to Darjeeling (a city known for great hikes, tea plantations, and Buddhist monasteries) to meet up with some of the girls from my program and do some "touristy" activities. Then a week from today, we will take a train back to Jaipur. In Jaipur we will all present our projects, complete some wrap-up activities, and even have a formal banquet for our host families. Then, on December 12th, I will board a plane and head back to the United States. I already know that I am going to cry, and it will be a very bittersweet experience. I am really looking forward to seeing my friends and family in the States, but I will also be heartbroken to leave this beautiful country and say goodbye to all of the wonderful people I've met here. My traveling won't end there though. The day after I get home, I am driving up to visit Stonehill! It may seem crazy, but I have a lot of friends who are studying abroad next semester, and this will be my only chance to see them before they leave! I'll be at Stonehill for 3 days, and then I am looking forward to hanging out at home, seeing my friends in Scranton, and getting to know my new dog, Sookie (take a look at the picture my mom sent me)!

Body and Beauty in India

Since my arrival in India, I’ve noticed a few differences in Indian body image and beauty perceptions, but things really came to my attention this past weekend. Unfortunately, I contracted a bacterial infection from something unsanitary that I must have eaten or drank, and ended up in the hospital for 3 days this weekend. It wasn’t a big deal, I just needed to receive IV antibiotics, but while I was there, there wasn’t much to do besides watch TV, so there were definitely some things about beauty and body image that came to my attention through movies, TV shows, and especially commercials.

Skin color is a major focus of the commercials that show on Indian television. Here, the lighter your skin, the more beautiful and admirable you are. There are all sorts of lotions and face creams you can buy that will supposedly make your face and skin 5 shades lighter. Most of these commercials have the same plot: A young woman is unhappy-she is dressed in unflattering clothing, wears no make up and her hair is usually pulled into a simple pony tail. She laments to her beautiful, well dressed, light skinned friend with long flowing, shiny hair. This friend suggests “Ponds White Beauty” (yes that is an actual product) or something like it. The girl uses it, and suddenly not only does her skin turn lighter, but her whole life improves. Her hair and clothes are better; she has more friends, etc. Finally, the commercial ends after this girl gets attention from a man; sometimes staring, a date, or even a marriage proposal!

These commercials stand in stark contrast to the advertising for tanning that I, as a white middle class female college student, am bombarded with in America. The tanning industry in the United States collects roughly 5 billion dollars in revenue this year. Falling into the target consumer group, I am “told” through media and advertising that pale is sickly and unattractive, and clothes look better and sexier if you are tan. Even in the middle of winter, I should still have a “summer glow”.

So my question is: why can’t we just be happy with what we have? Indian people, in my opinion, are beautiful people; there is no reason to mess with this by trying to be “fair skinned”. Same thing goes for fair people in the U.S. Why is one complexion supposedly so much better than the others? In my opinion, all “shades” of people are beautiful. This sounds cliché, but for me its truth. How boring the world would be if we were all the same color! I have a vague idea of where these conceptions of “superiority” come from (historical and cultural context, socio-economic perspectives, advertising, etc.) but I sure wish there was a way to undermine this trend.

A more positive trend that I noticed was the actresses in movies and television here. While their hair, makeup, and clothing are usually close to perfection (much like in the U.S.), their bodies are much more realistic. Western culture has become notorious for super skinny actresses; the kind of girl who’s ribs and spine are easily seen, who has a super flat tummy, no hips, and perfect legs. Not to say that this describes every “western” actress or celebrity out there, but if you are being honest with yourself, you will admit that this does fit the majority. Indian actresses however, while still slim, have hips, and even a tummy! This gives a more realistic image, rather than the “skeleton” look. Don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing skinny people; some people are born with great genes, have a great metabolism, and/or eat right and exercise properly, and that’s wonderful and healthy. I have a problem with celebrities who are so skinny that there is no way they are eating normally, or they are exercising excessively. It sets unrealistic expectations for girls and women. So, in this regard, it is great to see more realistic women on the big screen here in India, and it’s even greater that these women are considered beautiful and physically attractive. I hope this trend will continue in Indian media, despite western influence. That’s all for my little rant, hope you at least found it interesting!

The First Taste of Goodbyes...

I’ve handed in my last assignment, taken my Hindi finals, packed my bags, and said goodbye for now to my host family. All of the major “To Dos” are crossed off. I am going to the capital of India for one month by myself to research and write on a fascinating subject. I am gaining independence and adding another city to my list. I am even producing a research project for my portfolio. So why this pesky feeling?

I know why. Because I’ve handed in my last assignment, taken my Hindi finals, packed my bags, and said goodbye for now to my host family. All of the major “To Dos” are crossed off. I am going to the capital of India for one month by myself to research and write on a fascinating subject. I am gaining independence and adding another city to my list. I am even producing a research project for my portfolio.

This means leaving the nest all over again, so who wouldn’t be nervous? The routine I’ve had for the last two months is gone, and that means so are my teachers and staff (for the time being). I am also saying goodbye to the 15 girls who’ve been with me through the ups and downs of this crazy experience, and the family I’ve shared a home with. Who will tell me how much a rickshaw ride from the mall to the cinema should cost? Who will walk to Café Coffee day with me after class? Who will meet me in the Old City for shopping on a Saturday? Who will give me the name of the best tailor in the city? Who will talk me down when I am thinking about all of the readings we have due? Who will I talk down? What 15 girls will get ridiculously excited over a new jar of peanut butter with me? We all knew when we signed up for this program that there was an independent study project awaiting us, but what we didn’t count on was the dependency we would come to have on each other. They truly are my security blanket: we are there for each other through every small victory, outrageous cultural difference, funny story, and bad day. It is going to be a major adjustment living in a big city without them, but at the same time, I know this will be an incredibly rewarding experience culturally, academically and personally. And most of all, I know that THEY WILL BE THERE WHEN I GET BACK. Until that glorious one week reunion in December, I will save up my humorous stories and cultural challenges, and I know that they will do the same for me. But we won’t talk about the real goodbyes that will shortly follow when we all return home to the states, because that is just too much to think about.