I Don't Know What to Say.

Although I had about six free hours yesterday to write a blog, I had neither the energy nor distance from my experiences to accurately record my feelings and encounters.

One phenomenon I'm attempting to stave off is the idea that my surroundings are my "new normal." I fell into this trap after a few months in Israel, mostly as a survival mechanism. It's the act of pretending that one's new environment is commonplace and is something that has to be adjusted to as quickly as possible. Last summer, I found myself getting used to the streets of Jerusalem, the sights of decked-out Hasidic Jews, and the Hebrew signs; I shrugged as if I belonged there, like it was my every-day. I excuse myself a little bit, because three months is a long-time, and attempting to live in a constant state of wonder is exhausting.

However, I plan on being exhausted by the end of this trip. And getting accustomed to India doesn't seem quite possible. Whether it's passing a cow pulling a gigantic cart of pomegranates, or the constant fear of crashing because of the haphazard attention to basic street etiquetted every day in India seems to leave me breathless. Literally--the exhaust in the air makes my lungs hurt.

Yesterday, we had a neighborhood visit; we separated into groups of six and, along with a translator, immersed ourselves in a particular neighborhood. My group visited Kubeshagar, a Hindu Pakistani refugee neighborhood about forty minutes from the city center. 

Okay, so by the time we arrived in the neighborhood, I was so overwhelmed I could not even breathe. Between the crazy rickshaw ride, the overpowering stenches of cows and mud and exhaust, and the act of being thrust into a brand-new neighborhood in a brand-new country, I was like--

I literally felt like I couldn't breathe or move or function. But somehow, I got my legs to walk, and I followed our leader blindly down the road. 

Apparently, not many people looking like my group (aka white) come to this neighborhood very often, so we actually had numerous individuals questioning our guide as to why we were even there.

them @ us

While the visit only exacerbated the culture shock I'd been feeling, there were a few bright moments. One was meeting Miraben, a stunningly creative and successful mother of four and grandmother of six who crafted beautiful quilts and cared for her home. Her younger sister, Dahiben, was also an absolute delight and inspiration. I especially connected with her, and we shared hugs and effusive gratitude--even though we spoke completely different languages. It's sometimes shocking to me the amount of emotion and love that can be communicated without words. 

We visited an elementary school, and I've never felt more like a celebrity in my life. The children screamed and crowded around us, begging for autographs on their notebooks and hands. At first, it was cute and flattering, but I soon began to feel immensely uncomfortable. 

The reasons I awed them so deeply were simply that I am white and that I am American. What had I actually done, I wondered, to deserve such idolization and adoration? I felt unworthy of their attention, but I didn't know how to respond to their desperate requests for my signature. To ignore them would be to reinforce the falsity of my superiority; to give in would be to legitimize their vaulting of me. It seemed impossible. It still seems impossible.

I FINALLY had a decent enough signal to talk with my mother on the phone today, and I emphasized how overwhelmed I felt. She asked why I was more overwhelmed here than in any other place I'd been. After some thinking, I tried to explain why. This place--whether it is the city or the country, I do not know--is saturated beyond capacity with colors, smells, people, activity, and sound. I am constantly berated by my surroundings, and I feel as if I, too, am filled to the brim. I'm unable to take in any more. I need to release it, and let go of the sensations that have taken over me

I was planning on writing much more tonight, but I'm once again being overcome by the emotions of sadness, anger, desperation, helplessness, empathy... So many feelings. I didn't even know I had the ability to feel so much at once. I am constantly being challenged by my surroundings, by the people I am with, by the expectations of my classes and my assignments and myself. I am constantly questioning my place in this society, my effect on my environment, my very own personhood--who am I in India, who am I in the United States, and how are those two beings different? 

I am exhausted. I am overwhelmed. But I promise myself that I will try to overcome, and I challenge myself to live every day open to the new and to the people I will meet. 

I hope to write more tomorrow about my past two days--but for now, I need to sit in the dark and simply be with myself.

Signing off,

Aubrey

Taking Ahmedabad by Storm

(From Thursday, January 28)

I swore to myself that I'd go to sleep immediately after dinner, but I am desperate to capture the joy, adventure, and wonder of today before I forget a single detail.

First, an observation. Almost every sign in Ahmedabad is depicted in English, as well as Gujarati. This phenomenon confused me at first, but somebody astutely remarked that it was most likely a vestige of the colonial rule by the English.

Makes a lot of sense!

It also means I can understand most of the signs that line the streets and stores, making it much simpler to actually understand what's going on around me!

Today was our first day at our Indian classroom, and we took ten rickshaws with three students in each one to mob to our school. It was honestly the definition of #squadgoals.

Seriously, we all rolled in at the same time, and usually the rickshaws rode right next to one another, so we'd reach out and grab each other's hands as we rode by one another--it was a time and a half.

Every day, one of the students acts as Person of the Day, or POD, and is in charge of running the activities for the day. Some days are extremely simple--yesterday's POD, for example, didn't even introduce herself. But of course, today was one of the most intensive POD days yet, and guess who was in charge?

That's right. Me.

I did as well as I could, honestly, and I think I more or less did a good job. The only issue came when I was attempting to prompt a guest lecturer's conclusion, because he was ten minutes over his time. He literally just ignored me, even when I stood up to try and catch his attention.

awkward

While most of the day, I was like--

I honestly kind of enjoyed being in charge and having the opportunity to  boss everyone around--it's kind of my passion.

Another crazy moment occurred today when I strolled to the restroom during class. I opened the door to a restroom that held only a urinal and a hole in the ground. "Oops!" I thought, "must be the men's!" I turned around, and saw my country director looking at me puzzled. She must have seen my shock, because she then pointed to the restroom I'd just exited, gesturing that I should go back in.

That's right. Our bathroom is a hole.

All I can say is, I'm going to have some pretty incredible legs after all of the squats that I'll be doing during the class day.

We spent our afternoon outside in the beautiful weather, learning about interviews during a lecture and eating a scrumptious Indian lunch. The casualness and warmth of both the sun and the class left no room for missing freezing-cold Boston.

We rode back to the hotel for a quick rest before a ridiculously nice dinner at a fancy country club restaurant. I took a rickshaw with two of my best friends from the hotel to the meal.

It's experiences like that one that make me wish I could accurately and wholly capture every interaction between my senses and the environment. The smell: heady, almost engulfingly clogging exhaust fumes, the musty scent of farm animals roaming the street, dirt and mud and sweat emanating fro the swarms of individuals. The sounds: overwhelming raucous of horns and yells and beeps and fireworks. The sights: colorful outfits, flashing and blinking strands of lights, car/motorcycle/rickshaw/bicycle headlights, children clinging to the backs of their mothers and fathers on the rear of crowded mopeds, shops, filled with Hindi statues and Samsung cellphones, a cacophony of activity. The taste: dust kicked up by the animals and vehicles and people, cloying gasoline, the aftertaste of a spicy lunch. And the touch: crowded next to two individuals that I love after only three weeks, the comfortable humidity of a warm winter night, a sticky sweat and a cool breeze. I tried my utmost to memorize every single feeling and thought and instant of the melee passing before me and through me and with me, because these are the moments that I will carry with me throughout my life. The foreignness, the absolutely overwhelming realization of "different," the ineffable euphoria of exploration. It was in this moment that I realized, "holy crap--I'm in India."

Dinner was another experience that will stay with me for decades. Not necessarily because of the food--which was absolutely delicious--but because of the friends that are quickly and seamlessly becoming family. For one thing, they already mock me and make fun of me for the exact quirks that my sisters do--my excessive attachment to dogs, my "obsession with myself" (undeniably true), my drama queen status.



It just shows that they have come to know my flaws, in addition to my wonderful traits and my weird tendencies, in a ridiculously short amount of time. I'm in awe of how much I already care for all of them.

Dinner was absurdly hilarious. Whether it was the drugging effect of the overwhelmingly powerful exhaust fumes, or the kooky side effects of our malaria pills, or simply the infectious humor of being with each other, my table of eight made an absolute ruckus. From hiding the samosas on our plates in order to "fool" the waiter into bringing more (Caitlin) or "hiding" the silverware in attempts to steal it (Sally), we kept each other wildly entertained--to the point of basically being ushered out of the restaurant a substantial amount of time before the rest of our group. I'm not ashamed to say I may have peed and cried a little bit from all of the hysterics.

I am just so in love with my friends here. We have a similar sense of adventure and carelessness and freedom of self-consciousness that allows for optimal amusement and fun. Even upon our return to our rooms, we fed off of each other's silliness to continue the overwhelming peels of laughter.

I cannot wait to continue my explorations through Ahmedabad with these people and take the world on, one continent and country and city at a time.

Lucky Beyond Belief,
Aubrey

Exploring Ahmedabad

An introduction to the city of Ahmedabad, the opportunity to interact with locals, and more delicious meals comprised this wonderful day and the official beginning of my month in India.

All of us had pretty fitful sleep last night, due to the jetlag and the weird side effects of our anti-malarial pills that we are taking. Apparently, these drugs cause "vivid dreams," so we all woke up intermittently throughout the night with some confusion as to what was actually real. 

Caitlin, did you actually try to kill me last night???

I ended up shuffling out of bed around 6 AM for a quick workout and another chance to watch the sunrise. I tried multiple times to talk with my family on the phone through WiFi-enabled Viber, but it was legit painful. Apparently my WiFi is terrible, so while I'm talking, my fam is just like--

I quickly and exasperatedly gave up.

After a quick shower in which I couldn't open my mouth (aka none of this for the next month--)

Because of the potential of contracting typhoid through the ingestion of the water, we went downstairs for another traditional Indian breakfast. We then split into small groups in order to meet with our tour guides and begin our walk through the Old City of Ahmedabad. We clambered into rickshaws, which are about the size of golf carts and absolutely flood the streets, and began our journey to the East Bank of the river.

our first rickshaw ride!

Our guide Girish was basically an expert on the art and architecture of Ahmedabad and India in general, so we got a really cool introduction to the mosques and temples in the city. My group was intently listening to Girish's explanations about Ahmed Shah's Mosque, when all of a sudden, a man riding an elephant legit just strolled on by!!!!

literally all of us

We breathlessly inquired whether or not that was a normal occurrence; Girish disinterestedly answered, "eh, it's not permitted, but it happens."

In the US, we might have the same sort of nonchalance about somebody talking on the phone while driving, or jaywalking--but this was an elephant in the middle of the street!!! So crazy.

Another thing I've learned on the streets of India--there are no rules. At all. Drivers swerve on any side of the street that seems free, and it seems like collisions are narrowly avoided. It's extremely unsettling, and we were all kind of gripping each other and whispering little prayers begging for safety.

The Indians with whom I've interacted have been unbelievably kind and open. We wave at each other through the open rickshaws (there are no windows or doors), and we smile at each other on the street. It's so friendly and inclusive and communal--I love it!

We also witnessed a wedding procession passing through the streets, which was so fun. Musicians were beating drums, the women and men danced and twirled, and cars and buses halted to allow the group to walk to the other sidewalk. SO FUN!!!! I couldn't help but tap my feet to the infectious beat.

Other stories from the day: one of my fellow IHPers commented that I looked like a "Persian princess" with my scarf covering my head, so I of course fainted from joy.

but like, please keep going

I also attempted to pet all of the dogs around me, but my friends had to yell at me not to, basically like I was a dog.

"Aubrey, NO!!!!"

I reluctantly obeyed, but I know that I'll succumb to temptation quite soon.

ANYWAYS. I absolutely loved the mosques and temples we visited. 

a rooftop view of Ahmedabad plus me!

They were so ornate and intricate, I was stunned. 

The Hindu temple especially reminded me of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland!!!

don't tell me you don't see it

We ate lunch at a tall, revolving restaurant, so we saw the entire city of Ahmedabad over the full hour and a half of lunch and a full revolution. 

After lunch we all withdrew some rupees to spend on shopping and on food, and we also bought "burner phones" so that we can contact our host families using local numbers. I legit bought a nice, albeit simple phone, for 1,650 rupees--or about $25.00.

how cheap!?!?!

Because it's a secondary phone with an international number that I might toss out after the trip, I obviously feel like an undercover spy on clandestine business.

So once again, I am utterly exhausted, but I think I did a much better job of including pictures and ~fun things~. My WiFi is really crappy, so it usually takes me about two times as long to write these posts as it should, which means I get pretty lazy by the end (sorry, people). I hope you're still enjoying reading these as much as I enjoy writing them!! And I promise to attempt to shed the jet lag so that I can write more over the next few weeks. 

Much love,

Aubs

Ahmedabad, Here We Are.

I don't know what day it is, or what time it's supposed to be, or how exactly I'm going to remember not to rinse my toothbrush under the tap water, but I do know one thing--I'M IN INDIA!

I honestly feel like I've slept away my last two days, because of the dramatic time change and my unfortunate divorce from the sun during the entirety of Monday, January 25. I know that all of the rest will be worth it when I have the energy to explore the city tomorrow!

So, our group clambered onto the most GIGANTIC plane I have ever seen in my entire life at around 11:30 PM on Sunday, January 24th, EST. Seriously, every row held ten seats, and we were in the 82nd row on the first level of the plane! Insanity.

Anyways, I popped a melatonin pill as soon as I settled in and konked out for almost ten full hours (with little meal breaks, of course). We arrived in Dubai, UAE, at 10:30 PM (UAE time), Monday, January 25th. Because of our plane delay, we found ourselves rushing through the Dubai airport in order to reach our connecting flight.

Although many of us had secretly hoped we'd miss our flight so that we'd have the opportunity to explore Dubai, we were all pretty relieved to actually make the flight once we realized how exhausted we were! It was pretty insane--the workers at this airport barely even glanced at my passport as I rushed through security and onto the plane. I wonder if that's the nature of being in a large, relatively "safe" group. Better than being categorized as a 5 on the Israeli "danger" scale of 1-6!!

After a two hour flight, we finally arrived in INDIA!!!! at 3:00 AM local time, Tuesday, January 27th. I essentially lost my Monday!!! We were so disoriented upon our arrival, but the group managed to get through immigration (another stamp, yay!), security, baggage claim, and another security check. Our country coordinators for the program met us at the airport and shepherded us onto a coach bus that would drive us to our hotel.

Driving through the streets of Ahmedabad, India, at 5 AM was absolutely enthralling. I don't think I'll ever get used to or tired of the "newness" of travelling. Whether it's Israel, or Costa Rica, or India, the first drive through a country thrills and enchants. I felt myself soaking in the views of the city with my parched, dry mind; I drank in the sights, scarcely blinking in the fear that I'd miss something.

The world flashed by, with only momentary glances to capture the essence of the city. Shanty-towns of plastic tents set up on medians and in parks, with small fires to warm the slumberers. Newspaper deliverymen sitting cross-legged on the sidewalks, folding their wares in preparation for morning. Dogs (!!!!) roaming the streets in search of food. I couldn't get enough.

We arrived at the hotel around 6 in the morning and divided into rooms of six people each. The hotel is pretty stunning--it's set up suite style with kitchens, bathrooms, and quaint bedrooms in each "room." We decided to stay up for another hour in order to watch the stunning sunrise--

And chow down on a delicious Indian breakfast.

After eating our fill, we promptly went upstairs for a "nap" and slept from 8:45 AM to 3 PM.

It was glorious.

We woke up yawning to some commotion at our door--one of the host family's daughters had come to introduce herself to us and get to know us! Vishma is extremely sweet and is actually going to be Caitlin's host sister--so I'm sure I'll be seeing her all the time.

After another meal of incredible Indian food, Caitlin and I wandered outside to see how beautiful the weather is. Here's a hint--it's perfect. My frozen hell of two weeks has been rewarded with balmy weather in the 80's, and I could not be happier.

We turned the street corner to check out the monkeys about which we'd heard stories. Oh my god--they're huge. Like, not ape size or anything, but definitely the size of a small child. There were about a dozen of them inhabiting the front yard of the home next to our hotel. It was freaking nuts!!! We watched for about two minutes--until some of the monkeys legit started screaming at us and chasing us. I'm not ashamed to say I may have pushed Caitlin towards the monkeys in order to give myself a head start in sprinting away.

If you look closely, you can see that the monkey in the forefront is holding a little baby!

Throughout the day, we saw plenty more wildlife. There were chipmunks that legitimately jumped onto us; cows (COWS) that roam the streets (seriously--they're just walkin' in the road); peacocks; and a multitude of birds. No mosquitos, though--yet!!!

After lunch, we were treated to a beautifully touching welcome ceremony in which we were given a bindi (the red dot on the forehead), a gorgeous floral necklace, and a shower of pink flower petals, after which we lit a scented candle. It was such a stunning way to be welcomed into India and into our first country.

We had about an hour and a half of introductions and question and answer, and then a group of us(of which I am a part) gave an hour-long presentation and discussion on some readings. Yeah--a graded presentation. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember that I'm technically in class!

After a quick dinner, we all retreated upstairs to get some rest. I, for one, am practically delirious from exhaustion--but honestly, what's new. Tomorrow will be an absolute adventure, as we are exploring the Old City of Ahmedabad. While I'm still slightly in shock and disbelief, it's just beginning to sink in--I'm in INDIA!!!!

Stoked as can be,
Aubrey

PS thanks for getting through my word-dense post--hopefully when I'm less exhausted, I can write posts with way more pics!

Here I Go

OH MY GOD!!! On my way to India!!! I can scarcely believe that the day I’ve been looking forward to since receiving my acceptance in early May of 2015. I am about to begin traveling the world!!!—but of course that couldn’t begin without some bizarre mishaps the day of leaving.

me: hey life!!! Could I have an uneventful day of travelling???

life:

First of all, yesterday’s blizzard missed breaking New York City’s previous all-time snowfall record by only 1/10 of an inch. It was a wild storm!! And while I did of course bring boots with me to weather the storm—they broke last night, so I was trudging through the snow today in sneakers. My toes practically froze.

me in real life

My friends and I also went through the trying process of shipping all of our winter clothes back home. At FedEx, they charge an extra $7 if they “pack the box for you,” so my good friend at the shop (shoutout to ____, can’t say her name because I don’t want her to get in trouble) explained that I was going to pack the box, as she just happened to leave the tape riiiiiight next to me.

i see you, girl

Too bad I’m a legitimate idiot and couldn’t figure out how to use the tape roller, so she had to help me do the entire thing.

literally her looking at me like

But my friends and I got our coats and gloves and scarves sent into the void as we spent our last few hours in the sub-freezing temperature wandering the snowy streets in light jackets. I did get to watch Jenn step into half a foot of icy slush, which was pretty fun.

We stocked up on the essentials--

And ate some Italian food to stave off the cold.

Upon returning to our hostel, we took refuge in an upstairs lounge for a few hours to kiss our boyfriends goodbye and catch up on The Bachelor. (okay, the last one was only me. And only the first one was Caitlin.)

We all piled onto a bus to mose on over to JFK airport. Just imagine—30 college students and 3 faculty members, packed for a trip around the world, attempting to fight through airport security after a day-long ban on flight travel. Combine the stress of that with my intense lone wolf status and my unwillingness to allow another individual to dictate any part of my travel experience since I've travelled alone so often, and you've got yourself a fun time.

*gif so fun yay*

Seriously, I yelled at my family in the Costa Rica airport about printing out my ticket for me. I blamed it on my lack of coffee (which it partly was), but it was mostly because I like to control every little detail of everything ever.

Honestly, though, it wasn’t even too shabby. Emmanuel was an absolute homie and hooked up Caitlin and me with sweet seats AND a rewards membership. YOU ROCK, EMMANUEL FROM JFK.

Too bad another TSA worker managed to ruin my mood only moments later. Joyful, bouncy little Aubs flounced to security and noticed that the worker was looking a little down.

“Do you ever get bored doing this?” she asks with sweet, pure innocence.

“Yeeeeep,” he replies gruffly.

Aubs' face

“I wish I could do something to make this more exciting for you!! Is there anything I can do?” she inquires earnestly.

Aubs' face again

He looks at her, smirks, and then tells a joke so offensive and dangerous and rude that she dares not repeat it on the internet.

It was literally insane, guys. Everybody around me dropped their jaws to the ground. Just a reminder that even honest attempts to spread the joy can be met with downright meanness. BUT DON’T LET THE GRUMPS DIM YOUR SUNSHINE. Ya know what I mean?

Anyways, we managed to find a Shake Shack for dinner and enjoy our last beef for at least four weeks.

me to cows

We then encountered a Jamba Juice, so I obvs had to slurp down my last smoothie that I’ll sip for the next few months.

The ladies behind the counter were extremely rude, though—probs because they didn’t even know how to make my favorite smoothie and I had to teach them.

Three months of working at your favorite fast food place can come in handy when they remove the best items from the menu.

I also picked up an insta-follower which is always a pleasure. Successful wait in the airport.

I’m now sitting in front of security, waiting to begin my trip around the world. EEEEEP! I am over the moon!!! (Almost—I haven’t quite gotten on the plane yet.)

Leaving you with a head scratcher that a few of us came up with standing in line, bored: can there be a verb without a noun? As in can there be a “be” without a “being”? Or “living” without a “life”?

Ponder these questions for the next twenty or so hours that I’m travelling. I’ll give ya my thoughts after a melatonin-fueled daze of exhaustion and slumber.

IN ONLY AN HOUR, YOUR FAVORITE WORLD TRAVELER WILL BE AT IT AGAIN.

Catch ya on the flip side,

Aubs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jonas

Guys, I can attest from personal experience (aka today) that humans do indeed hibernate. But what is there to do besides eat, sleep, Netflix, repeat, when snow is piling up outside with 40 mile-per-hour winds whipping the flakes into your face? Seriously, I feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when the tornado rips up her house.

being whipped away

This morning, I went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for myself and the rest of the IHPers. I fried two packs of bacon and basically ate one of them myself bc duh, that's what I do. Everybody seemed surprised by the fact that I cooked TWO WHOLE PACKS for thirty people, and I was like, "lol this wouldn't even satisfy the Stoddard fam for a Tuesday morning breakfast."

when I make Sierra or Moo a pack of bacon

The rest of my morning was me chillin' in bed--

Eating food, and watching Netflix. 

Later on, after dinner, Caitlin and I were absolutely desperate for coffee, so we legit made a Mount Everest-trek to the Dunkin three blocks away. I had snow up to my knees and my hair was frozen and I couldn't breathe because Caitlin was making me laugh so hard with her freak-outs about the blizzard. We legit got lost in front of the hostel, because walls of snow were blocking the sidewalk and we couldn't see since the snow was whipping our face and both of us were gasping for air. I cannot wait to escape this place. Which will be TOMORROWWWWWW.

That's right!!!! We fly out on Sunday at 11 PM for Dubai, away from this cold and snow and blizzardness. Yay!!!!

Also, after my post the other day about my smiling being unappreciated, I'd like to amend the assertion that no New Yorker appreciates my joy. I walked to Dunkin Donuts yesterday and flashed my happiest smile at the worker that looked like she was having a rough time. She grinned back, and said "your smile... it's nice." I was immediately like--

*tears falling from my eyes*

It honestly reaffirmed my dedication to spreading joy and love and metaphorical sunshine, no matter the reception or the silly looks that people give me. One person smiling back makes all the cold looks worth it! Use this as a reminder for yourself that smiling at others, that dancing along to a street performer's music, that living a joyful life, is one of the simplest but most impactful ways to change the world for the better.

Spreadin' the joy,

Aubrey

Psych

You might think it's my last day in the states, that I'm packing up all of my belongings, and that I'm reminiscing on how much I'm going to miss the United States.

But alas...

Nope. Winter Storm Jonas is hurtling towards New York and threatens to drop 12-18 inches of snow by Sunday morning. Which means... Our flight has been cancelled, and I'll be stuck in New York City until Monday, or even TUESDAY.

Other people are like,

But I'm feeling like,

why is this happening to me

Literally, I cannot handle this cold and winter and blizzard snow. How am I going to handle this?

... I mean that's rhetorical, because I love my fellow IHPers so much that I know their company and their amazingness will get me through this time.

Anyways, a summary of my last two days. Yesterday, my class visited Hudson Yards, a luxury development in Manhattan with apartments in the 8-digits--

the beautiful proposed Hudson Yards!!!

Their Vice President spoke with us for about an hour, and most of my classmates had some really pressing, intellectual, and critical questions about the impact this development would have on the city. Caitlin and I, on the other hand, were like--

where do we sign the lease???

Later that night, Caitlin, a bunch of friends, and I traipsed over to a laundromat to wash our clothing. It was a ~thrilling~ experience, especially as Caitlin and I had never actually been a laundromat before. The owners were half-intrigued, half-unamused with the antics of six random non-New Yorkers. 

Today was our final day of programming for New York. It included a trip down to Midtown East in Manhattan to a non-profit on the 19th floor of a beautiful building. We discussed our academic experiences over the last few weeks, and then presented some info on India--including a fun Bollywood dance. 

We had a delicious Italian farewell dinner and are now hunkered down in the hostel for the next day or two as the snow begins to fall. A bunch of us in the group spent the night dancing in the basement and having a fun time. 

I'm exhausted, so I'm wrapping this up quickly--but I'm very happy, very cozy, and feeling so loved. 

With my whole heart,

Aubrey

Sit-Downs, Senior Citizens, and Smoothies

Remember how I told you the other day that I'm starting to get a handle on this whole 8-10 hour days? I take it back. By 3 o'clock this afternoon, I was like--

Regardless, I have learned so much in the past two days, and I feel evermore lucky to have been granted the opportunity to travel on this program. 

Yesterday, I started off the morning with a few other ladies in downtown Manhattan as we battled against the bitter wind and cold through -2 degree windchill to meet with a representative of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United. The cold had me like

and I complained quite extensively, I'll be honest. However, our meeting with the rep made the Arctic trek worth it. We learned about how 9/11 affected the restaurant industry, about the issues facing restaurant workers today, and about how New York City handles its restaurant business. Having worked at Jamba Juice as a service worker (though not quite a "tipped" worker), I found the conversation very interesting. It also reaffirmed my gratefulness for my prior experiences as a service worker, in addition to my former roles as housekeeper and tour guide. You learn so much about how to treat people through others' poor (or positive!) treatment of you. Plus, I can make a sick-ass Razzmatazz.

Speaking of Jamba Juice, I am pretty appalled at the food limitations I'll be experiencing in India. Because of the dangers of Indian water for Westerners without the bacteria to handle its effects, I will be unable numerous dishes and foods for the next month. No meat or fish; no thin-skinned fruits or vegetables; no dairy; no room-temperature or cold food.... I basically cannot eat. As a Californian, bred to enjoy kale, carnitas, and SMOOTHIES, I will probably have the most trouble attempting to adapt to such a strict diet. All of these East Coasters complain, and I'm like--

BACK TO NY: Immediately upon return from our labor site visit, we were told that we had to commence our discussions with other groups. Everyone else had been given about an hour to eat lunch and relax, while our distance from the meeting point, as well as our lengthy meeting, left us two minutes. I know this seems like it isn't a big deal, but when you're expected to be mentally engaged from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, the loss of an hour-long lunch break can be practically equivalent to heartbreak. We were basically speed-eating like--

Anyways, for the next four hours, I was given a lot of information about housing in NYC and other topics that can sometimes be difficult to digest and can be especially difficult to examine critically without bias. Even though I have some (read: a plethora of) issues with Harvard and its educational system, one thing I can credit it for is its help in developing my ability to think critically. I'm usually pretty decent at assessing information given to me and analyzing its viability, biases, and potential shortcomings. Because of the "experiential" approach of my study abroad program and the fact that I am meeting with individuals outside of academia that have very clear personal goals and priorities (beyond that of simply providing an unbiased learning environment), I am consistently finding this skill to be crucial.

Too long, didn't read version: thanks for some things, Harv.

me @ Harvard

I get more and more excited about the potential of traveling with this incredible group of people the more time that I spend with them. Though I've only known them for a week, we've opened up to each other already about our hopes, dreams, goals, fears, personal faults, experiences, and even baby names. I am basically in love with the idea of globetrotting with the twenty-nine other students on this program. ILY @ all of ya.

Today was another insanely busy day. We began with a visit to NYCHA, aka New York City's Housing Authority. 

me and the seal for NYCHA!

One of my study abroad program's alumni actually gave us a fascinating presentation on the state of public housing in New York, and I was like super stoked about it. There was one point, however, that will forever live in my memory as a moment of absolute shame.

She asked how many years it had been since 1935 and I legitimately YELLED out, "79!!!!!"

I was all proud of my speedy math skills--

"I'm, like, kinda smart, guys."

And it took me a few seconds until I was like--

omg.

It's 81. Not 79. I am an idiot.

But like, it's totally fine. I have a calculator on my phone.

From our visit to NYCHA, a group of us started to wander through Manhattan to check out some historical sites and buildings. I was really excited, and my friends laughed at my antics, even as I tried to hold it in a little bit.

me when I saw the FBI building

Sally, a practically-native New Yorker, gave us a tour of the skyline, along with some information about the numerous city and federal buildings around us.

The glass building is the One World Trade Center

New York City's FBI building (woah)

We also checked out a stunningly touching memorial for New York African-American slaves. In the process of building City Hall only a few decades ago, developers encountered the remains of 419 enslaved men and women from the 17th and 18th centuries. The ground was consecrated as a memorial--a seriously stunning one. 

"for all those who were lost; for all those who were stolen, for all those who were left behind; for all those who were never forgotten."

about 5 burial mounds for the bodies

I was incredible touched by this memorial. Slavery and its aftermath hold not only my intense academic interest, but also a very personal investment, as I'm a descendant of Louisianan slaves. Memorials like this remind me of the resilience and fortitude and bravery of my ancestors, and the debt to which I owe their strength to live on and persevere.

We then walked over to the Brooklyn Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn with a stunning view.

woah!

artsy, huh?

that's me

padlocks on the bridge--just like in Paris!

My group then hightailed it to Brooklyn for a meeting with Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Center, an organization that assists seniors in finding affordable housing and meeting their basic and recreational needs. The breadth of this organization, its workers' dedication to not only the rights but also the joy and happiness of their clients, and the passion that the representatives brought to the meeting made me super excited. I'll be honest, though; about an hour and a half into the meeting, I found myself faltering a bit. Even though I'd had an ice cream cone right before entering--

I was experiencing a bit of a caffeine-deficiency. However, when one of the women mentioned that her niece would be attending Harvard this coming fall, I was like--

yay!

Immediate engagement. I love talking to future/potential Harvardians and giving them advice and excitement and reassurance. I was sure to pass along my email and promise information. 

From there, I trekked back to Queens for a dinner with some alumni. They asked us to introduce ourselves, and I swear this transaction took place.

Me, with my normal pep: Hi! My name is Aubrey, and I'm from Southern California--

Alumni, with slightly stony face: Oh, well then, I guess that explains all the smiling.

I was like--

And he was like--

And it basically just epitomized my experience in New England and the Northeast in general. I just do not fit in here.

The dinner was fantastic, though, and the awesome alumni gave us tons of advice and info and even added us on Snapchat.

I've been writing now for about an hour, and I should be doing a ton of homework and readings now, but meh. Though we were supposed to start at 10 AM tomorrow, our program director forgot to include a section of training in orientation, so we now are meeting at 9 AM instead. Literally all thirty of us looked like this upon hearing the news--

It was quite the moment of solidarity. So, since I'll be up and at it in approximately eight hours, I think it's about time for me to go to sleep. Love you all oh so much.

Keeping my Cali status,

Aubs