I’m Not So Sure

I’m Not So Sure

During the winter term of my lower year I took a course called Modern India. It was the most challenging course I've taken thus far, our teacher forced us through dense, dense material, which varied from the Raj to infanticide. She challenged us to read between the lines of what it really means to be an oppressed people. We read document upon document about what it meant to be Indian at this time. Little did I know I’d soon have the opportunity get out of my box and enter the Indian ecosystem. We learned so much during those 10 weeks in Modern India, yet I’m about to enter India and I feel that I really don’t have much of a firm grasp of what it means to be Indian. We debated class after class about government and health issues. At the time, I felt knowledgeable, yet sitting here, preparing myself for departure I feel that things may not be what I’ve read on paper. But to be completely candid: I’m not so sure. I’m not sure what I’m going to see.  I’m not sure what I’m going to think. Not sure about what I'm going to say. Speaking of ‘saying’, almost every single person I’ve spoken to about this trip has told me to be careful, shouldn’t we be careful anywhere? I guess I’m not yet sure what exactly to be careful of. I’m in the process of coming in to this place with a clean slate, so we’ll have to see.  

I’m leaving behind ignorance. I’m leaving behind a closed mind. Honestly, I want to learn as much as possible and I’m leaving behind the cluttered mind that I have so I can leave space for a clean slate. I’ve never experienced another culture other than my Nigerian and American. I’m leaving behind the end of a chapter in my life. I want to leave behind the sense of unawareness. I want to learn to soak up my environment because American culture certainly hasn’t taught that. Not that that’s bad, but it’s different. In fact, I want to leave behind American culture. I want to open myself up for a culture I’m not familiar with. Lets see how much I can learn.

--Nick