Returning to India

I was born in Bombay (now called Mumbai), India and I moved to the United Sates with my family when I was ten years old. I have returned to India several times since we moved to the U.S. and each time, I return to a new India. It’s been amazing to see how rapidly the country has changed, from rapid urbanization, build-up of technology and business, to how people dress, speak and even eat. The last time I was in India was March of 2009; I was shopping for my wedding with my mom. It was a fun experience, picking out beautiful saris and jewelry. In just a few days I have the opportunity to discover a new part of India, but this time around I hope to give something back.

I’m excited to use my Hindi language skills again. I learned Hindi when I was young and in school in India and I’ve been able to keep in touch with it mostly through watching Bollywood movies and listening to music. I’m a little nervous about speaking Hindi again, but I’m so proud to have held on to the language even after all of these years. The non-Hindi speakers on the trip have been taking lessons and it will be great to see them speak some Hindi on our trip.

This trip is also especially important to me as I get to share it with my husband who is born and raised in the U.S. I’m looking forward to discovering a new part of India with him and especially interested to see his reactions to the country. I think that’s what makes this trip fascinating; it’s not only about me learning and growing, but also seeing how others adapt to new situations and learning from them.

I am part of the retail project team and I was just telling one of my teammates that I will be elated if we are able to just give one new recommendation to CORD that they feel they can implement. Of course, we hope to accomplish much more than that, but as we get further into this project I realize that there are many paths that CORD has already explored. Giving them a unique perspective is essential and although we might not be able to transform how they work immediately, I hope we can add value in some way, even if it is in small way.