A cultural encounter is an experience that opens your eyes to a different style of living and helps you realize the reality of different communities or societies. Personally, I find that the most interesting and enlightening cultural encounters happen when one learns more about one’s own background. I’ve had such an experience.
Growing up in New York, my family and I still maintained close roots with our family in India. I would visit every year, flying straight to New Delhi and take the drive to the city of Jaipur, where my family lived. We rarely traveled outside because I only had a brief amount of time to spend with my grandparents and cousins before I had to return back to New York. One summer, my grandfather had made the executive decision that we should go on a family trip. He planned out with other members of my family a route passing several cities for about three weeks. Since I hadn’t ever heard of these cities and everyone, other my sister and I, was my grandparents age- I had no interest in going. I also had no choice.
A bunch of us booked out a few cabins on a train and we embarked for Bombay, the first stop of our trip. My parents joined us, but decided to stay in Bombay and return to Jaipur, while we carried on, on to South India.
While India is one country, after my trip, I maintain the stance that the North and South are very distinct areas. I was un aware to the different culture, language, and society until my trip there. I saw amazing sights from high mountains, had a spiritual experience in some of the most ancient and sacred temples, and tried amazing food that the South is known for.
While away, I had to remind myself that I was in India, because the different atmosphere made me feel as if I was abroad again. I was in such awe of what was going on around me that I hadn’t noticed that I was on a trip with my sister and my grandfathers siblings. It went to show me a few things. Mainly that one should keep an open mind to any endeavor, especially the unexplored. Additionally, it’s important to learn as much about the different people in this world, because even one’s neighbors can offer one a new perspective on society.
I always think its interesting to learn about ones own culture as well. For me, I would really like to learn more about Chinese culture and thats why I think I’m going to study abroad there later in my academic career. I think that by taking trips around the country to places where you normally wouldn’t go would really expand horizons.
Are you crazy? 3 weeks in India sounds amazing.
I would have went within a heartbeat. You always want to go to new places. It may be true that you go to India every year. But being in a place is not the same as exploring a place. If you want to explore the area, you must become part of it and understand how everything works. Yes it sounds cliche, but it works.
At least you enjoyed the trip at the end!
I liked you conclusion and the fact that you included a moral to the story. Its fascinating to see how some large countries differ so greatly between the northern parts and the southern ones. Take the United States, for example. I went on a road trip this summer across the Southern states (or at least, those considered to be the South in the Civil War), and the cultural difference was astounding. Not only did I notice a linguistic difference, but also a disparity in decorum, cuisine, and lifestyles. The great thing, though, is that we are unified with the idea that we are all Americans. It was probably interesting for you to meet these “new” people that are somehow similar to you.