Alumni Interview with Camera Lemons

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I love investigating new cultures, so travelling to India was a no-brainer for me. I have always seen how India is portrayed in the media, but of course how different countries, cultures, and groups of people are represented in our media can be very different to what they actually are in real life. I felt like I needed to see and experience India for myself. Another aspect was my parents. They are also really well traveled, so they have been a huge inspiration for me as well.

Why did you choose to travel with the Rekha & Sudhir Puranik Foundation?

I chose to travel with the Puranik Foundation because of the great things I heard about the experience and the staff. All the former students I discussed them with always said the staff were the nicest people ever and that they felt like family, which I found to be so true! Since before I was even accepted into the program, they walked me through the application process for the admission and the scholarship. The entire staff was so helpful; I did not feel alone in the process.

What was your favorite part about Pune?

My favorite part about the city of Pune was the lively energy at all parts of the day. The fast pace reminded me of New York City...times five! I am not usually the type that prefers to be in a crowded space, but I loved the fast energy in Pune. There was never a dull moment out in the city. The people you just passed by in the street were so kind. It was obvious that we were not used to this type of rush, so they helped us maneuver our way through the controlled chaos!

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

The students at the Vision International school I worked with made my experience extraordinary. These students are definitely the kindest, brightest, most caring children I have ever met. I was so impressed by how much they knew about complex Indian and American history at such young ages. They all had such brilliant minds. Additionally, each and every one of them made me feel so welcome and at home as soon as I arrived at the site. They were so comforting, like I had known them my entire life!

How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?

The local staff at the site in Pune was nothing short of phenomenal. At one point during the trip, I ate wayyyy too much food, more than my stomach could handle. I ended up falling ill. In no time, the local nurse made me feel better within a couple hours. While I rested, the janitorial staff tidied up my room for me and the student leaders made sure I had everything I needed. I felt so cared for throughout the whole experience. I was so grateful that while they had only known me for a couple days, they treated me like their own.

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?

One thing I wish I would have done differently during my time abroad is learn the local language, Marathi. While I already felt very connected with the students, I feel like there would have been a deeper connection if I spoke Marathi like them. I was almost embarrassed! I felt like there was no reason that they knew at least 3 languages at 12 years old and I was limited to English. While we did learn a little bit of Marathi at the beginning of the trip, I wish I would have investigated on my own before the trip.

Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.

A typical day in Pune consisted of morning yoga at 7:30 AM, which was such a refreshing way to start the day. Next was a lesson about a new traditional Indian celebration. Celebrations of Monsoon were particularly interesting because rain is something that would be considered gloomy in the United States, but is considered a celebration in India.

My favorite time of the day was getting to spend time with the students. Sometimes we also went on treks, which was a workout for a week! Shopping was especially fun; bartering was an experience that I had never had before. And of course, LOTS of eating too!

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

During my free time in India, one of the things I enjoyed doing was talking to the Vision International students and learning more about their lives outside of/before attending Vision International. I heard a lot of similar stories, but they were also different in many ways. I found out quite a bit about the impact Vision International has had on their lives and how it has inspired them to continue their education/set goals for their future careers. I loved their determination and motivation to me in control of their own future.

What is one thing every future participant should know about the Impact India program before it begins?

Every future participant of Impact India should know that you will want to come back! Everyone on the trip with me agreed that they wanted to stay just one more week! It is a place you will miss every day.

Also, find something that will occupy you for 23 hours! The plane ride is 17 hours to Dubai, another 3-hour flight to Mumbai, and a 3-hour bus ride to Pune, so you will have a lot of free time! I would suggest bringing more than downloaded movies, because technology can get really boring. Coloring books and journals kept me busy, but you can also try doing something productive like learning a new language (Marathi would be helpful)!

Would you recommend the Impact India program to others? Why?

I would recommend Impact India to other people because traveling is such an eye-opening experience. Investigating the differences and similarities between your home and theirs is so impactful on your life. It was important for me to disregard any and all conceptions I had of India beforehand, positive, or not. Actually, being immersed in a new place gives you a new perspective on how you live your own life.

What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?

The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is the connections you will make. You may only be there for 10 days, but the connections you will make with the people will last a lifetime. You may not see the people you met in the country you travelled to for quite some time, but luckily there is social media to connect with them on. Of course, we can always be old-fashioned and write letters. It is important to continue to keep in touch with the people you meet, they are your friends just like anyone who lives where you do!

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?

Now that I am home, I have deleted a word from my vocabulary: normal. The definition of the word normal is “the usual, average, or typical state or condition”. During my travel, oftentimes, I found that my peers and I would use “normal” to differentiate American and Indian perspectives. Of course, the American way was the normal way, “normal food, normal bathrooms, normal showers”, etc. The preconceptions we made about traditional Indian customs and ways of life had been so ignorant, in the purest sense. We did not know and did not know that we did not know. After my trip, I realized there is no such thing as one single “normal.” While Western bathrooms and over-processed foods may be our normal, for Indians, spicy food and squat toilets are their normal.

Every country, culture, and person has their own definition of what norms look like in their own lives. My normal is not the right or wrong way, it’s just one way of many different ways.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel to me means I came home wanting to go back; that the experience I got the privilege to be a part of was so amazing that I long for more. It is an experience that I will continue to think about every day. Meaningful travel leaves me with a new perspective on my life. Travel should have enriched my life in some way, shape, or form. I should have discovered something about the world. I should have discovered something about myself. I should have discovered something about my peers.