When we first arrived in Delhi we were greeted by humid air and a dark hazy sky. I remember feeling elated the moment we stepped outside of the airport into the thick Delhi air. The trip I had been daydreaming about for over a year was finally becoming a reality. I felt a mixture of excitement and pure exhaustion upon arriving at the hotel where we would be spending the next three weeks. Immediately I was shocked by how nice our living space was. Our rooms were spacious with private bathrooms, flat screen TVs and Wi-Fi. The staff cleaned our rooms daily, cleared our plates and cleaned up after us during meals and did these tasks silently. This wasn’t at all what I was expecting or hoping for. I was immediately put out by the separation I felt from the general population of India. I wanted the most immersive experience as possible so that I could really learn about Indian culture first hand.
Adjusting to life in Delhi has been difficult in a lot of ways. The immediate separation I felt from the people of India because of our living situation was hard to adjust to. The constant stimulation that comes with leaving the hotel can be exhausting. When I am walking down the street I am constantly distracted by all of the different smells, the poverty and inequalities that are so apparent, the people pushing to sell me things, the weight of the smog in the air, the constant honking and the chaotic traffic that seems to never end. Perhaps one of the biggest adjustments that I’ve made while being in Delhi is always travelling in a group. As a woman in Delhi, I am encouraged to always travel with at least one other person. In the States I am so accustomed to moving as an independent unit, doing what I want when I want. I am used to going for walks or hikes by myself when I need to decompress and recharge mentally. This type of alone time doesn’t exist in Delhi.
Despite the hardships that I initially felt when I first arrived in Delhi, I have actually grown to love the city. As someone who grew up in a small town in Montana, I’ve never thought of myself as someone who would enjoy city life. But after three weeks in Delhi, I found myself feeling at home bargaining with rickshaw drivers. Now I don’t feel so bothered by the honking or crazy traffic, I feel confident in orienting myself on a map, and I’ve found a few markets and restaurants that I regularly visit. Delhi has become familiar and comfortable in a lot of ways. Although, every time we travel to a new part of town or visit a new monument, I find myself feeling a sense of discomfort in these unfamiliar environments. I have noticed that whenever I am out I constantly have my guard up, I feel hyper aware of the people around me and my surroundings. I have been working on embracing these new environments and growing to love these challenges and changes.
I am left with feelings of accomplishment and excitement leaving Delhi. I can’t wait to see other parts of India and be able to compare and contrast my experiences in Delhi with new places. I think that it is really important to push yourself to take on unfamiliar situations and take in every moment of discomfort and learn everything possible from it. I feel like this skill is something that I have really worked on in Delhi, and I can’t wait continue to embrace new environments and situations in all the other places we will go. Now we are on to our next chapter of this adventure, see you soon Chennai!