Entering
India, I had no idea what to expect. I was especially nervous about how the
locals and the people associated with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) were
going to view us. Although our preparation course informed the group about what we were going to experience, there is no way to sufficiently prepare us for what we were about to see. Simply put, I was
shocked by the generosity and acceptance that the people at SVYM showed us upon
our arrival.
After two long flights from New York City, my group, which
included half the members of the trip, arrived in Mysore at around 8AM in the
morning. Despite being exhausted, we were quickly shown our rooms and a few
short hours later we were ready for the Opening Ceremony. Hazily, the group
walked the short trip from the hostel to the school and we were greeted by a
number of the employees at the Vivekananda Institute for Indian Studies (VIIS). They
put jasmine flowers around our neck (one of the best items I have ever
smelled), placed bindis on our foreheads, and gave us maroon and blue SVYM
hats. Additionally, we were given small chunks of sugar as part of the
beginning of the ceremony. After feeling dazed and tired, the smells, tastes,
and smiles certainly woke me up. The group took a few pictures and then entered
inside the VIIS building. Dr. Balu, Donna, and others warmly welcomed the group
with short speeches about how much fun we were going to have and how much we
were going to learn in the six weeks we would be in Mysore. Finally, five
candles were lit by different members of the group to close the ceremony.
Although I was the most tired I have been in my entire life, the
arrival to Mysore was exciting and inspiring and it was the perfect way to
start an incredible journey in India.
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| Darmesh (right) giving Mallory, Steven and I our SVYM hats. I wear mine most days here. |
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| Phoebe (left) and Kenyatta (right) holding the small amounts of orange sugar we were given to eat. It tasted like rock candy! |
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| Members of SVYM welcoming Andy (far left), Jeffrey (middle) and Katie (right) with bindis and jasmine flowers. |
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| Katie (left), Gabriela (middle) and Ashley (right) with bright smiles and beautiful jasmine flowers! |
