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Ashley Blaine
Ashley Blaine is an Ambassador who studied abroad in India.
Briefly describe a specific cultural experience you had on your trip that made a lasting impression.
While in India, I experienced many different religions and religious & spiritual practices and rituals. Though I have many specific experiences in mind, a lot of what I observed in these was connection and reverence. Though I practice my own faith in a community, seldom have I seen such reverence as I did on multiple occasions while in India. I was able to experience the worshiping of Hindu gods and goddesses multiple times in various settings, in addition to living with my Hindu host family. I was able to witness a Jain preparation & farewell ceremony; attend prayer hour at a Sikh temple; and I became close friends with Muslims and had wonderful, open conversations with them on the topics of religion, faith, God, ethics, society. This exposure to religions and spirituality and their prevalence in Indian culture definitely continues to show in my life now that I am back in the states. I am even more--though I still will say that I was prior to--open to other religions, forming close relationships with persons of other faiths, am deeply interested in learning about and entering into conversation about religion and faith. I know that this will continue to unfold in especially my near future!
Why did you choose the program in which you participated?
I wanted to study abroad because it was something that I hadn't been planning to do all of my college career. I wanted to study abroad because I knew that it was something that would take me out of my comfort zone; I KNEW that spending a(nother) semester on campus here at CSBSJU would be wonderful. I couldn't guarantee that for myself in studying abroad, though I had a good idea that it would be a rewarding experience.
I chose to study abroad in India over any of the other programs because I could stray from the norm, experience I place I thought I wouldn't otherwise venture to, and very importantly, for the service learning aspect of the program. I personally ruled out many of the programs in European countries because I knew that if I travel later in life as I hope to do, those countries would be much more accessible to me in many ways than would be India. My student group was the first CSBSJU group to embark on a semester-long study abroad experience in India, so this further attracted my interest in being a part of something new! India offers a service learning volunteer experience. I have a passion for service and have always enjoyed volunteering. I knew that this was a great opportunity to maximize my abroad experience. (I do not have Spanish language background, so I had to rule-out those countries/service opportunities.) Everything going into my study abroad experience was new, new, new!
Describe your overall study abroad experience.
In India, we each had to create a life for ourselves. Though we had the invaluable and much-accessed support of our fellow CSBSJU group members, we each had to figure out what and how we would go about surviving and thriving in this unfamiliar world that we had jumped into. What I gained from taking the opportunity to do this and being able to love that I was challenged, oftentimes struggled, and expanded my thoughts, actions, and reactions as I went is invaluable to me. I am able to say this now, but I was able to say it then as well. I cannot come up with another similar opportunity to learn in such a way as to study abroad! In addition, India provided me with a wonderful opportunity to form, grow in, and expand relationships. While abroad my CSBSJU group members and I got to know and grew close to one another from the first moments--before we even got on the India-bound plane! And those relationships quickly deepened as we experienced India together. Also inclusive in this is the awesome experience that I had with my host family and my Indian peers that became close friends. That I was able to form relationships with both a host family and Indian students were huge positive aspects of my study abroad experience.
How has the trip affected you? How are you different for having completed the experience?
My study abroad experience has changed and furthered me in many ways, some more difficult to describe than others. I have taken more away from my time studying abroad in India than I even realize still today. I find myself surprising myself all of the time. I am more confident in things such as navigation in unfamiliar places; unexpected events don't rustle my feathers as they did--or to the extent they did--prior to my time in India; I know how to take care of myself in a whole different sense. I am definitely more willing to take time for the things and people that are important to me. And I enjoy taking that time. I am so much more curious than I ever thought I could be; I think critically--another way I surprise myself; I am reflective in ways that deepen my experiences, connect me to other persons, and give myself closure. I have a wonderfully fresh view of the world, and have a gnawing hunger to learn more about my own country (and of course about others as well)!
What advice do you have for future Study Abroad Students?
When you are thinking of studying abroad, put yourself in the experiences of Ambassadors and those who have spent time abroad. If this excites you, motivates you, even scares you a little bit, consider applying to study abroad! In addition to doing this, try to imagine what you might want to do different from those of us who share our experiences...maybe you can picture something else that you'd like to gain from such an experience. It is tough to spend time away for a whole semester from such an awesome place as CSBSJU. In my opinion, it's worth it. Don't let money hold you back, but be smart about it too. Try not to let your family or significant other keep you from going abroad if it excites you; I almost did. On a similar note, however, those close to you know you best, so do consider their opinion on the matter. Talk to peers who have studied abroad, even if you don't have an idea of which program you'd like to participate in. We experienced it first-hand and love everything about it; that's what we're here for! Lastly, it's good to have doubts--you're putting in the thought and time that the decision deserves!