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Michael Sorenson
Michael Sorenson is an Ambassador who studied abroad in India.
Briefly describe a specific cultural experience you had on your trip that made a lasting impression.
I went to a temple called the Dakshineswar Kali Temple with one of my friends. When we got to the area that the Temple is we were immediately bombarded with a market with all sorts of people trying to sell things. The religion, especially for tourists, has changed into a money making operation with all sorts of statues, paintings, prayer beads, etc. But that is really how it is with all things and especially in India where many people have nothing, and they try and make money off everything. I also passed many stands selling flowers, sweets, and incense. And it confused me and my friend why they were there. When we got inside the temple though there was people everywhere. They split people into four different lines so that it was more organized. Many women were there with their children caring offering to Kali, asking for all sorts of things. When inside I found out the sweets, flowers, and incense were for prayers and offerings. My friend and I gave a money offering of five rupees and gained a blessed sweet for it. It was incredible to see that many people there asking for any number of things. I could not imagine anything like this in the US where religion is not as important. It was incredible to see so many people with such strong faith all hoping for help from their god.
Why did you choose the program in which you participated?
I wanted to study abroad so that I could travel and immerse myself in another country and culture. I wanted a challenge and I wanted to go somewhere that I did not think I would go on my own. I chose India because it met both of my criteria. It has been a place that I have been interested in and have wanted to travel to since I was in elementary school and this was the perfect chance to visit and really experience the culture. The mystique surrounding the culture and religions were very appealing to me and it is an up and coming country that has a lot of social inequality that interested me.
Describe your overall study abroad experience.
I think that India is a great place to go. In Kolkata especially it is a wonderful city to visit. Many people are turned off by the amount of people, buildings, and dirt in the city but it really is not an issue. The more people there are the more people a person can ask about the culture, religion, markets, and directions. I found it helpful to be surrounded by people all the time because I never felt lost because I could ask anyone and they could at least tell me where to go to get directions. I also found that all the buildings added to the history to life. My host brother worked in reality, mainly development, but he met with architects and knew the history so he would point out the differences in certain parts of the city based on the architecture. Also with the dirt, with that many living organism in one very small place, dirt is inevitable and it is what it is. It will definitely change your perception of what is clean and what is ridiculously sterile.
The experience was great and it is definitely a place to change who you are; many Westerners seem to go to India for a soul searching trip and if you have that in mind you will definitely find it. It is a place where all sorts of interests can be met and where any bit of social work you do is appreciated more than you can imagine. The people were great, the food was amazing, and there's nothing like it in the US or even Europe.
How has the trip affected you? How are you different for having completed the experience?
This trip helped to open my eyes more to the world than I was before. It gave me a much more worldly view to incorporate other people's thoughts and views into my own. I feel like I am much more aware of different views on certain issues and ideas in the world. Taking classes in the college frustrated me yet challenged to think about some issues in the US in a different way. One example is all of the wars that our country participates in. My teacher talked a lot about war criminals in other countries and how they are brought to justice by the Western powers but the leaders of the Western powers are not brought to justice for their actions. That one day in class helped to open my eyes to how perspective and context can affect how one sees the world.
I also feel like I'm much more confident and resourceful in many different aspects of my life. When in India we did not have anyone really holding our hand to show us the city. I went through the travel book to find different places and temples in the city. It gave ways to get to the place but actually finding those modes of transportation was a different thing. In India I was able to figure out the bus, metro, and auto system without too much issue and became confident in walking and exploring such a large city.
What advice do you have for future Study Abroad Students?
My only real advice would be to take the plunge and, as Nike says, just do it. It's very simple but with India that's really what you have to do. When you first get there you're thrown into an unfamiliar situation and you can either reject it, be apathetic to it, or just do it. Keep your mind open to the culture and practices, and remember that in Kolkata you are only one person in a city of four million people so it's always a competition for ordering food or simply for space.
Also some basics of just being respectful of the culture and people, and fight for what you want.
Do you have questions about studying abroad in India? Email Michael at mksorenson@csbsju.edu.