Mullings

So in about a month and a half, we'll be off! I've never participated in bloggery before, so I'm looking forward to the experiment. After our collective introductions via email, I'm excited about the variety of interests represented by our group. I think I'm right in remembering more than a few Anthropology and/or Communication-esque majors, which makes perfect sense. But I'm glad to see that AIIS didn't limit their prospects to a certain major or two.

I've been to India before - last summer, for two weeks - but such a short trip hardly gave me a chance to form a first impression. While I won't be able to stay after the three-week workshop is over like some of us, I am excited about revisiting some of the places in Delhi I wanted to spend more time observing. And, typical girl, I want to shop. Oh, how I want to shop.

I think what I'm most excited about is being able to observe Islam's role in India society in addition to merely reading about its significance in a book. I hope I'll have the nerve to ask all of the questions that will pop up while I'm reading. Maybe I'll post some of the questions or topics that I find interesting here, so we can discuss a little before the trip. Sound good? Well, in summary, I'm pumped. What are the rest of you looking forward to most?

I am online with blogging capability

Thanks whoever established this communication venue, Jonathon I assume. I am very excited about going. I cannot believe that it is only like 6 weeks before we leave.

AA

Pre-India

I am not sure how this blogging thing works, I guess I just ramble on about my thoughts and feelings and the like. I am super excited about India, but as time goes on I keep getting more concerns from people and thinking about things that make me nervous, so I just want to go already before anyone else warns me about curry. This experience will change our lives and since change is a catalyst to growth, I hope to come out of this opportunity having grown to be a better person. For so long I have read about people living in extreme poverty, suffering from terrible disease, and have planned on crusading around the world righting these wrongs. This will be the first experience I have of seeing for myself how other people live and getting to know and appreciate their way of life. I hope that this galvanizes my excitement to aid the injustices I have seen, rather than discourage me. I can't help people that I do not understand and respect. So cheers to step one in the process of fighting injustice!