Reflections after 6 weeks

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I’ve been in India about a month and a half now. The city of Bangalore is growing on me more and more everyday, and I am really starting to realize that it is truly very different from much of India. I knew coming in that it would be much more modern than the average Indian city, and a world apart from a rural Indian village. But it is actually more so than I thought it would be. Here there are internet cafes, traffic jams and skyscrapers. The middle class has definitely made its mark on this city. But what I didn’t realize is that socially it is much different too. I can go into a restaurant or mall and see young, unmarried couples being affectionate. I live in a neighborhood where Hindus, Christians and Muslim (appear to) live peacefully side-by-side. I haven’t seen caste be a factor anywhere I have gone. I walk down the street and I get envious of the young, stylish Indians I see walking down the street talking on their I-phones. It’s comforting to live in this environment day-to-day but I just hope I am not too shocked when I travel around the rest of India.

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