Delhi

In Delhi, we stayed at The Grand, which was definitely fancy, but most of us missed the Soaltee. The staff at this hotel were not as friendly and it was hard to feel like we could really relax there. The hotel was right next to the Ambience Mall, and we ended up going there a lot after our daily activities to grab food or just walk around. I thought it was funny that I spent more time in malls in India than I ever do at home.

I always love getting to see ancient architecture. The buildings seemed remarkably well-preserved, and restoration projects were underway. The combinations of different styles was fascinating to learn about -- I even recognized some characteristics, such as the Islamic arched doorways. The way the minar incorporates different materials and designs on each level is a perfect example of the overlapping of many historical eras on top of each other that seems to happen everywhere we go.

I loved all the public art we saw! It's one of my favorite things back home in NYC because I think it's such a great reflection of culture. I'm glad it's something that's valued all over the world. Art in common spaces is both thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing. It adds dimension to the mundane routines of our everyday life.

We drove past some of the flooded areas of Delhi. It was sobering to see the effects of what we had come here to study in real life. People who had been displaced by the flooding had to set up camps by the side of the road, bringing all their possessions and livestock with them. It's very easy to deny climate change when you're insulated from its most severe effects and privileged enough to easily escape the impacts that do reach you. But here, it's impossible to ignore how urgent the situation is and how vital it is for us to act now to bring about change.

Visiting the National Mission for Clean Ganga was interesting, but I think a lot of us felt that the talk we heard was very vague. I didn't think I heard a lot about the concrete steps that were being taken to keep the river free of pollution. Of course it's impossible to get super detailed in such a short one-time visit, but I would like to get a closer look at the day-to-day operations of the facility.

The National Museum was super cool! There was tons of different kinds of art from many different time periods and regions in India -- we even saw the famous Dancing Girl. Museums are another one of my favorite things at home. I can wander through them for hours, but this time around I had to make do with a speedrun. I would definitely like to visit again and learn more about the history of India.

Getting to visit the markets was definitely my favorite part of our time in Delhi. There was so much variety in what you could buy -- there's no way I could have bought everything I wanted, but I made sure to stock up on some spices to bring home! It's always super cool to get out and see what locals are doing instead of sticking to typical tourist activities. Going on the tube was a fun experience as well; I was impressed by how clean and well-managed it seemed, even if we had a little trouble figuring out how to buy tickets.