Agra

We may have only been in Agra for a short time but it was great! I was feeling better and excited for the couple of days of the trip but first we had to get there. We took a  5 hour train ride from Jaipur to Agra which was an experience in and of itself. The train station is crammed full of people which makes getting around (with your bags) a challenge. The ride was a good time to relax and think about my time in India. Once in Agra it was another complex maze out of the station to our bus and to the hotel.

The plan was to walk to the Taj Mahal to get a night view but it happened to not be lit up the night we were there and with the walls that surround it we were told we wouldn't be able to see it from outside. We spent some time on the roof top patio before deciding to find a bar or someplace to spend our last night together. According to the tuk-tuk driver the place was only 1km away - now I don't know the metric system super well but where he took us was much, much farther than 1km. Luckily it was closed so we ended up at a place closer to out hotel. We had been told to be cautious about the places drivers take you because often they make commissions for taking you to certain restaurants or stores. We actually experienced this in Jaipur so we had a pretty good idea what was going on. We ended up at "Zee-Bar" probably one of the only bars in the city since drinking isn't a major past-time in India. We had a good time, lots of laughs and a nice last night.

The next morning was the day we were so excited for - the Taj Mahal! “The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love.” Now I know I shouldn’t cite Wikipedia but this isn’t a research paper and I swear our tour guide told us the same thing!!! Apparently before she died she asked him to build something beautiful in her honor and this is his grand gesture. It took over 20 years to construct and many of the thousands of workers lived on site in the courtyard rooms. It was absolutely beautiful and I was so impressed to find out that all of the color is actually stone - there is no painting at all on the building. We also learned that the work done on the Taj Mahal is done by family members of the original workers. The skills of how to repair the inlay work have been passed down from generation to generation. This is just one example of the familial loyalty that is so prevalent in India to this day. 

Jaipur

Delhi

After twenty-four hours of traveling we finally made it to India!!! The culture shock was instantaneous as we walked out to get in the bus to take us to where we were staying. Having travelled a bit it wasn't completely unexpected but still something I noticed. The drive from the airport was fascinating, to say the least. We had discussed the economical climate amongst the people of India but seeing a giant home next to a tent city is pretty overwhelming. In America financial standing divides communities and cities but in India the rich and poor live together. Also, the amount of animals roaming the streets was something I didn’t know would be happening. Since the majority of the population is Hindu (about 80%) the cow is sacred to India. Seeing cows roaming the streets and even laying in the road is normal and they are not disturbed. After a quick stop to see the monkey god statue we made it to EMPI, the business school where we would be spending the first couple of days. We were greeted by Dr. Gupta’s father and the students who were hosting us. It was a warm welcome and we were all very excited to start our visit.

We checked into our rooms and had a bout an hour to get ready so we could begin the days discussions. We were staying in dorms at the campus and aside from the lock on the outside of the bathroom (which I’m pretty sure Jenelle could have locked me in the bathroom forever with if she’d wanted – thanks, by the way, for not doing that – you’re a doll) everything was nice and comfortable.

We had two classes the first morning one on Indian Innovation and one on Governance. The first class was full of great information and the factors (both positive and negative) that are effecting India’s amazing growth and economic emergence. Due to the fact that India lacks many resources they have learned to do the most possible with what they have. These innovations run from micro innovation (such a self-propelled washing machines) to large scale impacts like skipping through manufacturing and making an economy based on service. The creative nature of India means that India will continue to produce ideas that can generate income for all sections of the economy from rural villagers to major cities.

The afternoon was spent seeing the city. Our first stop was the Lotus Palace where people from all walks of life can come to worship and meditate. The Lotus Palace is considered a holy site so shoes were not allowed (this would not normally be an issue but since it was so hot outside our toes got a little burnt). After a couple more stops we went to an Indian bazaar for shopping and dinner. The food was so good and so was the shopping (although I always have a hard time wanting to spend money the first day – in hind site I wish I hadn’t because there was a lot of neat stuff there that we didn’t see anywhere else).

Needless to say by the time we got back we were ready for bed. It was a great first day in India with an immense amount of surroundings to take in.

On the plane - ready to go!

Lotus Palace

Map of India