A Hot Day in Delhi - Dani

Hey everyone! Yesterday was a busy day, but it was also (most definitely) a good day.  A (short?) overview of what we did and where we went goes as follows:

• 5:30 am: We arrived at our hotel, and most of us showered and slept, although some people did stay up as well.
• Noon: We met everyone else in the living-room-like lobby of the hotel and ate lunch. Between food and our departure from the hotel to our first sightseeing spot, we played card games and partook in casual chats.
• 12:30ish-5:20 pm: We drove around New Delhi and saw various religiously and historically important sites.

In general, the weather was quite unlike anything many of us experienced or were expecting. To describe it modestly, the high temperature and humidity resulted in a sweltering heat of unseeming proportions; however, the sights were so grandiose and beautiful that it made the trek into the hellish heat much more manageable. One instance in which I was reminded of home was our trip to Humayun’s tomb. My father is a Buddhist, and as such, had passed down stories about the origins of Buddhism and the journeys of the ex-prince who founded the religion. I’m not entirely sure if the tomb was influenced by the architecture of the era from which the ex-prince was from, but the overall serenity of the tomb and its grounds gave a scenic depth to the way these stories unfolded in my mind. 

Chesterton once stated that “the traveller sees what he sees, [but the] tourist sees what [they] came to see”. Aside from a literal interpretation (being that the tourist merely visits the historical and impressive sites, whereas the traveller not only sees those sites, but also observes the backdrop lives which dwell in the shadow of these histories), I believe that Chesterton is also referring to the difference in mindset between travelers and tourists. A traveler visits a foreign country and actively seeks out opportunities to immerse themselves in the social culture, whereas a tourist merely sees the sights and remains comfortably unaffected by the culture. As such, the traveler learns and the tourist remains largely ignorant; it is important to develop a traveler mindset, because as you do, you will find it easier to fully immerse and empathize with a culture that is very much unlike your own. In turn, this development may lead you to opportunities and experiences that may remain largely unknown to the casual tourist, and could also deepen your knowledge of yourself and your own interactions with others.

I’d like to dedicate a final word to my family (and any friends who may be reading): Hi! How’s life? I’ve really enjoyed the sites, the food and my current state of un-sickness thus far. I love you very much (I miss you too!), and I hope that you are doing well and taking good care of yourselves. Give May a hug from me J

Dani W.