Rome Exchange Students Report: Benevento to Mumbai!

 

On 17th October 2016, nineteen excited faces waited with their parents at the airport, awaiting the arrival of their Roman friends, with whom they had been conversing for a month, but their faces yet to see in person. We were all talking while glancing at the arrivals board to see if their flight had landed.

 

 

When they arrived, we eagerly embraced them and welcomed them to the heat of Mumbai. All out initial concerns disappeared and we knew we were making friends for life. That night, we went home, talking and chatting for what seemed like eternity, but it was just the short ride home. It was intriguing to learn what their expectation of Mumbai was and how the reality had already exceeded it.

 

On the first day, all geared up, the exchange students took a tour around Mumbai to see its glory by light. When they returned, they were extremely happy having seen the city and were animatedly talking about the Gateway of India and Mani Bhavan and many other places.

 

The following day, they visited Elephanta Caves. Personally, I think one of my happiest moments was when I saw the joy etched on my Roman buddy’s face when she learnt that she was going to depart for Elephanta from the beautiful Gateway of India that she had just seen. For them, the Caves were an experience that gave them a first hand chance to recognize and observe traditional Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and even Shavism.

 

For the next four days after that, our buddies attended DAIMUN 2016, an unforgettable experience. It was a nerve racking and a mind blowing experience. Our Roman buddies were such talented MUNers, some even chairing committees at RIMUN 2017.

 

As soon as we returned from DAIMUN, a couple of us put ‘mehendi’ and went to buy a ‘sari’ because our exchange students were extremely excited to have a typically INDIAN souvenir to take home with them.

 

Then, on Monday morning, they left our homes to visit the Karla Caves at Lonavala and to complete their village visit. I think this enriched them about the rural Indian culture and gave them a sense f satisfaction about being able to help those in need.

 

Finally, they returned to school on Wednesday and we ate diner together one last time, at Global Fusion. After eating the ‘spicy’ food, we bid them a tearful goodbye as they headed to the airport to return to their homes in Rome.

 

I think this experience has taught me a lot about living with someone else who is not from the same cultural background as me. I learnt how to adjust with my buddy’s ways of staying and her habits. I also remembered to follow the principle of ‘atithidevobhava,’ something we had great fun explaining to our Roman friends.

 

Every time I sit by the coffee table and I see that book of mine about Roma, I miss my Italian friends.

 

Aanya Shahani