December 2010 (Originally published in The Cooperstown Crier)
I am about to begin my sixth month on Rotary Exchange in India and consequently am writing my fourth column. Each one consists of a life lesson I have learned in India. The first three things I learned in India were to look both ways before crossing the street, how to say no, and conversely, how to say yes.
The newest thing I have learned in India is that in some ways another culture might suit you better than your own. I am on a cultural exchange, so learning a culture and becoming integrated into it is hardly a surprising result. However, finding that I am already good at being Indian in many ways is a shocker. Take Indian dress, for example. I love wearing the roomy, flowy Punjabi pants and long Kurtis. I feel comforted and safe when I throw a Dupatta over my shoulders. My friends and host family tell me I look Indian and should be dyeing my hair black any day now. Maybe the reason I love these clothes is that they are comfortable and easy, and whether or not they are in vogue in the fashion world, they make me feel beautiful and natural. They are certainly a far cry from the tight jeans and tank tops the Western world finds attractive.
Another example of this is Indian music. I performed a very old Hindi song for an anniversary party a few weeks ago and during my practicing found that I loved the little melodies and rhythms of the music, how the words flow and change unexpectedly, and although I love Western music with a passion, could fully appreciate the beauty this music had to offer.
I have found that the biggest differences in culture can lead to the most understanding and connection in surprising ways. I love my culture. I love the bad and the good parts about it. But I also love so many parts of my new culture that I often wonder which I would do better in for the rest of my life. It is a curious thought, and never ceases to entertain.