Indian-American Cultural Exchange Night

Tonight was quite possibly the best time we have had so far in India. When we arrived at the auditorium the most beautiful sand art was on the concrete outside to welcome us.


Well, once our skits, dances, cheers, etc were finally over and we weren't nervous anymore. The Indian students completely showed us up with the most beautiful dances from all different states in India.


I'm trying to attach a movie clip of one of their dances so I hope it works! I think my favorite part was their finale. They turned out all the lights and had girls modeling a different Saree from every single state as they walked down the aisles of the audience each carrying a small light in their hands. They played the most beautiful song and arranged themselves into what Kathryn and I thought looked like the shape of India. They were all so stunningly beautiful and the song that played was so beautiful I just wanted to cry it was so wonderful! I loved it :)

After the performances were finished we got to go to the students hostel (dorm room) and visit with them. Right away two students Kelsey and I had met previously recognized us and called us to take a private tour with them. One of the girls, Gifty, is sooo funny. By far the funniest Indian we've met and definitely the only sarcastic one we've met. We absolutely love her. She took us to see all the first year students' rooms but made us hurry so we could come up to her room. She introduced us to her best friend Teena and a LOT of other girls including a very beautiful girl named Breeva who gave me a pair of her earrings! They all wanted us to remember their names so badly and we really were trying but there were just so many of them!

They completely surrounded Kelsey and I but we loved it. We were in awe of them just as they were with us. They drew on Henna tattoos for us which is a kind of clay that stains your skin for about a week.

They asked us a million and five questions and we asked them too! We found each others dating practices (or lack thereof) to be most interesting. We learned that if they marry before finishing school they are kicked out. They absolutely never go out on dates. They are perfectly happy when their parents choose their husbands for them and laughed at me when I asked if they were worried they might not love who their parents choose. They say they can love them after their married. They were shocked that American couples often live together prior to marriage.

After having dinner we talked about the huge disparity between American nurses and Indian nurses. They are paid about $5000 rupees per month (approx $100 us dollars). They couldn't believe we make that much in about 3 hours. The nurses in India are extremely overworked and not respected at all. None of the students even like their profession! They said it's just a job they know they can get whereas other jobs are difficult to find.

Before we left they wrote out our names in their script and the language of TamilNadu.

We all exchanged phone numbers and made plans to meet up again tomorrow! I can't wait to see them again!!