Arrival in Auroville!

cecilia1.jpgMy name is Cecilia Velazquez. I am a senior studying accounting at the Michael G. Foster School of Business.  For the next month I will be participating in an exploration seminar that takes place in the village of Auroville in India. Previously, I had studied abroad in Rome, loved the experience, and wanted the opportunity to go abroad again. The exploration seminars offered provided the perfect opportunity to get a taste of another country right before starting up classes in the fall.

As a college honors student, I am required to complete three science classes, and I decided to ad-hoc my seminar to meet this science requirement. During my time in Auroville, I will be conducting a three-week long internship under the direction of the Center for Scientific Research (CSR) with a professor at the UW-Bothell campus to understand renewable energies and focusing primarily on solar power.

I arrived early on Tuesday morning after a day and a half of traveling and only two hours of sleep. I was told that “India attacks your senses”, and I have found this to be true as I confront new sights, cecilia2.jpgtastes and smells all around me. Although I have done some traveling in warm climates, India’s constant high temperatures and even more prevalent insect population have proven to be a handful. Nevertheless, I am excited to see what  the next couple of weeks have in store. The group I am traveling with is small, and we come from a variety of different disciplines. We are finishing up our first week of orientation where we traveled to the various sites where members of our group will be doing their internships. So far I have tried all the food that has been offered to me, which includes eating a meal solely with my hands, and I have not gotten sick and hope that my lucky streak continues.