Study Abroad in India

Guest Post By: Ahlam Khaleefa, a Senior studying Marketing and Information Systems. She is a Global Business Center Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, and she studied abroad through a Foster Exploration Seminar for Early Fall Start in India, during 2022.

Last summer, I studied abroad in India. We traveled to several cities in India and each place had something to offer. We learned all about their organizations and all they had to do in the background to keep their organizations moving in a third-world country. It was inspiring to see the things people would do to keep things afloat even with all of the obstacles ahead of them. Without the necessary materials and funding, these organizations had very limited resources to reach their goals. I was taught the importance of using what you can. Even when it seems like you have nothing, you have more than enough as long as you have passion, faith, and hope. 

Throughout our time in India, we stayed in many high-end hotels, but also not-so-clean and aesthetically pleasing hotels. These experiences made me realize that some cities were only able to offer their best hotels based on what they view as the “best,”. Some of these cities were extremely poor and they didn’t have the funds to keep their hotels updated and tidy. We just had to deal with it and keep an open mind. We had to understand the reasons why things were the way they were. 

This trip really opened my eyes to a new world. I now have a better understanding of other cultures and why it is important to keep an open mind in all situations. You never know the reason for certain things, so until you do, always make sure to think positively.