Stories and Reflections from Pune, India
After the first three weeks on program, NSLI-Y students in Pune, India have hit the ground running in their language learning and cultural immersion experience. Students have already met some of their goals set at the pre-departure orientation to introduce themselves and have conversations with host families and new friends in Hindi.
The students are putting their new language skills to use in their community service activities at an old age home, Moni Baba Ashram, and an orphanage, Nachiket Balika Ashram. They also use their language skills during their almost daily interaction with an Indian peer group.
Four times a week, some college students from the building take small groups of NSLI-Y students to read books, ask questions, and clear any doubts they might have. During the first meetings of the peer groups, the Indian students took short stories in Hindi to read and translate to our students. In the end, two of the groups were able to enact their short stories.
NSLI-Y India Host Families
NSLI-Y students are building close bonds with their host families. One of the students shares about her host family using her Hindi language skills (English translation below):
My family is very kind. In my family there is Saddhana Aunty, Ashish Uncle, Anuska, and Sanika. Every day we eat dinner together. Saddhana Aunty is a very good cook. Ashish uncle is an engineer and he works in Pune City. Aunty is a teacher. Anushka is 9 years old. She likes painting and she is very pretty. Sanika is very energetic and cute. My family and I went to Pune City. I met Saddhana Aunty’s mother. She is very sweet. We also saw the Palki walk. I feel like I am one of the family. I love them very much.
Exploring Pune
In addition to language class, community service, and peer activities, NSLI-Y India students go on excursions around Pune City. On a recent day trip, students explored six historic locations around the city.
After a quick breakfast of poha, the students left City Pride School to go to Salas Baug, where their Indian college peers educated them about Hindusim through facts, and stories about different gods. After a tour of the temple, they moved on to the second stop, the Kelkar Museum. This museum is a collection of Indian items by one man, Dr. D.G. Klekar, begun in the 1920s. It is now one of the highlights of Pune tourism.
With a big appetite, the students went to Ram Krishna, a popular restaurant. They ordered a vast array of Indian food, in Hindi, and were surprised by how much food ended up in front of them. Nearby, they ventured to two religious sites, a Gurudwara (a Sikh temple) and St. Patrick’s Church. With little time left, they had a final stop to a boutique where they stocked up on their first round of souvenirs, clothing, and fun Indian themed items. Everyone took home something.