7/2/2012 Monday

Today was much different from yesterday... We had man meetings scheduled and got to walk around a full, busy campus!

First, right in the morning, we were able to meet the president of MCC.  Then, we met with the Dean of Students, making our students ID's! Also, ran into some of the faculty on the way through the buildings, and Anu would introduce us.

Next, we were supposed to figure out our class schedules. Laura Lou was first up, in the Political Science department. Hers worked our very nicely, and we were out quickly, in Indian terms...

Now, the Social Work department was a different story. All of us went in and got to get a general idea of classes, and also an idea of the field placement sites we'd get to choose to work at for the rest of the semester. I still haven't chosen. Don't worry, by tomorrow I will- I'm required to.

The reason this meeting lasted from 2:00 until 4:30 or so, is because we all got to talking, about Indian society and culture. Boy, did we get an education! I absolutely loved it, but the other girls were quite skeptical, even after coming out and discussing again later in the room. I think they'll begin to understand, once they've had a chance to mingle about the city... I know I already feel it sometimes.

Gender roles are quite different here from the US. It doesn't help that we are all pale white, too. Men and women stare, children stare, they all do. And really, they can't help it. But after awhile, it does just get tiring. It's certainly getting me to think about my actions, whether here or back home.

I'm not sad, though, about coming. Many experiences have been fun- shopping, hanging out with Anu, riding in all of the new transportation, even trying the food. It's just been quite overwhelming, everything exposed all at once. But, with each day, it's becoming more familiar!

Tomorrow, time to check out some field placement sites!