SUSI - The Experience of a Lifetime
Medha, a SUSI student from India, writes about her Seattle experiences.
This summer, students from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are in Seattle for a new program coordinated by FIUTS, the Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders in Journalism and New Media (SUSI). Each student will be writing a blog post about the experience. Here's a post by Medha Kohli from India about her experience so far:
'Are you okay?' I heard her asking. 'I think I'm going to puke', I said. 'You'll be fine, it happened to me the first time too. Don't worry' she tried comforting. I nodded with teary eyes and walked ahead with all kinds of negative thoughts pulling me down after my first flight experience.
Technically it was the second, considering the change of flight at Heathrow. 9 hours earlier I had liked the thought of thinking myself as 'experienced'. Little had I known then that the long journey would mess with my system so much that the nauseous feeling only worsened this time. We collected our luggage and walked out after what seemed like an hour now. The fear of what could lie ahead was clinging to my senses and I tried to push them away, knowing somewhere deep down that it will definitely be one of the best experiences of my life.
We walked out of the airport, stepped into the sun and I could feel my lips automatically curving into a smile as the cold wind (comparatively cold) brushed my face and the feeling of finally stepping onto land saat samundar par- hindi for seven seas away, washed over me.
It had only been a week since we got to Seattle and had returned from our very first adventure hiking, trekking and living in the woods, to the UW Alder Commons and here I was calling this place my 'home'.
While some things were uncomfortable in the beginning, there have been many other things that have left a mark in my life which I shall look back to and cherish for years to come. One of these things was the absolutely gorgeous and grand event of the Gas Works Fireworks of 4th July. It was an exprience that was new to me and on an entirely different level.
"Can you please help me get there?" the little girl asked running to the place where i stood, next to a trail of stones that led to a big rock a little further away from the land, where you could sit. I was still standing there alone as I helped her get there, questioning myself on the life choices I’d made until now, while the group was sitting a little far behind me on the hill where Charlie was trying to entertain and engage everyone. The girl however distracted me from my stupid thoughts, bringing me back to what I’d been wondering all day- 'how would these fireworks be any different from the ones back home?'. I was staring in the distance recalling times from back home where almost every little event like a cricket match, marriage or elections were simple invitations for fireworks, when the little girl threw a stone in the water which splashed everywhere and made me look around. I noticed the huge crowd which was increasing steadily, all geared up with their food baskets and camping chairs and blankets. I very honestly couldn't fathom why people were so excited about this, but never having seen the fireworks, I assumed it must be something really special that such a large population of people had gathered here on this chilly night to simply view fireworks.
Indeed! There was no way I could compare the fireworks I saw that day with the ones back home. Those 15 minutes of complete silence where nobody could take their eyes off from the sky, the light from those wonderfully coordinated and designed fireworks shown on every face, reflecting their happiness and joy, their spirit of oneness and freedom. That moment of shared silence, with the entire city so beautifully lit up and the sound of sniffs from the background only just aroused patriotic feelings for my own country and reminded me of our 200-year struggle, Bhagat singh and all other leaders who fought for our freedom. What really stunned me and touched my heart most was the helicopter taking a tour of the city with the American flag hanging from it, for its citizens. All I could imagine at that moment was what the people would be feeling when looking out of their windows to see the American flag making a proud tour of the city.
Canoeing and Swimming in Lake Union (Photo by Simran Bhui)
It was the most beautiful gesture by the Army for their citizens. It was a very different kind of celebration from ours but reflected the similar peace and freedom and reminded of and helped the new generation relive those special historic moments from years ago in very different ways. It was a lovely experience and worth the four hour long wait in every sense of the word!
'So, how was it?' she asked as we were shivering and walking through the crowd, and all i could do was blink and smile at her. She got her answer and i returned back to my thoughts where I was busy recalling every little detail that altered me or gave me an expereince i've always wanted to have. Right from the first adventure of trekking in the typical Seattle rainy weather, visiting the Space Needle- which was simply an attractive part of scenes from Grey's Anatomy to me till then, to the more impulsive decisions of jumping into lakes and other tiny differences of everyday life which I am getting used to now, a little too much I'm afraid! But then Change is the only constant in life after all. I know that when I leave this city I will take lots of memories with me, but will also leave behind a piece of me here.
The Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among foreign students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world.
The program in Seattle is coordinated by the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), a local non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Washington that promotes international friendship and cross-cultural understanding in the region. The Seattle Globalist, a daily publication covering the connections between Seattle and the rest of the globe, is collaborating with FIUTS to deliver courses on topics in journalism and new media.