Our "What They Brought Back" series will look at eight students and the momentos they keep as reminders of the people, places, and experiences from their study abroad programs all over the world.
Name: Ma’ayan Malter
Class of: 2015
Major: Economics
Location: Pune, India
Program: South Asian Civilizations
Best part of your trip in five words: Paneer custard-apple cumin chai lassi
It is often difficult to find one’s way in a country with sights, sounds, smells, and cultural values that are completely foreign. Luckily for Malter, the locals welcomed her with unreserved hospitality, inviting her into their homes, religious celebrations, and sites of worship. Eventually, she, too, was carrying a tiffin (the Indian counterpart of an American lunchbox) on her long day trips instead of a brown paper bag, filled with hot food from special tiffin-filling stores.
Having spent time in ruins and ancient megaliths studying the history of Indian architecture, Malter saw how ideas and power pass from one dominant group to another throughout the course of history. Moreover, she now understands that although environment plays a significant role in shaping people’s cultures in tremendously different ways, there does indeed exist a common thread that unites us all.