I have now been home for a little over a week, and I have finally had some time to reflect on what an amazing experience I had the opportunity to enjoy. Being asked about my trip by friends and family and getting to tell them about everything I saw, experienced, and learned has been so rewarding. At the same time, I have to admit that being home has made me a little bit sad. Life is no longer new and exciting every day. I am slowly falling back into a routine, which is good, and I am incredibly grateful to be surrounded by familiar people, places, and comforts. However, there is still a part of me that is itching to keep travelling and experiencing new things.
One of the hardest parts about coming home is realizing that there are certain parts of this experience that no one will truly understand unless they were there. Especially my friends Olivia and Ally. We went through everything together. We experienced the excitement, the confusion, the overstimulation, the laughter, the exhaustion, the fear, and the amazement side by side. We are bonded for life, and not only because of our matching tattoos, but because of everything we experienced together. No one will understand the feeling of being excited, overstimulated, amazed, and scared all at the same time quite like those girls.
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to get to know them so well over the course of a month. Spending that much time together could have easily become difficult, but somehow, we left the trip feeling like better friends rather than being sick of each other. Honestly, I think we could have spent another year together without getting tired of each other. Those girls were there to lift me up when I was feeling down, meet me when I was excited and energetic, and sit with me when I was tired and overstimulated. They made an unfamiliar place feel comfortable and safe. One of the biggest takeaways I will have from this experience is the friendship we built, and I know it is one that will last far beyond this trip.
Another reason I initially wanted to go on this trip was to gain a better understanding of what cultural competence truly means. Through my social work education and the work I have done throughout my degree, I feel like I could easily give you a definition of cultural competence. But being able to define something does not necessarily mean that I truly embody it. I have always had a lot of respect for cultures that are different from my own, but does that mean I fully understand what it means to work with people from different backgrounds and ways of life? Definitely not.
I think this trip helped me recognize that cultural competence is not something that you simply achieve and check off a list. It is an ongoing process of learning, listening, reflecting, and recognizing that there will always be more to understand. My time in India helped me develop a much deeper respect and understanding for Punjabi culture and the Punjabi way of life. I experienced the people, the places, the poverty, the generosity, and the incredible richness of Punjabi and Indian culture. At times, it was truly mind-blowing to experience a culture that felt so different from my own while also finding small similarities that connected us.
One of the most interesting parts of coming home has been realizing that I now see my own community differently. The neighbourhood where I live in Vancouver is often referred to as “Little Punjab.” After returning from India, I started noticing little pieces of India everywhere. Walking through the stores in my neighbourhood, I saw things that reminded me of my time there; the bracelets, fabric shops, and gold stores. Of course, it is a very North American version of India, with fewer people and in an environment that I am much more familiar and comfortable with, but seeing these things through a different perspective made me appreciate my own community in a new way.
When we first landed in India, I remember feeling more overwhelmed than I ever had before. There were so many people looking at us, taking pictures, and trying to figure out who we were. I remember thinking, I don’t know if I can do this. It is funny to think about that feeling now because, after everything I experienced, I am already excited about the possibility of going back one day and seeing even more of the country. And, of course, I will have to visit Mrs. and Mr. Ghuman, who were so incredibly welcoming to us.
Being in India and experiencing the culture of gifting, hospitality, and providing for guests also helped me better understand some of my friends and the Punjabi immigrants I have met throughout my life in Canada. I started noticing parallels between the things I had experienced in India and the ways some of my friends and their families show care and generosity. These connections helped me understand that cultural competence is not only about learning about another culture while you are visiting it. It is also about taking that knowledge home with you and using it to better understand the people and communities around you.
I now see Indian and Punjabi culture through a different lens, and I am excited to carry what I learned from this experience into my future social work practice. I know that I still have so much to learn, but I feel like this trip gave me a much stronger foundation for approaching people, cultures, and experiences with curiosity, respect, and openness.
Looking back, I also recognize that not every day of the trip was amazing. Some days were difficult. There were days when I was exhausted, overwhelmed, tired of eating unfamiliar food, and frustrated with constantly being in new places. There were moments when I just wanted to curl up in a ball and go home. But then there were other days filled with so much wonder and excitement that I could not wait to turn the next page in the book and see what would happen next.
I think that is one of the biggest lessons I will take from this experience: experiences are experiences, whether they are good or difficult. The challenging moments shaped this trip just as much as the breathtakingly amazing ones did. If every day had been easy and comfortable, I don’t think I would have learned nearly as much about myself, other people, or the world around me.
This trip taught me, in a much deeper way, what it means to truly experience life. It reminded me that growth often comes from being uncomfortable, that relationships can be built in the most unexpected places, and that seeing the world can completely change the way you see your own.
I am grateful for every experience, every lesson, every difficult day, every laugh, and every moment of wonder that I experienced during this month. I am incredibly grateful to Sabreet, Chelsea, Tanya, Ms. Ghuman, and everyone else who made this experience possible and helped make it a trip I will never forget.
And, of course, a very special shoutout to Ally and Olivia. I genuinely would not have survived without you two. 🙂