Mon voyage en Europe

March 16, 2017: Exactly two months ago, on January 16, 2017, I left the beautiful Budapest, which had been my home for almost two months with a heavy heart, and a promise to come back again. It was one of the most difficult things that I have ever done. I still feel like I have just stepped out of a fairytale, and that Europe was just an extremely beautiful dream.

I had applied for this exchange internship abroad in the month of September through the student-run organisation AIESEC which facilitates voluntary and technical student exchanges all over the world. At that time, I had no clue that this trip was going to change my life forever. The places I visited, the food I ate, the people I met, spent my time and travelled with, and the experiences I had, made those 52 days the best days of my life.

Ice skating in Europe's biggest outdoor ice skating rink

I stayed and worked in Budapest, and travelled to Prague, Vienna, Munich, Paris, The Netherlands, Krakow, Auschwitz, and Bratislava, during my Christmas holidays and weekends. Most of my trips were solo, and looking back, now I feel like that was the best decision I could have taken. I planned my itinerary in a way that I get to spend Christmas in Paris, and New Year’s Eve in Budapest.

The canals of Amsterdam

The Eiffel Tower

View of Krakow town from the Wavel Castle compounds

Budapest, Hungary (home)

My travel tale begins in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, which is a city so beautiful that no amount of words can describe its mesmerizing landscape. Divided by the Danube into two parts – Buda and Pest, Budapest has both plains and hilly terrain. The city’s history and architecture go hand in hand, and for me, the most interesting part was the Jewish district which is known for being an attraction because of its architecture and ruin pubs.

The Hungarian Parliament Building

Countless walks by the river with the chilly breeze, and watching the busy masses pass by me, was my favourite pastime after my work got over. The apartment provided to me was beautiful, cozy, and in one of the safest districts of the city, where I also met my flatmates, and some of the best people I have met so far from places like Hong Kong, Indonesia, Brazil and Canada.

My balcony view

Budapest is very well-known for its Parliament building, Castle Hill, Fisherman’s Bastion, Hungarian State Opera, thermal baths, and bridges that take you to the Buda side to the Pest side and vice versa especially the 19^th century Chain Bridge. There are numerous lesser known attractions too, which made each day new and interesting.

Fisherman's Bastion

In addition to all this, all of Europe was a hundred times more beautiful because it was the Christmas season. All the streets, shops, markets and houses are decorated with lights and flowers for more than a month, which made everything look magical. I will move on to my two most favourite places in Europe – Prague and Bratislava – which were also my first and last weekend trips respectively.

Prague, Czech Republic

The view of the Prague castle from a street

The Vltava River

Prague, a city bisected by the Vltava River, has an old world’s charm to it, and that is what attracted me to it. The cobblestone streets, and its history and culture are very different from other places in Eastern Europe. The most well-known places in this city are the Charles Bridge which is one of the very few bridges that is only for pedestrians, the Prague Castle, and the Old Town Square of Prague.

At the John Lennon Wall

The most beautiful street in Prague

Its hidden courtyards gives solace to an aimless, wandering mind, and the Bohemian art galleries are a treat to the eyes. Czech beer and exquisite ale is considered the finest brews in Europe, and probably one of the best in the world.

People from different countries I met on this trip

Bratislava, Slovakia

My travel buddy and roommate, Veronique from Canada, poses in front of a wall graffiti in Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia’s biggest city and capital, is a contrast of sorts. It surprises the visitors because even after modernism taking over most of the beautiful cities of the world, Bratislava is green and consists of forest-fringed riverbanks. It is a chaotic but perfect blend of classic and contemporary with its castle sitting high up above the pastel-coloured old town, and the downtown full of happening nightlife.

A walk along the Danube

It is situated on the banks of the Danube, on the Austrian border, which makes for a perfect postcard-pretty look. The major highlights of this city are the Bratislava Castle, Old Town Hall, Hlavné Námestie (the main square), St. Martin’s Cathedral and the Slovak National Gallery. There was huge amounts of snowfall on the day I visited Bratislava, and due to this, I unfortunately couldn’t take the ferry ride across the river.

The view of the Bratislava Castle from the bottom of the hill. Credits: Veronique Leblanc

That is me in front of the snow-clad castle

Solo travelling is said to be one of the most liberating things which one must do at least once in their lifetime, and I totally agree with this. It is more like a soul-searching, self exploratory journey that reveals one’s true personality to oneself. According to a well-known Japanese saying, a person has three faces. The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to your close friends, and your family. The third face, you never show anyone. It is the truest reflection of who you are. This third self is what I saw when I was travelling alone across Europe, and for me, it was an eye-opener.

In a nutshell, I would say that Europe changed me forever. I would never forget even its minutest of details, and I would give away everything in a heartbeat to be back there and relive those 52 days all over again.

Bombay.

I have been meaning to write this from a very long time now. With almost just another week left for me in Mumbai (or Bombay; as I would like to call it, meaning no offence to anyone whatsoever), I sat down with my laptop today with the aim of completing this piece. Call it procrastination, laziness, or just a lack of will; I have delayed writing about my first actual experience in the City of Dreams by almost a week and a half. Although I did create mental notes as well as phone-notes about everything I wanted to write about, I just couldn’t do it. Writing is something that I love and I believe, am sufficiently okay at. But, it takes enormous amount of time, and patience, and a calm and peaceful place for me to organize all my scattered thoughts and make a meaningful piece out of those, which is why, most of my posts are either very late, or un-uploaded on the internet. But this one is rather special, and had to be shared with everyone.

Mumbai.

Marine Drive. 10pm.

My first visit to Bombay was a three-day trip with a bunch of friends, in the month of September this year, during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, when the city is decked up like a newly-wed with lights, flowers, sweets, crackers, music, dance, and faith – a perfect potpourri that defines the beauty and grandeur of Bombay. We visited almost all the touristy places, did things that every tourist in Mumbai does, and went back to Manipal with a bag full of memories made in every moment that we spent here. After everything I had heard about Bombay from numerous people, I was sure I would love the city. I went back with a promise of coming back again, this time, for a longer period, and alone.

Gleaming lights.

Artwork. Dance.

So, here I am now, for four weeks (three down, one to go) with an internship, friends scattered all over the city who I can hardly meet, and a strong desire to explore the city on my own. The first couple of days were spent in me trying to understand the local train system, and the routes to and from my workplace. Owing to a lack of sense of direction, and my negligence in the past, when I was being taken to several places and guided by a friend, I had to face countless situations like going into the wrong building, taking the wrong turn, getting into the wrong train, and getting down at wrong stations. I survived it all with the help and assistance of the dysfunctional GPS in my phone, fellow passengers on local trains, and passers-by on the road.

Workplace at night.

Churchgate Station.

Everyday struggle.

After I was comfortable with my usual route, I took baby steps towards exploring the city, like taking a longer route just to know all the exits and entrances to offices and stations, spending free evenings aimlessly walking around looking for a new place to eat at or putting my newly acquired camera to work, and eventually getting lost and taking a taxi back home.

Taxis.

Gleaming lights.

On off-days, I had the entire day to myself, so, on the first Sunday, I went out for a movie with friends followed by another one of those aimless walks on roads leading to nowhere. My personal favorite was the day I tried to go out shopping alone, to a totally different part of the city. It was annoying at first, but later, when I recounted the events of the day in my head as a part of my daily routine, I found it really hilarious. I tried to recollect everything I did the last time I went to this area, and tried doing the same again, and ended up reaching the wrong market after misguiding the autowala in addition to getting confused myself. That really was my worst day ever, with all the sun, heat, dust, futility and aimless wandering.

Starry.

After a really long week at work and with certain health issues, I chilled on the third Sunday with a quiet lunch at home, and met up with an old friend of mine from school. On one cool Saturday evening, I decided to go on a long walk to Marine Drive, sit along the sea face, enjoy the breeze and explore the locality. It turned out to be the most beautiful and serene evening for me in Bombay till date.

Rides.

Serenity.

I agree to everything that has ever been said to me about Bombay. Yes, like every other big city in this country, it is polluted and crowded. But, if you give it a thought, it is clear that it is the people, the crowd, that make the city what it is. I mean, which good thing on this planet does not come with a downside to it? At the end of the day, it is one’s perspective that matters.

The Taj at night.

Bombay is nothing like any other city I have ever been to, or lived in, or maybe the right way to put it is, no other city I have ever lived in is like Bombay. It is fast-paced and challenging, and welcoming and fun, all at the same time, and the best thing about it is, that being a metro city, it has not lost touch with its culture either. Malls and small scale industries, high rise buildings and old ones with British architecture, upcoming eateries and restaurants as old as the British rule in India, continental cuisine and vada pav, Bollywood superstars and struggling and aspiring actors, old school theatre and new age cinema – all these survive in the city without any complaints. I feel, the only other Indian metropolitan city that is even close to having the magic that Bombay does, is Calcutta (reasons behind this statement will be mentioned in later posts *winks*).

Solitude is bliss.
Photo credits : Swayam Gandhi

Bombay is like a routine in itself. It is like a machine with a soul, which works without a break. It takes you in, and makes you a part of the manufacturing process in no time, and no matter how much input you give, it won’t ever stop functioning at all. I was amazed with the perfection and precision with which every single activity in this city takes place every single day without fail. Just sitting at a bus stop and looking at people pass by, or walking along the streets with absolutely nothing to do, is enough for someone like me to grow fond of this city.

Bombay is alive, and it makes everything and everyone in it, feel alive.

A Wishlist.

Being the travel aficionado that I am, I’ve always wanted to visit the most beautiful places in this world. I believe that there will come one day, when I would have visited the most beautiful, the most adventurous, the most picturesque, the most peaceful, as well as the most bustling places in the world.

This post enlists ten of the most beautiful cities in the world (in no particular order, of course), that I would want to visit someday.

1)      Bruges

Winters in Bruges are an experience to die for. This photogenic city takes life back to the middle ages.

2)      Florence

It is the birthplace of the Renaissance and home to many artistic treasures of the world. The sunsets here are described as magical.

3)      Lisbon

The capital city of Portugal has a mix of contemporary and old culture, and is said to be all year round destination.

4)      Paris

Sometimes referred to as the cultural capital of the world, Paris is like a dream come true. The art, the food, the culture, the museums, the streets, the nightlife – everything in Paris is perfect.

5)      Venice

Names like ‘the floating city’, ‘the city of canals’ and many more define Venice.

6)      Prague

A very vibrant city, Prague is full of art, music and culture, and when mirrored off the Vltava river, it is a breathtaking sight.

7)      Istanbul

Istanbul attracts me basically because of its towering minarets, Byzantine architecture, and underground cisterns.

8)      Rio de Janeiro

The dancing and merriment in the streets, the laidback beaches and the countless festivals all year round make this city worth a visit.

9)      Rome

This city interests me because this is where history exists at its finest. The Colosseum, The Vatican and The Sistine Chapel – every monument here has a story to it which dates back to time immemorial. It is considered one of the best Italian cities.

10)   Amsterdam

Considered as the Venice of the North, Amsterdam has a relaxing charm to it. I would go there to be away from the hustle and bustle of citylife.

Dance, Kids and Happiness.

The whole of last semester was spent in different engagements. I never expected such an experience to come by. One day, in the beginning of this semester, I heard some of my classmates discussing that some people are going for some kind of voluntary work. I immediately went and talked to them about it, and they agreed to let me join in. The following Monday, I accompanied everyone to the Yakshagana Kendra, and introduced myself to the two students allotted to me – Sujith and Deepak. They were 9

^{graders, probably 12 or 13 year olds, who, at first, were a little hesitant to talk to their new tutor. I was supposed to handle Mathematics, and enquired about the syllabus and other similar things on the first day.}

When I first thought of volunteering, I assumed it would be easy, and fun, and also because of my love for kids, I thought I’d get along well with my students. My lack of proper knowledge of Kannada, posed some problems, but we found out new ways to learn. And, because they were from a Kannada medium school, their course books, note books, and even mathematical terms were in Kannada. This was a very big challenge, for which the solution came in a book. A 9^th grade Maths text book in English with exactly the same contents as their course book. It proved to be an extremely helpful aid for teaching them. In most of the government schools, a lot of emphasis is not put on the fundamentals, leaving the kids with little or no knowledge of elementary concepts like Fractions, Decimals etc. This was another big challenge I faced during the course of these 2 months. There were days when they could only concentrate on playing, and wouldn’t want to study. Even after being a Maths lover, and a Maths student for so many years, I used to prepare for at least half an hour before the class started.

Sujith and Deepak, were very cheerful and jolly kids, who understood that I didn’t understand their language, and hence, they tried their best to help me in every way possible, and also to pay keen attention on whatever I was saying, so that they don’t miss out on anything important. English, Hindi, hand gestures, use of all kinds of things to demonstrate, and the assistance of some Kannada-speaking classmates of mine, are some things that made this easier for both, me and my kids.

I’m referring to Sujith and Deepak as my students again and again, because over time, I had developed a special bond with these two. On the days I couldn’t make it to the Kendra and others did, they used to ask for me. Similarly, on the days Deepak was injured and had gone home, I used to enquire about his health and family. We used to play mobile games after studies, or play the Catch Catch game with a ball. They also showed me some of their dance steps, and were very excited when I took a video of them dancing, and showed it to them. All the kids at the Kendra, used to gather at one place and say Bye to all of us collectively. That place gave a very homely feel to all of us. In a place like Manipal, where all of us are so far away from our homes, I found a place like Home.

This voluntary work started off by Nadia’s mother, and Nadia herself, has been a great great learning experience for me. More than what I could teach my kids, I learnt a lot from them. I used to look forward to the two evenings of the week I had to spend there, and used to come back to Manipal with a smile on my face, with a sense of satisfaction and contentment. I am sure that I am going to go back next semester.

(For those who don't know, Yakshagana is a theater form that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form. This theater style, resembling Western Opera, is mainly found in the coastal districts and the Malenadu region of Karnataka, India.)

2014 - Manipal treated me well.

December 28, 2014

After scoring a decent 95% in my 12^th standard board exams, my parents expected me to pursue a course in Engineering. I had already given them a slight hint that I wasn’t interested in anything related to science at the beginning of the academic session. I am lucky to have parents who are supportive and understanding enough to let me pursue a course which I am interested in. I didn’t appear in any of the engineering exams conducted, and instead sat for entrance exams conducted by media colleges. Out of all the colleges I got into, I chose to go to Manipal School of Communication, for several reasons which include its good reputation, and proximity to my home town. Exams and results took away the first 6 months of the year.

After this, everything happened very very fast. Time seemed to be flying at the speed of light. One month passed away in what felt like a week, and I found myself in Manipal, a small students’ town in the southern region of Karnataka. I had never stayed away from my parents for more than a week, and here I was, all of sudden, in a new place, among strangers, alone. I had reached Manipal rather early, and my classmates hadn’t started arriving yet. So, I spent the first day figuring out whether to be happy or sad; happy because of the new found freedom, and sad because I won’t be home for the next 5 months. That day, I spent time with my parents going around the place, completing admission procedures and taking in everything I saw around myself. The next two days went by meeting people, unpacking in my room, and seeing my parents off. I prayed for a good roommate, who wouldn’t make my life in Manipal a living hell, and fortunately, she turned out to be a very sweet girl. I met new people every day, but the first girl I met (from Uttarakhand), was my first friend in Manipal. I knew there were going to be a lot of ‘firsts’ there, and prepared myself mentally for everything that awaited me. I had befriended a lot of girls from my hostel by the time classes started. The first day of college turned out to be very good, and everyone I met was very welcoming and amiable. There was one particular person who had caught my immediate attention as soon as I entered my classroom. A fat, extremely talkative Bengali fellow, who was the only one screaming out loud in a class of 50 odd people. I found out he was a Bong, when I heard him talking to one of his friends in Bangla, which I happen to know a little. We got talking, and I was surprised at his uninhibited nature in a place which was as new for him as it was for everyone else. I still remember my first conversation with him, and had never expected us to be such great friends at that moment. In less than a week, I knew most of my classmates, and was having fun being among my new acquaintances.  Quite surprisingly, I missed home less, and wasn’t homesick at all. On the contrary, I found myself comforting and consoling a couple of people who didn’t like it there, and were homesick. I had a routine now, and decided to learn a new language (which, by the way, is one of my passions) when I saw posters of the language institute in my college. I started attending German classes, and loved it there, as I had always been good at learning new languages.

Except for a visit from my Uncle, and a 4-day long trip to Chennai, the months of July, August, September and October had no significant happenings. Guest lectures, numerous assignments, German classes, workshops, becoming a reporter for an online newspaper in Manipal, sightseeing, class debates and arguments, misunderstandings, lunch treats, dinner parties, becoming a part of a social services organization, joining my college’s theatre club, marketing a drama, selling tickets, meeting innumerable people, different celebrations in college that involved dancing and singing etc. made up these 4 months. Then came November. The first four days of this month were the most difficult, as I became terribly homesick, and that’s because everyone’s parents came down to visit them, and mine couldn’t. In the course of time, I had made one friend I knew would always stand by me, and would never fail to cheer me up when I’m low. She helped me when I was miserable, cried the most and was in the worst possible state.

Now came exam time, which made the homesickness disappear, and studies set in. I was alone for a week after college got over, for my German examination, which is when I recollected everything I had done in the 5 months that had gone by. These were like my flashback days there, and I learned and grew more during this period than I had during the months that had passed.

I am at home presently, vacationing. I recently met one of my teachers at the Times of India office, and when we were talking, she said something that instantly hit me as a shock. She told me to not stop writing, and that’s when I realized, I haven’t been writing as much as I did during my school days! I had drastically reduced pursuing this hobby of mine, which would probably be a part of my career in the future. This sudden and sad realization is the reason behind this write-up. I couldn’t think of anything better to write about, than the year 2014.

Change is the only constant, and I personally love change. Manipal treated me well, and I hope it will be the same in the coming years also.  Clearly, 2014 has been quite eventful, and Manipal was a very good decision. A change for the good. Now, there’s only looking forward to an amazing 2015, with all its lessons and surprises.