Greetings from Kai, Program Co-Leader
Namaste Subko!
Hello everyone!
First off, let me welcome you to what will surely be a challenging and richly rewarding semester in India. I feel excited and privileged to be able to share these next several months with you as you embark upon a journey of both self and world discovery. India is a place that seems to elude definition. It is a place of incredible diversity and humanity, a place of constant movement and adaptation. And its no understatement to say that India is a full body experience. I’ll never forget the initial sensory overload I experienced venturing into the cacophony of India’s streets. The sights, the smells, the tumultuous noises were both invigorating and deafening. If you haven’t yet, try to take some time to read/watch/listen to some of the recommended books and movies. Although India can be overwhelming at first, the more you have read and seen, and the better you are prepared for it, the easier it will be to take in. The God of Small Things is one of my favorite books and comparing Satyajit Ray’s film Pather Panchali with the more standard Bollywood film Om Shanti Om can give an excellent look into the diversity of India.
As for myself, my first experience with India occurred as an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I participated on a study abroad semester to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Although majoring in Human Geography, I took an opportunity in Hyderabad to explore broader areas of interest: Indian Philosophy, Hindi, and Urdu. These interests have stuck with me, and I am excited to continue to put them into action! After the semester in Hyderabad, I spent the remainder of the year volunteering, interning, and traveling through western India, and since then have also returned as a Global LAB leader this past fall.
In addition to these experiences in India, I have also studied, volunteered, and traveled in a variety of countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania, including spending a semester abroad in Suva, Fiji. And this past summer, I logged over 10,000 miles on the road as a trip leader with Trek America, leading groups of international tourists on road and camping trips throughout the United States. All of these experiences, and particularly my time abroad, have left me with an indelible passion for international and experiential education that I take into Global-LAB.
I am very excited to meet all of you in person and would be happy to talk anytime before then. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would just like to chat, please feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. And remember in these coming months to keep your eyes open and your curiosities highly tuned: they will serve you well in our adventure.
Jaldi Milenge! See you soon!
Kai Johnson
Program Co-Director
608-780-8699
Kai@global-lab.org