What dreams are made of

Social work students Martin Dumas, Miyuki Unrau and Shelina Hassanali felt an experience in India would bring them new insight into a culture outside of the western philosophies. Here is their postcard home.

What brought you to India?

We’re three social work students (Martin, Shelina, and Miyuki, who has brought along her 14 year-old son, Kenta) completing our final Bachelor of Social Work practicum in India. We chose to complete it in India for many reasons. We wanted to travel somewhere where we could get a different experience than any country in the western world would have been able to offer us. Also, we wanted to pay our respects to one of the most cherished and revered person in the world, Mahatma Gandhi. For all of us, it has been a dream to travel to India one day and this international practicum was the perfect opportunity.

Why is India so memorable?

India is a vast, beautiful and diverse country with gorgeous beaches, striking mountains and scorching deserts, although poverty is very prevalent here as the gap between the rich and the poor is on a steady rise. The people we’ve met are warm, welcoming, friendly and always eager to help. They’re some of the nicest people any of us have met in all of our travels. The visits to slum areas have been extremely powerful. It’s hard to believe the situations in which these people live, however it’s amazing and inspiring to see that they’re still in such high spirits with a positive attitude towards life. We felt a real sense of community while visiting these areas; families who often do not have enough to eat for themselves were very quick to invite us in for tea, coffee and even a meal. Amazing people.

Tell us about your social work practicum abroad?

The practicum placement is with an NGO called Community Aid and Sponsorship Program (CASP) with whom the U of C’s Faculty of Social Work has had a long-standing positive relationship. CASP is facilitating the sponsorship of 30,000 children across India in order to enhance their education, health and overall well-being. CASP also serves families, communities and society at large with various programs and initiatives.

How did you spend your spare time?

Apart from the practicum, the four of us have been enjoying our spare time visiting various tourist attractions including historical sites, places of worship and architectural monuments. One of our favourite trips to date was to Goa where we spent a couple days relaxing on the beautiful beaches, swimming in the Arabian Sea, eating some great local food and taking in some of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve ever seen.

Any interesting cultural experiences?

Before we left Canada, we knew India would be an adventure and it has definitely lived up to these expectations. Crossing the street is a somewhat “enjoyable” life-threatening experience, as is riding to work in an auto rickshaw every day. Bargaining has become a daily nuisance, be it with drivers, store-keepers, police and even beggars. We had never expected to see so many animals roaming the streets including buffalo, monkeys, chickens, dogs, cats, sheep, donkeys, elephants, camels and the “Holy” cow!

Words of wisdom?

India has been a blast—we’re heading into our last few weeks and are looking forward to enjoying every minute of it! Miyuki believes that this is the land of the “real people.” To understand this statement, one must come and experience India first hand.

For more information on study abroad programs please visit the Centre for International Students and Study Abroad website (www.ucalgary.ca/CISSA/). This postcard was supplied by the International Centre.