In 2018, I decided that instead of staying home and sulking around about the snow all winter break long, I would do something adventurous. So with my parents' help, I booked a ticket to India. A. Ticket. Just one. It was the first time I would have ever traveled alone, and though I was excited, I was also quite scared. Traveling alone is a big responsibility, especially when the journey takes you halfway across the world, to a country you haven't been to since before high school.

When the time came around, I said goodbye to my family, boarded my plane, and took off on the longest flight ever. Seriously, never underestimate how long 16 hours can feel, especially when you're stuck in a small seat surrounded by crying babies, but I honestly didn't care; I was going to India!!

Yes, those are all MY bags... lolAnushree Rayarikar

Throughout my three weeks in India, I spent a lot of my time in 3 main cities: Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad. In these cities I did a bit of sight seeing as well as met as much of my family as I possibly could, since it had been 4 years (8 years with some people) since I had seen their faces! I think something that many people don't realize is when you're a first generation American, staying connected with your family is a whole 'nother ball game. Being halfway across the world, you tend to lose touch with most of your cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Even with social media, it's still hard to get to know your family on a deeper level. That's why I was so thankful for this trip, because I not only got to revisit the motherland and remind myself of all the culture that I have within me, but also because I got to make amazing connections with my family that I will cherish and can now maintain.

Travel Diary

First Stop: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Mumbai is a coastal city in India, and it is one of the biggest cities in India. It is a cultural hub where people of many different religions and backgrounds live, and there is so much to see! Not only are the coastal views the absolute best, but shopping with a coastal view? My personal heaven. Mumbai is a big city, and has several sub cities within it, many of which I got to visit! I saw the streets of Bandra, where lots of celebrities live, I walked down Colaba, where the food and street shopping is unbeatable, and I spent a morning walking around in the National Park, enjoying nature and good weather at it's finest. I spent about 7 days in Mumbai, but there's just so much culture, history, and life to see that even if I spent 7 years, I could still turn a corner and discover something new.

Anushree Rayarikar

Anushree Rayarikar

Next Up: Pune, Maharashtra

Pune is the city in India that I would call home. In the past, I usually spent most of my time in this city, since it's where my grandparents and most of my family is. In terms of culture, I feel like Pune is where the most Maharashtrian culture is evident. For anyone who doesn't know, Maharashtra is a state in India and it is where my family is from! Each part of India has such different and distinct cultures, languages, and histories, that they could essentially be completely different countries! Like Mumbai, Pune is huge, so seeing all the city has to offer is virtually impossible. Regardless, I did get to do a lot of shopping and eating (quelle surprise) in this city too! I went to Laxmi Road and FC Road, two of the most popular streets in Pune, and I also spent a lot of time with my family here. The highlight of my time in this city would have to be standing atop my cousins' terrace, taking in the views of their rooftop garden and the city around us. Oh, and seeing all the cows in the middle of the streets wherever we went was pretty fun too. Seriously, the traffic in India is so bad that you'd get places faster on cow than you would by car!

Rooftop garden viewAnushree Rayarikar

Last Stop: Hyderabad, Telangana

The last place I visited was a city called Hyderabad, in a more southern part of India. This was exciting not only because I got to see my family there after almost 9 years, but also because the culture in Hyderabad differs so much from the culture in Mumbai and Pune, since it's in a different state. In Hyderabad, they speak Telugu, a completely different language than what I'm used to in Maharashtra, where they mostly speak Marathi and Hindi. While most of India is Hindu, each region of India has different versions of Hinduism as well, which affect how the temples are built and how worship and rituals are performed. In Hyderabad, the temples are very colorful and beautifully built, and I got the privilege of seeing one during my time in this city, which was super exciting for me. I also spent a lot of time eating wonderful food with my cousins, since I was in Hyderabad for a family function.

The Temple I VisitedAnushree Rayarikar

Shrimp, fish, chicken, manchurian, oh my!Anushree Rayarikar

Back Home

Three weeks in India went by faster than I could say Namaste, and before I knew it I was on a plane heading back to snowy and cold Chicago. Going from 80 degrees and sunny to 7 degrees and snowy was definitely a shock for me, but I was happy to be back home and see my parents and my sister again. Traveling alone was quite the learning experience for me, and I had the best time meeting all my family and seeing the wonderful sights that India has to offer. What I've seen probably doesn't even comprise 1% of all the rich culture and history that India has to offer, and I can't wait to plan my next trip and see even more of the beautiful country I get to call the motherland.

This trip made me realize how important staying in touch with my culture and my own history is. As an American-born Indian, I haven't always had the easiest time deciding what my identity is. In some cases, the things I did didn't feel American enough, and in other cases I didn't feel Indian enough. This trip has taught me that my identity isn't something that I need to consciously decide; my culture is already a part of me, and all I need to do to be "enough" is to just embrace it with pride.

To anyone considering traveling to India: Do it!!! There is so much to learn, see, and experience in that country, and you will come back with a whole new understanding of the world. Traveling, to wherever it may be, is essential for us to break out of our sheltered bubble and see how other people live. There's a whole world out there just waiting for us to come see it!