"Are there really cows everywhere?" Yes, and if you’re lucky you’ll also get to see monkeys and peacocks.

"Make sure you don’t drink the water there!" Don’t worry, I know to drink only boiled water, but why worry about the water when there is authentic chai?

"Isn’t it really dirty and hot?" Yup! Sometimes you come out of the shower and feel just as wet as when you were in it because of the humidity!

"So why do you still like going to India?"

I’ve been asked all of these questions a decent amount of times, and the first few I’m able to answer in a phrase or two, but the answer to the last one is longer.

To defend those who usually ask me this question, they probably haven’t gone to India before and haven’t felt refreshed by the mugginess of Mumbai Airport after getting off the stuffy plane. They haven’t felt what it is like to sit on a roof, to feel the night breeze, or to see monkeys jump on wedding tents as if they are trampolines. Those who ask this question haven’t been able to experience the history of India through its grand architecture that reflects its history from roots in religion to influences from the British and Mughal Empires. The iconic Taj Mahal is gorgeous, but there is more to the buildings of India, such as the carvings in Agra Fort, the Akshardham and Lotus temples, the tile inlay work seen in the palaces of Jaipur, and the grandeur of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.

Then, there is the food! There is nothing like the excitement you get when you find a panipuri vendor who uses bottled water! Nothing is as refreshing as fresh coconut water in the morning. As you walk the streets your stomach growls as it smells the butter of the pav bhaji buns. If you attend a wedding, you’ll soon realize that you can handle more food than you thought you could — they often are catered by many little food stations that serve food ranging from pizza, to Indo-Chinese food, including fresh-off-the-griddle dosas, and everything in between! Even if you’re not a fan of Indian flavors like cardamom and saffron, India’s still got you covered on dessert. My favorite activity, since I’ve been a kid, is to walk over to the local ice cream vendor on a scorching day and get a Tricone ice cream.

An undeniable fact is that one of my favorite reasons to go to India is family time. Whether I am hanging out with my cousins who live in India, ones who traveled with me from the states, or cousins who live on different continents who all visited India at the same time, I am having a blast. Those who haven’t been to India ask me if it is really as crowded and loud as it is portrayed to be, and my response is that I have a big family, so yes it is all of that and more! I have experienced big Indian weddings in America, but they definitely do not compare to the sheer size of the events in India; once, my family flocked and paraded through the streets of my maternal grandfather’s village as my cousin, the groom, rode through the entire town on a horse! Going to a village may not sound like an ideal vacation, but I find it so intriguing to see where my family has come from.

When thinking about India, it is so easy to get lost in thoughts of bright colors from festivals, but it is also one of the greenest and naturally peaceful places I have been to, especially during the monsoon season. It is amazing to see mountain goats, peacocks, monkeys, and elephants in the lush wild.

So yes, India is humid, cow-filled, and may cause my immune system some troubles, but it is also home to unforgettable memories of exploring such a rich culture.