Things to Bring to India
- Patience
- Clothes that can get dirty
- Birkenstocks or good sandals
- A sense of humor
- Granola Bars
- Added bonus rain coat of umbrella

Things to Eat in India
- Mango
- Dosa
- Chai
- Kulfi pops
- Biriyani

Things to avoid in India
- Scams
- Street food if your American and have a weak stomach
- Mosquitos
- Bangalore rush hour traffic
- Overnight buses

Things to try: experiences
- Taking the Train
- Henna
- Shopping at a market, especially fruit
- Touching an Elephant- I know this is basic, but so fun!
- Go to the movie theater

Things to help with homesickness
- See a movie
- Listen to American music
- Call your family
- Talk to the people around you
- Eat a mango

Things not to bring to India
- High Expectations
- Tank tops and shorts – I bought 5 tank top I don’t know why
- Heavy cloths
- Anything you would be really sad to loose
- To much lugange if your gonna take a domestic flight because you might have to pay $60

Things to expect in India
- Having a hard time communicating
- Getting ripped of when buying things
- Very kind generous co workers
- Trash on the streets
- Delays and inefficiencies

Advice for next years interns
- Be patient, getting annoyed does not make things anymore efficient
- Try as many new foods as you can you will never know what will surprise you
- Take lots of pics so that you can remember
- Try to workout even if it is just in your apartment it will help keep you sane
- Bring LOTS of granola bars

Best fruits in India
- MANGO
- Pomegranate
- Coconut
- Watermelon
- Jackfruit- not as good but worth a try

Best forms of transportation
- Autorickshaw
- Uber
- Airplane
- Train
- Overnight bus (wouldn’t recommend)

Best gifts from India
- Scarves
- Incense
- Snacks
- Jewelry
- Cool Journals

Things I learned in India
- I have so much stuff (Material goods, resources, opportunities)
- I am lucky to be a women in the USA
- It’s incredible how much you can communicate when you have to, even with a language barrier. It is also incredible despite this how frustrating a language Barrier Can be.
- Patience is key. Things will get done even if it is not always the most efficient way.
- Meet people where they are. You might not understand a culture, but you can’t just walk in a change it completely. Humans have empathy and a great ability to adapt. You will be better able to connect with people, maintain your sanity, and have an impact if you accept people and a culture as it is.

People I am thankful for in India
- Laura for being such a great coordinator
- My cointerns for keeping me company and being patient
- Chitra for helping organise our shahi experience
- The entire GBL and OD teams for all their help on our projects and being kind and welcoming
- My parents for listening to me complain
