What makes you think of India?
I personally thought of elephants and Sarees (or saris) .
While being in India I have not seen any elephants, but what I have seen is sarees EVERYWHERE.
Something I would like to say is, the people of India know how to wear colors well. So many bright and beautiful colors. My teammates fell in love with sarees and desperately wanted to get one of their own.
Me being me, I was hesitant to say yes to something so colorful and dress like.
We go through 3 days of learning about the culture of India and then we get on a train headed to our next stop for most of the month. 14 hours later, we get picked up and are very tired.
We end up on the beach of all places, in India!
So peaceful and calm, something me and my teammates weren’t expecting from India.
Loud city’s and tons of people were all we imagined.
Close to the end of our time there our Indian mom this month, asks us if we want to go shopping for sarees.
Of course everyone is more than excited, and say yes. I’m over here still thinking of saying no but went anyway to be polite.
The next day we all pile into a small vehicle to go into town. We pull up to a huge building and walk in…
A/C, SWEET A/C. In that moment it was all worth it. The whole drive there in the hot sun- worth it. Then my eyes adjust to the insides of this building. “I have made a gaint mistake by coming.” – my mind is starting to freak out.
Walls from top to bottom covered in bright fabric, men everywhere behind counters helping customers. It felt like the whole place stopped to watch us walk in. Every head turned and every eye on us. Our Indian mom walks in and starts up stairs as if nothing is happening.
4 stories high this mall like building was just for clothing and jewelry for men and women. I have never felt so overwhelmed in my life. So many colors and designs my head hurt just by looking at it all.
We get taken back to the first floor and put in front of a counter. Where men behind the counter start opening fabrics and box’s reveling what’s inside. You guessed it more fabric. Not even 5 mins later mountians of fabric is on this counter with more coming.
The girls on my team going through each one reacting and pulling out the ones they like.
Time to choose. It was amazing to watch it all happen. These people do their jobs well that’s for sure.
Up until this point I had hidden myself pretty well behind the mountains of fabrics, until the other girls had their sarees picked. Then our Indian mom saw me… with no Saree in hand she rushes over to the counter and pulls one out puts it in my arms and says “supper!!” while smiling and noding. We go through the next processes faster than the first.
I’m in shock, not sure what is happening. Holding fabric I feel obligated to buy, but very much confused as to why. Everyone on my team giggles and is being supportive of the situation I have now found myself in.
I walked out of that store with a bright neon, sparkly Pink Saree. Complete with a pink flowery top to match.
Who the hell am I? The world race man, it’ll mess you up.
A few days later we tried them on for the first time. I have never been a big fan of trying on clothes but I’ve always been picky about what I wear.
You know the growing pains you get when you’re a kid? Well I felt internal growing pains when wearing a tight fitting, long, neon pink Saree for the first time.
I have never felt so unfamiliar with my own self than in that moment. Like somehow what I was wearing made me question who I was.
Holy crap clothes have power.
I can tell you all with confidence I won’t be wearing a Saree just for fun in the states (partly because of how freaking complicated the thing is to put on) but I have found myself exploring deeper into myself then I ever thought or wanted to. All because of a neon pink, long, sparkly piece of fabric.
Welcome to India.
