Shivani's Exciting Summer Travels!

Hello again! We're back this week with another edition of Guest Blog Posts! This time, we'll introduce a fellow Lute, Shivani, who just returned from her Summer break back home in India. Shivani recalls her experiences below:

Hi everyone, I am Shivani Muthyam. I am currently a senior at PLU. I am majoring in Business administration with a focus in finance and I am from India. I came to the United States in the year 2014 and I have been living in Washington State for the last three years now.

In the summer of 2017, I had to visit India for family reasons. It has been a very long time since I last visited home. Staying abroad for a considerable amount of time made me see my home in a very different perspective. I was perplexed, as I was subconsciously juxtaposing everyday norms, practices, and expressions of the two different cultures. When I reached India, I still remember how excited I was to meet my family at the airport. I stepped out the airport and gazed the city and realized that the city I grew up has been extremely changed. I saw what I didn't see before; Huge buildings, more automobiles, and people glued to smartphones, but it was reassuring to see the heart and spirit of the city remain the same.

Furthermore, I was able to relinquish the homemade Indian cuisines. I had a chance to travel Kerala. It is a state which located in southern part of the India and it is three hours away from my hometown. Kerala is also known as Devakulam, which means “God's own place”. It is the home of ancient Temples and scenic beauty. I had a chance to explore few of them. It is strange that I never actually traveled most of the India yet I traveled countries outside the Indian subcontinent. When I traveled to Munnar a city in Kerala I was flabbergasted by the effortless scenic beauty of the hill stations. The palm trees and the backwater boat rides added allure to the city’s grandiosity!

Moreover, the place is known for its historic splendor and traditions. It was amazing to see dancers perform an ancient dance form called "Kathakali" originating some 1500 years ago. It is also believed that the world's oldest martial art known as “kalaripayattu” is widely practiced in this place.

Finally, I had a chance to visit a coastal town called Kanya Kumari which is located on southern tip of peninsular India. In KanyaKumari, there is a place known as Triveni sangamam where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet together. The transparent and clear water, surrounded by the ocean breeze was the ultimate moment of the trip.

I have to admit it, even now when I close my eyes, the nostalgic scent of the tepid raindrops and the sound of the water diverging front the shores of the Kanyakumari still haunts me.

In conclusion, although it was just a short trip it was an experience to cherish. Experiencing the vibrant culture and the misty hazy hilltop view of the hill station was best. The trip was a huge stress breaker, and a perfect trip to rejuvenate my mind.

Soon after, this wonderful trip I returned back to Washington for fall semester feeling better than ever.