I am officially WAFA certified! Since my last post, we made a visit to the hospital to do a quick check-in on our health. All of us Americans didn’t know our blood type… so now I can say I discovered my blood type in India. It was yet another exposure to everyday life in this country, and it was interesting to compare how hospitals function here versus in the US. I got my blood pressure taken right in the lobby and found out a clinical visit typically costs less than $1 USD! We finished the WAFA course today, participated in more scenarios, learned various ways to pick up my peers, and took the final exam. On paper, I am now fully prepared to trek 10 days in the Himalayas!
While being here, I have been exposed to different parts of Mussoorie and how locals live. I think, in general, it is hard for me to adjust to cultural norms because I am very clearly American, and at this point, I have just accepted that I need to embrace the fact that I stick out like a sore thumb here. The biggest cultural norm I personally have confronted is the sense of normalcy and authenticity here. No one tries to hide themselves or their lives. Everyone presents themselves just as they are. Driving by homes and going into stores, I noticed personal belongings out, half-constructed buildings, laundry visible to the public, families lounging together during work hours, and so much more. To be super honest, initially, I wasn’t sure how to feel. The scenes weren’t as luxurious as life back in the United States, which I am used to seeing. But I eventually came to the understanding that this is simply just their way of life. It works for them, many of the locals I came in contact with were polite, helpful, and had smiles on their faces. I appreciated seeing a different form of functioning society and opening my eyes to the notion that there are multiple different ways to live life. The underlying layer of authenticity also really spoke to me. Unfortunately, in the US, we are used to seeing everyone’s “fake” lives, as many tend to value how we are perceived based on social media and other altered versions of our lives and show our best versions of ourselves all the time. I don’t sense any of that here, which is so refreshing. There is no desire to be perceived a certain way; everyone just presents themselves as they are.
After spending so much time with a group of unique leaders, I definitely believe that leaders follow others just as much as they lead others. A true leader does not need to take charge all the time, and it is important to understand the processes that followers go through to better recognize how their team functions. If a leader is always in charge, they will never be able to learn and grow further.
The trek is officially less than 2 days away, and this is my last blog before I fall off the face of the earth for 10 days and lose myself in the mountains.I am starting to get anxious about how not anxious I am, and I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing. Ultimately, I did this program to gain a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this. So I know what I signed up for, and I am excited to see what will come out of this for myself and my team. I hope we all are able to continue displaying healthy communication skills, handle conflict in a productive way, and strengthen our teamwork. I can’t wait to see the experiences, growth, and changes I will discuss in my next blog!
