Comments on: India, Poverty, And The Fear Of Traveling To Poor Places http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/ study abroad programs Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:56:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: BALAJI SESHAN http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-8242 BALAJI SESHAN Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:56:28 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-8242 You have done a wonderful job sharing your experience about India. Your love towards the nation is incomparable. Visiting India is just not a mere tour. It is Experience in life, it is Education, it is awakening of Soul and realizing the Truth.... Once again thanks for your continuous trips and Love on this Vibrant Land.... You have done a wonderful job sharing your experience about India. Your love towards the nation is incomparable.

Visiting India is just not a mere tour. It is Experience in life, it is Education, it is awakening of Soul and realizing the Truth….

Once again thanks for your continuous trips and Love on this Vibrant Land….

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]]> By: Ryn http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-6240 Ryn Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:14:47 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-6240 I've only been abroad once to Italy 3 years ago and now that I'm graduating from college I've been waiting to see what IS in this world. "If you go to India after all, you may find that it is the joy that hurts, not the misery." Well spoken. I’ve only been abroad once to Italy 3 years ago and now that I’m graduating from college I’ve been waiting to see what IS in this world. “If you go to India after all, you may find that it is the joy that hurts, not the misery.” Well spoken.

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]]> By: Vibhu http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5748 Vibhu Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:31:17 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5748 Great article and very true that it is filthy and dirty but there are people who can teach us how to live happily without having money. Great article and very true that it is filthy and dirty but there are people who can teach us how to live happily without having money.

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]]> By: Lilia http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5619 Lilia Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:21:54 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5619 I live in the Philippines and I've had the same "I don't want go because it's poor area" kind of attitude before I went on a required immersion trip to a poor mountain area with minority groups. I wasn't open to the idea because I was so used to the comforts of my own home. I didn't want to leave that comfort, but it was either to do it or to fail my course. I'm glad I did it. It was the most humbling experience I've ever had in my short-lived life and I would gladly do it again. The people I met and the experiences that I've gained is truly worthwhile. I live in the Philippines and I’ve had the same “I don’t want go because it’s poor area” kind of attitude before I went on a required immersion trip to a poor mountain area with minority groups. I wasn’t open to the idea because I was so used to the comforts of my own home. I didn’t want to leave that comfort, but it was either to do it or to fail my course. I’m glad I did it. It was the most humbling experience I’ve ever had in my short-lived life and I would gladly do it again. The people I met and the experiences that I’ve gained is truly worthwhile.

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]]> By: Shreya http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5607 Shreya Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:56:10 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5607 I am so humbled by your writing. Thank you, thank you for writing this. And I say this less as an Indian, and more as a traveller. I am so humbled by your writing. Thank you, thank you for writing this. And I say this less as an Indian, and more as a traveller.

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]]> By: Dave and Deb http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5494 Dave and Deb Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:45:45 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5494 Wow, a beautifully written, raw and honest post. We have just left India or a break. We will be going back in one month while we recharge in Sri Lanka. At times we loved India and at times we hated it. Your article makes me rethink my opinions of it near the end of our two months there. I couldn't get passed the filth and disgust. But I remember talking to my husband Dave about this and we took note that we can leave any time we want to. The people that live there, don't have a choice. They have to live like that everyday and it is heartbreaking. We met some incredible people in India and some not so incredible. But we are looking forward to going back. We are lucky. We have the opportunity to leave for awhile when things get tough. Our problem is that we stayed on the well beaten tourist path I think. When we go back, we will be through all of that stuff and on to more exciting destinations where we will be able to meet real people and not only the people that are only out to make a buck off of the tourists. Wow, a beautifully written, raw and honest post. We have just left India or a break. We will be going back in one month while we recharge in Sri Lanka. At times we loved India and at times we hated it. Your article makes me rethink my opinions of it near the end of our two months there.
I couldn’t get passed the filth and disgust. But I remember talking to my husband Dave about this and we took note that we can leave any time we want to. The people that live there, don’t have a choice. They have to live like that everyday and it is heartbreaking.
We met some incredible people in India and some not so incredible. But we are looking forward to going back. We are lucky. We have the opportunity to leave for awhile when things get tough.
Our problem is that we stayed on the well beaten tourist path I think. When we go back, we will be through all of that stuff and on to more exciting destinations where we will be able to meet real people and not only the people that are only out to make a buck off of the tourists.

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]]> By: Heather Carreiro http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5480 Heather Carreiro Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:42:59 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5480 Great piece. It can be overwhelming to think of the big picture. Great piece. It can be overwhelming to think of the big picture.

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]]> By: Rob http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5458 Rob Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:29:12 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5458 Why is it that you can't change the world? I don't think your giving enough credit to yourself or the individual. I hope to God that if I ever go to India that it's not just my life that's changed because of it. Why is it that you can’t change the world? I don’t think your giving enough credit to yourself or the individual. I hope to God that if I ever go to India that it’s not just my life that’s changed because of it.

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]]> By: Mariellen Ward http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5400 Mariellen Ward Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:00:49 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5400 Thanks for comments, everyone. I really appreciate that you took the time to read this article and comment thoughtfully. I feel it shows that "global consciousness' is really increasing. To answer your point, Amanda, I have volunteered in India (I spent a month in Dharamsala working as an art therapist with Tibetan refugee children -- you can read about my experiences here on my friend's blog: http://theplanetd.com/giving-back-in-india-with-art-refuge). I loved the volunteer experience and I will probably do it again, but I am a writer, and I feel I can do my part best through my writing. Everyone has different and unique gifts to offer, and I think the best thing you can do for yourself and the planet is to find out what YOURs is, and do it. Cheers, Mariellen Thanks for comments, everyone. I really appreciate that you took the time to read this article and comment thoughtfully. I feel it shows that “global consciousness’ is really increasing.

To answer your point, Amanda, I have volunteered in India (I spent a month in Dharamsala working as an art therapist with Tibetan refugee children — you can read about my experiences here on my friend’s blog: http://theplanetd.com/giving-back-in-india-with-art-refuge).

I loved the volunteer experience and I will probably do it again, but I am a writer, and I feel I can do my part best through my writing. Everyone has different and unique gifts to offer, and I think the best thing you can do for yourself and the planet is to find out what YOURs is, and do it.

Cheers, Mariellen

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]]> By: Amanda http://matadorabroad.com/india-poverty-and-the-fear-of-traveling-to-poor-places/comment-page-1/#comment-5398 Amanda Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:32:40 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2996#comment-5398 I hope you are not simply ignoring the problems of poverty. You go to India, stay is ashrams, take rickshaws and allow the experience to change your perspective.. but what about doing a little something to change someone's life? It seems India has given you so much, what have you given back to her? It doesn't have to be career or lifetime commitment, but I hope travelers do something that at least temporarily aids someone else's life. Not just in India or developing countries, but all places you travel and live, including home. I hope you are not simply ignoring the problems of poverty. You go to India, stay is ashrams, take rickshaws and allow the experience to change your perspective.. but what about doing a little something to change someone’s life? It seems India has given you so much, what have you given back to her? It doesn’t have to be career or lifetime commitment, but I hope travelers do something that at least temporarily aids someone else’s life. Not just in India or developing countries, but all places you travel and live, including home.

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