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Maven Boddy at the Taj Mahal

A store selling colourful powders for the art of rangoli, intricate traditional floor designs

The Western Ghats mountain range along India's west coast

Tea plantation in the mountains

Pancha Rathas, a series of five rock temples in Mahabalipuram

Maven balancing on one leg atop a stone pillar

India is a land of striking contradictions. It seamlessly blends towering urban sprawl with pockets of untouched nature. It likely conjures an image of crowded streets where the air hums with the ever-present symphony of traffic and chatter. Steps away from the city, you’ll find yourself surrounded by emerald green rice paddies, coconut farms and verdant forests abundant with wildlife. 

Although India wasn’t on Maven Boddy’s bucket list, she was encouraged to apply for the India Study Tour after hearing good things about it. She majored in economics at Augustana campus, and while intrigued, she had never thought she’d get the chance to study abroad. Maven’s undying passion for adventuring in the outdoors is perhaps what led her to look for adventure in another corner of the world. 

Nothing could have truly prepared her for the culture shock. From the minute she stepped off the plane, shock seemed to take on a ripple effect. From jam-packed streets and ceaseless honking to animals and people alike crossing the road without warning, Maven was overwhelmed with novelty within her first hour of arriving in India. She had no choice but to get used to the organized chaos of the city, but as they ventured out into smaller towns and villages, the noise began to fade. 

“One of the most shocking things was the disparity between wealth. It's just very tangible to see a mansion next to miles and miles of slums. I have a million highlights — the food was amazing, but yeah, culture shock is real.”

They spent three weeks travelling around the country and Maven got to know her classmates on buses, trains and cars. Beyond sightseeing, namely the Taj Mahal, they spent their time focusing on two disciplines in the context of India: economics and religion. They toured several educational institutions, interacting with local students and absorbing their perspectives of India. 

“After getting to talk to some of the people who were in undergraduate programs like me, they have so much hope for the future of India, they're very aware of the pollution and the challenges that the country as a whole is facing.”

Maven’s favourite part of the trip was the time they spent in Kerala, in southwestern India.

“It is absolutely gorgeous. There's some of the most spectacular nature that you'll ever see with vast expanses of mountain ranges and tea gardens and it felt more like home with less people, noise and pollution.”

They drove through tea plantations, the vibrant gradient of green lingering in her mind long after she closed her eyes. As she paddled through secluded lakes by boat, surrounded by the thick growth of lily pads and the occasional blossoming of pink, Maven felt like she was in her own little world. 

“We got to see some of the local farmers and this women’s farming cooperative, it's a whole community of women that farm together and then they sell their produce on a larger scale. That was probably one of the coolest parts of the whole trip — getting to meet all these really forward-thinking women supporting each other.”

Maven’s unique perspective, shaped by her first-hand experiences with Indian life and culture, continues to benefit her to this day, thousands of kilometres away. Now the tourism and marketing coordinator for the City of Camrose, she brings a fresh outlook to conversations surrounding investment attraction when recruiting companies from Asia. “I think that’s a really tangible way of how travelling there has led me to have more compassion and more understanding of other cultures.”

Despite the uncomfortable start to her journey, India left a lasting mark on Maven, allowing her to appreciate the culture for the people who practice it.