India. I cannot get India out of my mind. At night, I lie awake thinking about my Indian adventure. While there, I experienced moments where differences in language and culture lifted, and where India felt like home.

My adventure awakened me to the world’s diversity. India remains under my skin.

After I graduated from Wittenberg in 1988, I considered joining the Peace Corps, but 10 years would pass before I finally worked up the nerve to do what I’ve always wanted to do: help people and explore other cultures.

I quit my job as a professional liability analyst at Loyola University Medical Center and prepared for my journey. Some thought I was crazy; most encouraged me to go for it.

I joined a non-profit volunteer program called Cross-Cultural Solutions, which provides short-term stays abroad.

As a volunteer, I would be immersed in the Indian culture by working with members of the community, and I would be given an opportunity to explore the country for three months. I arrived in New Delhi, India on May 1999.

The heat was oppressive, and the air was extremely dirty. The next day, I met my volunteer group: 12 people aged 19 to 75 mainly from America.

After orientation, we ventured to Rhajgar, a village in the Himalayas to teach preschool children English for a month. When I saw the one-room preschool with no running water, electricity or windows, I was stunned.

Flies swarmed around the children, which made my heart sink. Yet, the children, who taught me songs and dances, were some of the brightest and happiest children I had ever encountered. As they learned, I learned with them.

I learned that extended families living together are the norm in India. Marriages are arranged, and divorce is uncommon. However, most women refrain from complaining if they are unhappy.

Another issue is the dowry that the women’s families provide. I had heard about the woman’s dowry, but did not understand the significance of it until I traveled to India.

Some women are beaten because their dowry is not good enough, and many girls are considered a family burden because of their need to provide a dowry when they marry.

Parents may feed their daughters less and limit their education. I thought it was awful. Fortunately, in urban areas, the tradition seems to be changing.

Young people can choose their own mates, and the pressure to provide a significant dowry appears to be less. Although I developed a sincere love for India, I still found the environmental destruction and treatment of women intolerable.

Indians suffer from abject poverty, illness and illiteracy, and overpopulation is one of India’s greatest challenges.

Still, as India is a birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism and spiritual people, I could not resist feeling a connection and deep spirituality, which made me feel closer to the people and the country.

After volunteering in Rhajgar, I traveled in northern India and Nepal for six weeks. I started in Dharamsala, the home of exiled Tibetans and the Dalia Lama.

I learned about Buddhism and the Tibetans who attempt to reach India from their Chinese-controlled country. While I was there, I taught Tibetan refugees English and hiked a beautiful mountain range in the breathtaking Himalayas.

Nepal was another fascinating country. My base was the capital, Katmandu, and there I found the people warm and engaging. I spent two days rafting the Trisuli River, and then headed to Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India.

Hindus bathe in the Ganges River to wash away sins. A dawn boat ride on the quiet waters of the Ganges still remains a prominent image in my mind. Then there was the Taj Mahal.

I sat for an hour staring at the beautiful monument built for love, and I listened to the myths about the temple. A thousand pages could not sum up one of the greatest experiences of my life.

There, I made friends and saw some of the most beautiful sights in the world. India broadened my life and my awareness of the world beyond American borders.

Because of India, I feel that I have become a more responsible global citizen who is informed about issues confronting other parts of the world.

I learned about the lives of people of another culture and the issues they face such as poverty, hunger, illiteracy and innumerable others. I also found that the images the media portray are often far from reality in developing countries.

Thanks to my Indian journey, I have also changed careers. No longer am I a liability analyst.

Now I am working on political campaigns for candidates who share my views, and I am trying to bring people closer to an international understanding and to make our global community a better place.

Yes, India changed me forever, and for that opportunity, I am grateful.
— Elizabeth Prakel ’88

Prakel graduated from Wittenberg with B.A. in political science. She now lives in Chicago but travels extensively to work on political campaigns. She has recently started a political consulting firm with a colleague from the Bill Bradley campaign.