Before I left for India I was unsure of what the streets would look like. Would they be dirty? Would there be people everywhere? I did not know what to expect.
I learned so much about Indian culture by simply looking out the car window. Each day we had about an hour drive to the school where we volunteered. During that hour, I saw an array of life. Not far from our apartment we passed a few apartment complexes where children were beginning their walk to school. We also saw a number of restaurants and small business that were preparing to open for the day. Next, we drove into the area of the city that had makeshift homes. For quite a few miles down the road people have used a variety of materials to create their homes.
The streets of New Delhi presents the country’s culture. In an hour car ride, I was able to learn so much about the culture. I enjoyed watching the people of New Delhi start their days.
At this point in the morning, most of the residents of these homes were up cooking, smoke rising from their dwellings. These homes on the side of the road were a mass of building materials, difficult to distinguish one from the other, yet colorful and vibrant. All the homes were accompanied by a clothesline with bright clothes hanging on them. The next part of our drive was filled with the sights of what is considered the “posh area” of New Delhi. In this area, one can buy high-end cars and more expensive furniture. As we neared the end of our morning drive, we reached a little town in which the streets were bustling. People were opening up their markets for the day, the cows were roaming the streets looking for the best place to eat, and piglets were scurrying.
The streets of New Delhi presents the country’s culture. In an hour car ride, I was able to learn so much about the culture. I enjoyed watching the people of New Delhi start their days. The streets were not dirty. They were filled with people in bright colored clothing, homes and personal items, and markets with brightly colored clothing and fruits and vegetables for sale. There were people everywhere but not in the way I expected. The people were waiting by the side of the road to catch the bus to work or to hop in a rickshaw. People were walking to work and peddlers were selling their wares at car windows.
The time I spent looking out the car window was time well spent. It gave me a better glimpse into the daily life of many different people and families living in New Delhi.