UCFV - Centre for Indo Canadian Studies and Research
INDIA STUDY TOUR 2008 - PART 2




It was with great pleasure that I was able to finally sit down with someone I've heard nothing but wonderful things about - Satwinder Bains, Director of the Indo Canadian Studies Centre at UCFV. It was perfect timing since she recently came back from the UCFV India Study Tour with a class of 20 students. When speaking about the class trip to India, it is obvious that Satwinder is very passionate her involvement with UCFV and the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies. The same passion and thirst for knowledge resonates in her students as well.

What is the main objective behind the UCFV India Study Tour?
The Study Tour allows us to introduce India in an experiential way to the students. This gives them a more realistic perspective on India, different from what they read in books and see in the media. The trip was also an opportunity to unite our students with the UCFV students based in Chandigarh.

Tell me more about the UCFV campus in Chandigarh and how did the introduction go?
There are approximately 46 students enrolled in the UCFV BBA program in Chandigarh. They arranged a formal joint event to get to know each other and it was very successful.

How is the UCFV BBA program in Chandigarh vs. the program at UCFV in Canada?
The beauty of our program in Chandigarh is it allows the students who study there to have the option of coming to Canada and study at our campus in Abbottsford for a year and vice versa. Our students are entitled to the same privileges. The curriculum being taught is the same, therefore, students who graduate in India, can easily come to Canada and be given the same level of credentials as a student that graduates from here (Canada). This way, they can easily gain employment whichever place they choose to reside.

What was the best part/worst part of the trip?
I wouldn't say there was a "best" or "worst" per say. I think the entire experience was an eye-opener for the students and they learned about the true essence of India just by observing the people. We witnessed Indian children living in the slums oblivious to the face they're living in extreme poverty. It was interesting to see other children going to school dressed in uniforms. Our students were open to learning about India in every way and welcomed each aspect with open arms.

An interesting aspect of the lifestyle in India is the notion of Indian Standard Time. It's a very laissez-faire mentality over there - they are not ruled by time. This is something we had to adjust to, since here in Canada, time is of the essence and we are very rigid with following schedules. I think we need to become more flexible and not let time rule us.

We visited 6 cities (New Delhi, Agra, Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Shimla and Amritsar) and experienced India to the fullest!

I had the privilege to meet one of the students who accompanied Satwinder on the trip to India. Nicole Mackereth, an ambitious 2nd year History Major student (Minor in Geography), was very enthusiastic to share her thoughts on her experiences in India.




What was your motivation to go on the India Study Tour?
I heard great things about this program (with the UCFV Centre for Indo Canadian Studies) and have an interest in International Relations/Politics. I'm thinking of pursuing a career in this area and am interested in experiencing different countries and cultures.

 

What did you like most about your trip?
My experiences in each of the cities were very different - each has its own story. I found New Delhi to be the most "open" and advanced out of all of them. It was obvious the people there are forward-thinking individuals who "see beyond" the stereotypes given to Indians around the world. In Northern India, I found a gap between what you read in books and what actually exists. The poor of the poor live in India but in the same token, you also see very successful, professional people. It goes from one extreme to another.

I guess the image that most people have of India is that it's a third world country, when in actuality, India has a lot of potential and is self-sustainable. They are rising above. I would say I now have a broader view of what India is all about.

 

What was the worst part?
Gendar inequality. It's very prevalent in some parts of India. For example, I felt very uncomfortable by the men openly staring. I understand I'm a tourist but it was almost as though these men hadn't seen a woman before! I came to realize that there were more men outside, in the roads, commuting and not very many women. So, for women to be out and about outside the home, was not the norm.

What sparked your interest about this course?
I grew up around a lot of Indo-Canadians in Abbottsford and I wanted to gain knowledge on how to relate to this community. I want to travel to many countries and experience many cultures, hence my interest in International Relations. I haven't quite decided what I'd like to do yet but this course allowed me to experience India in a way that can potentially open doors to many potential opportunities for me. This course is the reason why I stay at UCFV!!

 

 

Meeting with Satwinder and Nicole to discuss the India Study Tour was truly inspiring. From my perspective, I'm ecstatic that we finally have a course/program that can offer these types of experiential learning to our students. It is no surprise that the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies is successfully taking cultural education to another level and making a mark in academia as well as in the community. Out of the 20 students that went on the Study Tour, only 3 of them were of South Asian descent. This shows that everyone is interested in what India has to offer and there are no limits when it comes to methods of learning.

For more information on this program visit: www.ucfv.ca/cics.htm

Satwinder Bains (Ms.)
Director
Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies
University College of the Fraser Valley
33844 King Road
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
V2S 7M8

Telephone: 604-854-4547
Toll-free: 1-888-504-7441 (local 4547)
Fax: 604-855-7558
Email: satwinder.bains@ucfv.ca