Welcome to Ahmedabad

We awoke at 3am for our 6am flight, and landed in Ahmedabad two hours later. The drive to the National Institute of Design (NID) was arresting. The streets were much narrower, without even the pretense of painted lanes. Wandering cows stopped traffic intermittently as enormous camels towed carts of goods alongside cars. Scruffy dogs- many with open wounds and missing ears- scavenged for trash. Begging children, their stomachs bloated with hunger, followed us, sticking their scrawny arms into our car every time we stopped. The pollution was like a thick, hazy blanket that blurs the sun.

Large billboards and the polished storefronts of stores like Nike, Levi’s, and various jewelers contrasted such images of poverty, as did the gorgeous saris of female pedestrians. The lush foliage and sultry subcontinental air gave the city a pulsing, tropical vibe.

NID is different than I had pictured. This is to be expected, of course, since I have had nothing more than our friend Nikhil’s descriptions to go on. However different, it is just as beautiful as he described. The campus is like a haven in the city, removed from the bustle of everyday life. Manicured gardens and courtyards separate the studios and classrooms. The animals are magical. The snails are the size of my fist and I think the wingspan of the black birds is probably more than five feet. Peacocks roam free, as do mother gray monkeys and their babies. White and golden cats strut as they please, despite their reputation of bringing bad luck.

There is an eatery on campus- the canteen. It serves three meals a day for 30 rupees (75 cents) a piece. I am already missing fresh raw food but am content with the spicy deliciousness of Indian cuisine. We ate at the canteen before getting a tour of the campus. Alexander was introduced to many professors, least of not someone who is in the textile department. Everyone seems friendly and helpful although eating dinner in the canteen reminded me of being a lonely middle-schooler at the cafeteria.