Visit India
Please kindly consider the educational route to India aimed at educating the students on cross-cultural influences in global cultures. India is a country of diverse cultures, religions, languages, and races. The identity of Indian people and the social structure of this country are nourished by the rich cultural heritage that is almost 5,000 years old. India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and it has turned into a country of contrasts with the rich history and its unique atmosphere.
India is home to hundreds of nations that speak different languages, lead different lifestyles, and worship different Gods and deities. Indians are racially heterogeneous, for instance, in the Himalayas their faces resemble the Mongoloid nation (Stein, 2010).
It is impossible to say what unites all these people, but in India, the concepts of peace (Shanti) and kind neighborly relations are part of the national idea. A trip would be a unique opportunity to show how cultures interact and how they have gradually penetrated each other while preserving their identity and showing mutual respect. The educational route to India will allow students to immerse in the atmosphere of the cross-cultural environment and provide them with valuable experience.
The trip to India will include different activities, visits to famous historical places, and one-day travel to Agra. During the first day of the journey, students will explore the culture of Delhi and visit the main attractions of the Old City such as the famous bright bazaars, narrow lanes, rickshaws, and sacred places. The group will visit the Jama Masjid mosque and the world-famous Red Fort. The goal of the first day activities is to present the key concepts of the Indian culture, which are Hinduism and the Traditional Caste system (Singh et al., 2015).
The Caste system divided people by social groups; however, Hinduism was able to unite them in a single culture. To understand the Indian culture, students need to realize the importance of religious beliefs and traditional attitudes that influence all parts of the life of this nation (Maude, 2011). The visit to Raj Ghat (the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi who is considered the father of the nation) is the culmination of the first day. The students will learn about the significance of this person and his contribution to the development of India and then share their opinions concerning the great Indian leader.
On the second day, the students will get an opportunity to do sightseeing in New Delhi, which is the cross-cultural masterpiece of Anglo-Indian architecture (Sripati, 2014). The India Gate, the magnificent Presidential Palace and the Houses of Parliament would be the main destinations.
Students will learn about crucial historical events that have influenced the development of this country and will be assigned a task to reflect on how the historical background has influenced the national identification of Indian people (Maude, 2011). After that, the students will get a chance to walk around and visit the Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In the evening, the students can stroll through the city center and go to the Handicraft Emporium to explore the joint folk art collected from the multicultural masters of India.
On the third day, the students will take a tour to Agra via Shatabdi Express. The goal of this tour is to visit the world-famous Taj Mahal. It combines the elements of Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is called the pearl of Islamic art in India. It is one of the masterpieces of the Indian heritage that is admired all over the world (Sripati, 2014).
During the visit, students will have to take notes and photos, as later they will need to share their opinions concerning this place and its relevance. Also, students will have to explain what its cross-cultural influence was. Further, students will visit the Kinari Bazar, where every street is dedicated to a specific type of commodity or service (Stein, 2010). The last step to cognizing the Indian culture will be attending a workshop of marble carving, which is a unique opportunity to observe the work of artists whose skills have been passed over thousands of years from ancestors to future generations yet to come.
The goal of this trip is to show students how multiple cultures, religions, and races have mixed but remained unique at the same time. It should be noted that the best way to learn something is by experiencing it. By plunging into the diverse culture, students will realize that India was central to cross-cultural exchanges due to its historical background and geographic positioning.
This travel will be very useful in terms of multicultural teamwork as well. At present, society is becoming more international, and the working teams are comprised of different nationalities. Subsequently, students should learn to deal with diverse nations, races, and so on; but it would be impossible without due respect and understanding. Cross-cultural competence is a skill that should be gained and practiced in real-life situations rather than in theory.
The trip to India will provide insights into the way cross-cultural communication can be effective and multiple cultures can contribute to the development of the country. Further, communication style and approach to one culture will not necessarily be effective with another one. The differences often imply miscommunication and lead to tension within a multicultural team. Thus, the knowledge of key cultural components and awareness of personal skills that one should develop to be a fully functional member of society are topical for all the students.
References
Maude, B. (2011). Managing cross-cultural communication. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Singh, S., Benanav, M., Blasi, A., Clammer, P., Elliott, M., Harding, P., … Raub, K. (2015). Lonely planet India. Melbourne, Australia: Lonely Planet.
Sripati, C. (2014). Indian heritage quiz: 500 rare questions and answers. Singapore, India: Partridge Publishing.
Stein, B. (2010). A history of India. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.