“Joyful, insightful and unforgettable!” These are the words that come to my mind when thinking back to the EDS272 'Development Challenges in Rural India' course.
Setting of the field course
This field course took place in the city of Udaipur, in the province of Rajasthan, India and lasted for one month. It gave me, as a Master’s student in Global Development, and 24 other students from many different study areas, including International Environment and Development Studies, International Relations, Landscape Architecture and Public Health the opportunity to travel to India. We listened to lectures that were carried out around Udaipur by subject experts, which provided an opportunity to gain practical insights into the real-life issues related to themes such as livelihood, gender, education, health or landscape.
Gaining hands-on research skills
The highlight for me was experiencing research on the ground by carrying out a short qualitative research project in the field. With guidance and support from two highly experienced professors/researchers, in small groups, we designed our own research agenda and collected data by staying in a rural village outside of Udaipur. My group, for example, tried to investigate the extent of agency that different social groups hold in local governance, focusing on how caste, gender and other social factors influence participation and access to resources. It aimed to identify marginalized groups, understand barriers to their active involvement and explore how participants experience their ability to influence decisions in these local meetings.
Due to time constraints, we only had five days to apply the methods in the field, but it was enough time to gain hands-on experience, cultural insights and practical skills that brought academic knowledge into a real-world context that goes far beyond reading academic papers.
Exploring Udaipur
Despite the schedule being very intense, we also had some free time to explore the surroundings like normal tourists or to just enjoy each other’s company by playing cards, getting smoothies from nearby or watching movies. One unforgettable moment was New Year’s Eve. Being far from home, surrounded by new people and experiencing a completely different way of celebrating made it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Accommodation
In terms of accommodation, I actually liked the fact of living in a very humble way and sharing the room with eleven other girls I had never met before. It is a situation where a diverse set of people come together and by being surrounded by each other 24/7, I got to know them very quickly and formed great new connections.
Challenges
But of course, the course comes along with many challenges that some of us underestimated. Finding personal time was limited, adjusting to unfamiliar standards could be difficult and the local food—though generally enjoyable—was repetitive and very different from what we were used to. Illness or food poisoning is also not uncommon in these circumstances. But in my opinion, these are just reality checks that are highly important in life. They remind us to be grateful for what we have at home, to recognize how privileged we are and to truly appreciate life without taking it for granted.
Takeaway
Overall, the program was an invaluable experience, both academically and personally. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me practical research skills and gave me memories that will stay with me forever.