Having read Kipling ’ s descriptions of how the government of the British Raj would relocate to the hills to escape the summer heat , it was interesting to visit Shimla and to realize that those hills he wrote about are actually the foothills of the Himalayas . We visited religious sites including Hindu temples , Islamic mosques , a Christian church , and Sikh temples with their amazing langar halls where volunteers work in huge kitchens to prepare food to feed anyone who seeks it . Many of the poor walk long distances every day to come to eat , benefiting from the principle of charity which is part of Sikhism .
We were treated very well by everyone we met . The school authorities took good care of us , providing housing , a maid , a driver , and food . They also arranged trips for us to see more of the country , always ensuring that we had an English-speaking guide . One of the teachers prepared special food for us with milder seasoning than usual so that we could enjoy some of the regional culinary specialties . Another invited us to her home to have tea with her parents and then took us to visit an outdoor bazaar where the activity , colours , scents , and sounds were overwhelming . Another invited us to experience
Diwali with her family so that we would understand the significance of this festival to Hindus , that it is not just all about fireworks . The board chair purchased new apparel for us for this occasion since it is the custom to wear something new .
We formed real friendships , and there were many tears on both sides when it was time for us to leave .
Perhaps the greatest thing that we learned while we lived there was an appreciation of how immigrants feel when they arrive in a new country . Even though we were excited to be in India , some things were difficult — adjusting to the climate , being so far from family , being unable to communicate well in the language , coping with bureaucracy , learning to understand cultural norms , and just trying to fit in . Through this all , people were unfailingly kind and eager to assist us . Now that we are back home in Canada , we are resolved to do everything we can to make life easier for any immigrants to Canada whom we encounter because we have some understanding of what they are experiencing . We learned so much , having walked their path .
Before retirement , Deb Gerow worked for Elk Island Public Schools for twenty-nine years as a teacher and school principal . Deb and her husband enjoy country life on an acreage in Strathcona County near the tiny hamlet of Josephburg .
Visiting the Taj Mahal news & views SPRING 2021 | 27