Darjeeling

In late August I traveled from Providence-Delhi, and after a a few days of Fulbright orientation I made it to Darjeeling. I'll be here in Darjeeling for 6.5 months of my fellowship, so I was excited when I realized the city is complete with a zoo (with a red panda breeding program), bakery, mall, movie theatre, yoga studio, zumba studio and most importantly momos.

While exploring the town, I settled into a boujee apartment in upper Darjeeling. The apartment is adorned with potted plants and the caretaker is a friendly auntie that greets me with a smile. Across the street, there are several subji wallas (street vendors that also sell vegetables, among other things). The street is named after one of the most famous Indian musicians, Zakir Hussain. Up the street, you can see Mt. Kanchenjunga and even Mt. Everest (the 3rd and 1st tallest mountains in the world) on a clear day.

My nine-to-five is a short 10 minute walk from my apartment. The organization I work for, ATREE (the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment), is an NGO that focuses on environmental implementation in the Eastern Himalayas. My research focuses on three different issues: human and wildlife conflict, perceptions of climate change, and environmental science and policy. So far, I have been working with my officemates and ATREE's field team in order to write a literature review and prepare for the field.

My officemates have also helped me get adjusted to Darjeeling. During the first week, they brought me to the foreign registration office, helped me get an Indian phone, and even taught me how to make aloo parathas (Indian flatbread stuffed with potatoes - see below). I'm really excited for the work here and will continue posting updates every week or so! Stay tuned :)

#home #work #food