Deb H. intro

Hi Group,
We're going to have a wonderful adventure. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and sharing this rich experience together. I’m a nursing student at Simmons, graduating in May (yippee!). Cultural competency is hugely important in nursing. I hope the perspective I will gain in India will benefit my future patients, as well as increase my understanding of women in leadership. We’re so fortunate to be in college and have this opportunity to explore India in a guided, focused way. I'm looking forward to all the new places, people, sights, smells and flavors. I'm especially excited about saris, dance, Ayurvedic massage, elephants and chai.
Other people have mentioned the long flight. I plan to get up and move around when we can. It’s much better for your body to stretch out. I might as well mention that I have a history of back problems, so you may see me stretching throughout the trip, or maybe asking for help with my bag. Feel free to join me!
Here’s a bit from my paper. I’m intrigued by the idea of arranged marriages. It will be interesting to talk to Indian women about it.

India has a strong family and group orientation. This factor may limit women in professional roles as a significant emphasis is placed on the importance of marriage and family. A recent article in The New York Times describes an emerging shift in this paradigm as “women in their 20s are living independently for the first time, far from their families” (Sengupta, 2007). Many are deferring marriage, living lives their mothers may never have thought possible. But with new freedoms come new problems, including guilt. Marriage is still very important and it may be more difficult for working women to find a match. While arranged marriages are still prevalent, the tradition may be adapted to better suit modern women’s needs. A recent article in BUST magazine explores this phenomenon, interviewing a group of young, educated Indian women who “count their spouses as the best gift their parents ever gave them” (Goldstein, 2007).