“I was born in London, UK, but grew up in India, between New Delhi, Bombay, and a small town named Jaipur. From Jaipur I went to Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Then to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Then to a Ph.D. at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Then a post-doc at the University of Chicago, Illinois. After 14 years of international student life, I finally found my dream job at Georgetown University. From the moment I stepped on the campus, I felt a sense of belonging. It felt like the place I was supposed to be! My biggest struggle at Georgetown has been the challenge of combining my research, which is largely in rural India, with our vibrant campus life in Washington DC. The two worlds are connected through my scholarship, but they feel so far apart! How do I overcome this massive gulf of nearly 10,000 miles? By being super creative with my schedule and reminding myself that home is not a place, but a state of mind – both these places are my home! The moment that encapsulates my Georgetown experience: when I interviewed people in a village in rural Rajasthan and recorded their voices to share with students at our DC campus and they instantly connected with the message! The world felt smaller and my whole life came together!”
