Smiling in my elegant Lehanga Choli outfit

The year is 2022 and my boss says to me, “There’s a training opportunity in India that I am nominating you for. Apply and if you get accepted you’re going.”

I’d just started working at the Directorate of Gender Affairs and already a travel opportunity had fallen in my lap. I read the briefing note, submitted my application and sure enough out of several hundred applicants globally, I was picked to participate in the training opportunity in Bhopal, India.

I went straight to Google to look up the weather, scan for pictures of the host institution, read up on points of interest, downloaded an E-Sim, and packed my suitcase for travel.

I was extremely excited because this was the furthest across the globe I had ever been before. It was a once in a lifetime sponsored opportunity.

Separate from my excitement about traveling to INDIA, I was also excited about the learning materials and networking that participating in the Women Empowerment: Policies and Guidelines course would afford me.

I would be spending two weeks living and learning alongside gender professionals and gaining insight from industry experts.

On October 29 2022 I boarded a flight to London Heathrow and began the first leg of a 2 day journey to India. I would take 3 planes in as many days to reach my final destination in the City of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh state, India.

During my two weeks in India I explored New Market in Bhopal, visited different vocational colleges, shopped at DB City Mall, visited a World Heritage site and explored the magnificent Bhopal cityscape.

I will unpack more of my time in Bhopal in subsequent posts! In the mean time, enjoy some Images of me and my course mates from the more studious portions of my trip.