Between guest lectures, university visits, and debates, we did a lot of educational things on this dialogue. Each of these stand out in their own way for different reasons, but one common thing I learned at every experience was that, in India, they really really like tea. No matter the institution we were visiting, we would have a tea break with masala tea and biscuits. Always hot tea, too. Even if it was a billion degrees outside. This was one of my favorite things that I learned on our trip, and it gave me a glimpse into the culture more than a lot of other things did.
One of the most impactful tea breaks for me was during our trip to JNU in New Delhi. After a lovely serving of hot tea, fried potatoes, and crunchy biscuits, I was able to chat with Professor Ganguly about the caste system existing within the Indian social structure. This had been a brief topic discussion during the JNU presentations, with the topic of waste management being brought up. Typically, those in the lower class have been the ones handling waste and trash. Cleaning up trash and waste seemed to associate you with trash and waste, which was how the lower castes in society had been viewed. However, after learning about this, I was left wanting more information, especially about how women have operated within this system. Many of the JNU experts had brought up how women’s empowerment was linked to environmental justice within the country. I learned that although women make up 80% of the agrarian workforce, they often say that they don’t know about changing weather patterns affecting crops. They are silenced within their own fields of expertise, because the power structure placed on them doesn’t allow them to gain more education about their experiences or speak their minds about their work. These women have an image that they are not victims, even though they’re structured to not have power. They grow crops that men handle all the cash transactions for and are cast aside after their bodies are used. Women become a minority group used to give those in the majority power. The way minority groups are treated in society can be compared to how we treat the environment. Minority rights and climate change have the same base problems, especially concerning the grasping of the past. With both privilege and climate destruction, what’s done can’t be simply undone. Carbon can’t be sucked out of the atmosphere just like that, and privilege won’t just disappear. Communities historically lower class wouldn’t simply be able to rise back up in society. This reflected what Professor Ganguly told me. Privilege kept those “higher caste” in positions of power, while those “lower caste” people struggled through a system set against them - even though the castes were dissolved. The privilege won’t just disappear with a few words.
Sipping tea with Maya Sherpa after her stories about scaling the tallest mountains in the world also got me thinking. She spoke about how the mountains look much different now than they had when she started climbing them. Ice has melted, snow has gotten dirty and rocky, and camps are full of trash and debris. People trek through these areas with the view of their own journey, not thinking about what they’re leaving behind for others. I thought this often applied to how lots of people live, not just those making their way through an area for enjoyment. Sometimes this happens without a choice. Those just trying to make a living and get through the day with their bellies full and their children safe often don’t have time or resources to worry about what they’re leaving behind for those after them. With such a large poverty rate in India, I can see how a majority of the people don’t have the privilege to worry about climate change. Farmers are just trying to get their crops planted and out to market, while mothers are just trying to feed their children. It is the responsibility of those who have privilege and resources to make efforts to think about their impact, so the world can be better for everyone who lives in it.
Tea break during our mitigation war game also proved to be extremely enlightening. I diligently scrolled through article after article on the Indus Water Treaty while blowing on my cup to cool down the delicious tea inside. The more I read, the more confused I got. India and Pakistan split up rivers, so why couldn’t they just the rivers they owned? I thought this was a simple treaty and a simple disagreement, but it was proving to be much more than that. This isn’t just a political one, it’s also an environmental, industrial, and social one. Climate solutions aren’t as simple as dividing up water between nations, you also have to consider future impacts, other environmental factors, and the policy of the area that you’re in. This research really opened my eyes into how difficult creating impactful solutions can be, and allowed me to view all climate policy and solutions with newfound respect and understanding.
Tea breaks throughout the trip proved to be both relaxing and educational. They allowed me a moment to reflect, ask questions, and let my mind really let information sink in. They allowed me to talk to my peers and experts and get more of an insight into what I was learning. They allowed me to have personal experiences with the information that was being presented. I understand why this is such a custom in Indian culture, and hope that I can incorporate the same reflection and conversation into my life here moving forward.
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