Adapting To Life In A Foreign World

Even with family ties in India, trying to ’fit in’ was a challenge but worth the effort

- Emiliano Joanes

Mention you are going to India, and chances are you will be told, “You must see the Taj Mahal.” This historic landmark has been photographed time and time again, but as I learned firsthand, India has much more to offer. It’s a photographer’s paradise!

The hustle and bustle of life on the Indian subcontinent caught my attention when I first arrived. Life goes on at an alarming, hectic pace on the densely populated streets. People rush around to make a living. Survival is for the fittest and this is a place where even seasoned photographers are challenged to grab pictures on the run.

One scene that is always visible is a cow leisurely walking among the people or resting in the middle of a busy street. Considered sacred, cows have the right of way and no attempts will be made to shoo them off. Instead, the cars, three-wheelers, scooters and pedestrians will simply bypass the sacred cow, the local people not concerned in the least that the cow is causing a traffic jam.