Comfort in the Uncomfortable
This blog post was written by BRIC participants Cole Kraus and Leonard Henry…
The Babson BRIC Program is centered around learning the cultural intricacies of Russia, China, and India and then connecting that to the business environment. Yet the out of classroom learning is what sets the BRIC Program apart. This study abroad experience forces students to adapt, as they are thrown into a new country right when comfort begins to set in. Saint Petersburg’s European mindset and the western energy of Shanghai made the transition to comfortable extremely easy; New Delhi is proving to be different. Nothing about this city says foreign comfort. With very few cultural or social similarities, Delhi pushes us to our limits, testing problem solving skills of all kinds.
The only way to survive the chaos of New Delhi is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Finding a sense of calm is close to impossible, yet embracing the sounds, smells, and sights of the city can potentially redefine 
what one considers normal. Our time in New Delhi also challenges each of our core beliefs. The focus on world religions, and site visits to the place of worship for every major India religion, gives the cohort the opportunity to either completely redevelop their beliefs or further solidify what we know to be true. Although the world of Babson is not nearly as chaotic as the streets of New Delhi, students encounter uncomfortable situations every day. By learning to accept the uncomfortable, BRIC alumni become far greater problem solvers back on campus, and look at the daily stresses of life as fuel.