This one is for the girls.

From my perspective, One of the biggest differences between being in Southern India (Bangalore) and where I am now in north / central India (Hyderabad) is the religious presence. If you paid attention in social studies class then you already know that India is rich in history and culture dating back centuries. It's the birth place of some of the worlds major religions and those religions are still practiced here today. I personally appreciate how India has established harmony among so many different religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity and Muslim. That said, in Bangalore most of the Indian people I met practiced Hindu, Christianity, or Buddhism. There were a few Muslims identifiable by the burqa which Muslim women wear to conceal their bodies and faces but since I have come to Hyderabad I've seen many many more burqas and I'm finding myself conflicted by this. The materials used to create burqas are beautiful. They are soft, flowing and adorned with jeweled details yet they are so restrictive, masking the true identity of the individual beneath the garb. I'm also conflicted because I believe in a person's right to religion but as a teacher I can't help but question the potential lost by a woman who isn't permited to chooses wether or not to veil her face. While I recognize there are many forward thinking Muslims who live all over the world, my experience here in India has been different so while I am conflicted, I am also thankful.  I am thankful because we have been given a gift in being born in a culture that is making strides toward equality. Where, historically, women like Gloria Steinem, Mae Jamison, and Georgia O'Keefe have paved a path for us to continue building on and I wonder.  Where you will take your path? What will you do with your unveiled potential? What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor? A neurologist? An engineer? A policy maker?