By: Ravi Patel
Sports Editor

On Oct. 2, my classmates and I in the International Baccalaureate program had the opportunity to experience different religions and traditions from across the globe. Our day started at the Wat Buddharangsi Buddhist temple here in South Florida. We arrived only to be mesmerized by a large Buddhist temple designed with Thai architecture. Covered in red bricks and gold statues, the temple seemed to illuminate from the Florida morning sunshine. We were greeted by one of the various monks residing in the temple who welcomed us with open arms and, throughout my experience, made me feel like a true Buddhist.
Walking in, I saw a 20-30 foot gold-plated statue of Buddha, whom embodies all of the principles that define Buddhism. In order to pay reverence towards both the monks and Buddha, I along with the other students took off our shoes before entering and quietly sat down while admiring the beautiful designs and religious statues that were inside. Dressed in a traditional orange robe that represents their humbleness and simple lifestyle, the monk briefed us on the various fundamentals that define Buddhism. Throughout the “lecture,” I reflected upon my life and how I embody many of these same concepts that the monk spoke of. The lecture was then accompanied by a moment of deep meditation, which put my mind at ease and relaxed my entire body. “Intention to walking, lift and touch” uttered the monk repeatedly as we participated in an exercise which included utilizing all of our muscles and our tranquil state of mind in order to maintain balance and control over our bodies. Visiting Wat Buddharangsi and participating in the various exercises with the monks and Abotts was truly a gratifying experience that I feel benefitted me as a person and opened my eyes to other religions.
“Wait, what’s that? Is that spicy? This is so exotic!” were phrases that I heard various times throughout our lunch at Imlee, an Indian restaurant which features flavors of Northern India. Because of my Indian heritage, I was familiar with most of the meals offered, yet I was ecstatic to see many of my American or other international friends enjoying my culture’s cuisine.
In the afternoon, we visited a Hindu temple in Cutler Bay that was not a new sight to me, yet was different than all of my past experiences in a Hindu temple. Because of my upbringing in a Hindu-oriented family, it was comforting seeing the statues of Lord Krishna, Ganesha, Shiva, Ram, Parvati, Hanuman, and all of other figures in Hinduism when walking into the makeshift temple as the actual temple was under construction. As we took off our shoes and walked in, I could tell the Brahman was happy to have us here in that he welcomed us with open arms and a big smile. He covered various topics that I was able to relate to by recalling morals taught to me throughout my childhood. As I looked around the room, I could tell everyone was intrigued by the Brahman and the witty jokes he cracked throughout our time there. It was also nice seeing my peers from various backgrounds immersing themselves in a religion that is special to me. Living in Miami, I have come to terms with the fact that Hinduism is not a dominant religion. Seeing my close friends and other acquaintances learning about the religion that I follow was the highlight of this field trip to me.