I remember watching the 1982 film Gandhi long after it was released—perhaps in my thirties. The movie portrays the life of the famous Indian activist and politician, from his return to India after completing his university studies to his tragic end. Along that journey, he travels across this vast country and comes to understand the ethnic and cultural diversity of its millions upon millions of inhabitants.

I remember that, when I finished watching the film, I realized that you cannot truly understand the people of a country from the comfort of your home or from the bubbles of our neighborhoods and cities. The only way to understand a nation’s culture is by traveling and living among its people. Gandhi is a film that has always inspired me whenever I have the opportunity to travel.