I have now been home for 4 days and am currently enjoying the company of all my family - Mom, Dad, Suzanne, Mary, and Jay. In a lot of ways, my 3 1/2 weeks in India feels like a dream. Luckily I have my weird sleep schedule and a henna-ed hand and foot to remind me it was real! It's interesting to see the things that I do and don't miss. I was thrilled to return to my life as a "regular" person, never looking up to see one or two or twenty people staring at me and snapping pictures on their phones. I laughed when I tried the new spicy chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A and declaring to my impressed mother, "that is NOT spicy!", even though the server had assured me I was need a drink on hand to try it. I walk around my house flipping lights off in empty rooms, have been driving around with the windows down instead of AC on, and appreciate the little blue light that comes on every time I plug my computer in signalling that power is actually getting to it. I love my home food, but have found myself really missing my Indian food. I could definitely go for a thali right now with extra dal and a hefty supply of butter and/or garlic naan - oooh how I miss the naan! It really amuses me that one of the things I most consciously miss is the ability to turn outlets on and off with the accompanying switch.
I'm so grateful for my time in India. I'm grateful for the wonderful experiences that I had and the hard realities that I saw all around me. I met a world there that is hugely different from the one I grew up in and have always known, but that is no less legitimate and has so much to offer. As I begin to prepare for South Africa and the people and cultures I will meet there, I am excited and somewhat apprehensive. Because I know I will be changed. India changed me and it isn't done yet. My heart is open in a different way, a different perspective, and I'm not sure where it will lead me yet.
I can't wait to find out :)
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