Its getting to be about that time that I'm looking towards the end. If I haven't already been, which I have. With three weeks left in school now, and not even three full weeks at that, things are quickly winding down. I'm crossing off work on my to do lists without adding more. I'm making my last travel arrangements for the year in India. And I'm thinking about what it will be like to be home.
There are many things I'm sure I will just bask in: cleanliness, the lack of dust, quiet, and even though its summer in California, cooler temperatures. I'm excited to cook, and run, and hang out with the family. I am particularly excited to see my dog Dizzy's reaction to seeing me, his excitement last time I came home was displayed by running throughout the house howling and lunging at me to get me to play.
I am also looking forward to wearing different clothes. I've never gone through any sort of rebellious phase, I went to a boarding school I loved and which was pretty liberal, so I've had dreads and run around the woods late at night, but as opposed to most places this wasn't considered anything out of the norm. And if I was to get caught doing anything too bad, I jeopardized my second home, which was out of the question. Rather different than a lot of the people I've known at my Catholic college who grow up in strict environments and go crazy at their first draught of freedom. But I may do just that. India has been my strict environment, in a lot of ways, including behavior and speech, but particularly in regards to clothes. I am very much looking forward to embracing my Californian culture and hanging out in my swim suit in public and not attracting sleazy looks.
I'm also anticipating every single person asking me, 'How was India?!" I really don't know if I'll ever be able to answer that question. The best I can come up with I found in a book "Holy Cow!" by Sarah Macdonald, where she writes:
"I'm beginning to think it's pointless to try [to figure out India]. India is beyond statement, for anything you say, the opposite is also true. It's rich and poor, spiritual and material, cruel and kind, angry but peaceful, ugly and beautiful, smart but stupid. Its all the extremes. India defies understanding..."
Before traveling to India, I had all the ideas about how it would be interesting to observe a rising superpower, etc...now I am simply confounded as to how the country still exists, let alone is a powerful actor in the international system. And I'm sure that idea too will change.
There are many things I'm sure I will just bask in: cleanliness, the lack of dust, quiet, and even though its summer in California, cooler temperatures. I'm excited to cook, and run, and hang out with the family. I am particularly excited to see my dog Dizzy's reaction to seeing me, his excitement last time I came home was displayed by running throughout the house howling and lunging at me to get me to play.
I am also looking forward to wearing different clothes. I've never gone through any sort of rebellious phase, I went to a boarding school I loved and which was pretty liberal, so I've had dreads and run around the woods late at night, but as opposed to most places this wasn't considered anything out of the norm. And if I was to get caught doing anything too bad, I jeopardized my second home, which was out of the question. Rather different than a lot of the people I've known at my Catholic college who grow up in strict environments and go crazy at their first draught of freedom. But I may do just that. India has been my strict environment, in a lot of ways, including behavior and speech, but particularly in regards to clothes. I am very much looking forward to embracing my Californian culture and hanging out in my swim suit in public and not attracting sleazy looks.
I'm also anticipating every single person asking me, 'How was India?!" I really don't know if I'll ever be able to answer that question. The best I can come up with I found in a book "Holy Cow!" by Sarah Macdonald, where she writes:
"I'm beginning to think it's pointless to try [to figure out India]. India is beyond statement, for anything you say, the opposite is also true. It's rich and poor, spiritual and material, cruel and kind, angry but peaceful, ugly and beautiful, smart but stupid. Its all the extremes. India defies understanding..."
Before traveling to India, I had all the ideas about how it would be interesting to observe a rising superpower, etc...now I am simply confounded as to how the country still exists, let alone is a powerful actor in the international system. And I'm sure that idea too will change.
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