{Intro, pt. 2…}
India bleeds with human extremes. Intense and often stark differences from one person to the next, one family to the next, one community to the next, one state to the next. As an outsider, I don’t think that one ever fully accepts the reality of the disparities between how Indians live, work, learn, play and love. Even something as simple as walking to work can be an emotional journey. A warm smile from the banana vendor – kids playing in garbage piles on the streets – flocks of men gathering for roadside chai (or CHAAAAAIIIIIIII, as I like to say) – inquisitive (and occasionally creepy) looks from passerbyers – a family of five (maybe even 6!) all riding together on a Scootie – women hard at work washing clothes on the balcony – incessant honking (my favorite horn sound is that of an Indian ‘goods carrier’) – the “Madam, Madam, auto?” call from as many as five auto drivers at one time.
India is most definitely not a place where one can walk and feel neutral, senseless, or oblivious to the very world around them. It is not a place where you can just go about your daily life without feeling something…anything. This is part of the allure of India. Every single day, your senses are overloaded and you are hit by a mass of sometimes overwhelming feelings – from pure joy to utter sadness , and everything in between. All of these thoughts and feelings layered amidst the relationships that one builds with the people of India – Ohhhh India, I love you (most of the time)!
I feel beyond privileged to be here. This is my second time in India, and it certainly won’t be my last. India is addicting. I cannot possibly begin to predict the precise impact that I will have here in India during the next 9 months. But I can say that India has been my most profound teacher. It has opened me up to a whole world of possibilities, hopes and dreams that I have for the development of India. I am confident that my round II adventure will continue to ignite a passion for this change.
xoxo,
Mandy
