Things I Miss Most About Travel in India, Now That I Am Home–And The Things I Don’t Miss One Bit!
Yet another “Top Ten List”, or rather, several!
Things I Miss Most About Travel, (in no particular order)
1. I miss the kids. Not just the kids at the orphanage, but the kids I saw on the streets..I miss their genuine smiles and their playfulness and their delight when they saw me walking up their street. I miss their toothy grins and their street games and the way they held each other’s hands.
2. I miss the sense of adventure–constantly walking into one weird situation after another, getting lost, not quite knowing what I was doing but having it all, somehow, work out. Being back at home is an adventure, too–but of a different sort.
3. I miss the routine. Adventure and routine at the same time? yes, it’s possible. Volunteering everyday gave me a destination, a sense of where I was in a foreign land. Coming back home and having the doctor tell me (despite my protests!) to “take it easy for awhile” means I spend alot of time not doing much but thinking and resting. Which isn’t exactly a lifestyle filled with appointments or any sense of routine!
4. Getting to know perfect strangers who I would never have the chance to meet otherwise. This is something I really really miss. So many people enriched my life so profoundly, so deeply. I made so many friends on my trip that if I ever sign up to participate in couchsurfing my couch may never be empty. Actually, it’sa not just friends who were also travelers, but also locals. For example the extended Muslim family who adopted me in India, and treated me like one of their own. They taught me more about being loved and what that means than I thought I had the capacity to learn.
5. Weird food. Ok, so I’m kind of glad that I’m back at home and can eat familiar things again..but part of me misses that reaction, “You mean, I’m supposed to eat that?!” and going for it. I don’t miss eating bugs and worms and so on, but I miss having the chance to actually do it.
6. Real, honest to goodness, goodness. Realness.This might sound like an odd thing to include, but one thing I really miss is that, for me, travel was so real that it made me and those around me be very real with one another. Working with a bunch of volunteers on a site had it’s tough moments–like when something happened someone couldn’t handle–but what was wonderful was that people built such community based on who we were and what we were trying to do together. When you are in that kind of situation, you just get pretty frank and right to the point. There’s no sense in “beating around the bush.” You are who you are and as long as your heart is in the right place, you are accepted.
7. My sense of place. Coming back home, sometimes I feel like I’m just “treading water” barely able to keep up with societal expectations and so on. On the road, I knew who I was and where I was going. It was simple. Life back home=complex.
8. Not being tied to “stuff”. Living out of a single backpack means..you don’t have alot of stuff. Once coming back home, I already feel that attachement growing and I try my best to tame it but it can be difficult.
9. Feeling deep pain and sorrow. I know it sounds crazy, but being around things that were sad and difficult meant that I grew alot as a person in a very short time. I miss that intensity.
10. The love and warmth of the Bengali people and Indian culture in general–I was part of an extended family. Here at home people don’t even know their own next door neighbors. It’s pretty strange.
Ten things I don’t miss one bit!:
1. Computer keyboards that have all of the letters worn off.
2. Blackouts. Losing an entire blog entry due t the power going off. Traveling across town to email someone and having the power go out on the way there.
3. Lice. Enough said. I wil spare any details except to say it was a constant battle in India and they won alot of the time.
4. Dirty feet. Oh my God. I spent almost two years of my life washing my feet in a bucket . Occassionally I would slosh some disinfectant on them. That’s it.
5. Undrinkable tap water. Most of the world’s water is unpotable. I do not miss filling landfills with my plastic bottles from water I have had to buy. I do not miss being very thirsty and having to divide the water I had left, portioning it out to make it last. I do not miss drinking Fanta as that was all they had where ever I was.
6. A lack of toilets for women. Do third world women ever pee? I guess not. Perhaps they have bladders of steel. Once, I got on a train–a long distance train, one for the lower classes, the cheapie train..and discovered there was no bathroom. After 9 hours I thought I would die. I did not care if I ever made it to my final destination–all I cared about was that I would get to a toilet and get some relief soon! I got of the train and when i finally found a bathroom, it was so disgusting that I was sickened to have to even use it. No wonder some women stay at home. It’s just too much trouble to go anywhere.
7. Not being able to be alone. Women, in particular, visiting off the beaten track places often are encouraged to have a man with them. I would not say this is because people didn’t think they can’t do things are their own–I would say this is because men in the places they are visiting can make it very hard for them. Still, even with a male friends around, so many times I wanted to break out and run free!
8. Danger. I never liked putting myself at risk, but I did do that every once in awhile, usually because I did not know any better.
9. Poop in the streets. Yeah, this is a biggie. Coming home and seeing everything so tidy, with no piles of human excrement in the gutters..wow , it was a huge change. I was used to dodging poop in the streets and carefully looking where I was going at all times in India. Included in this category would be constantly averting my eyes from someone squatting in the streets doing their business, or men urinating willy nilly. Definitely don’t miss it or the assault on my olefactory senses…
10. Dust. Dust and dirt and filth covering everything, everywhere. Dust so bad that it covered all of the plants and leaves of trees making them look gray and dun- colored. Dust so bad that it covered everyhting in the hotel room when I propped a window open. Dust so bad that in the morning, I would wake up coughing black dust and my nose would be black.
And Top Ten Things I love About finally being Home:
1. I am a woman and I get to decide what my life is going to be. I get to live alone, drive a car, vote, talk to the people I want to.
2. Living in a capitalist culture instead of a failed socialist experiment(West Bengal).
3. Having my own computer and being able to be connected to the world in a fundamental way, whenever I want to be.
4. Having a dog and cat as companions. Chubby, happy companions..instead of seeing cats on the edge of starvation or pariah dogs eating trash in the street. It’s a big contrast.
5. Recycling. Um, India desn’t recycle anything. It just gets thrown away. Outside. on the grund. Maybe someone, a trash picker, will come along and collect it, maybe not. But recycling? Nope.
6. Refrigerators. You mean I can buy stuff, like cheese, for more than just today? Amazing.
7. Let’s face it, cheese needs to be on this list. Where would I be without cheese?
8. Public libraries. Anothier biggie. I simply can’t believe what we have available here in terms of media and resources. I have been visiting my local library at least three times a week since I got back. Why buy any books? It’s unbelievable!
9. Coffee. Coffee in India is like..milky colored water with coffee flavoring. I have decided this is why they have to drink so many cups of the stuff–there’s only a miniscule amount of coffee in the cup, so that transates to=no caffiene. Thank God for my local coffee shop, Steady Eddy’s. A great cup of Joe.
10. Solitude. Ah, silence. In India it did not exist except ever so briefly at 3 am. Here, I can wake up in the morning, hear no noises except a few crickets, take the dog for a early morning walk and hear nothing but the crunch of our feet in the gravel. Amazing. Pure bliss.
I guess it all balances out….
gigi
Tags: 1
illuminate.gigi
agree with every single thing …
I was shocked when I visited India cuz in tv and Internet that it’s a peaceful natrual place
After few steps out of the airpot I stept on an unusual surprise !
A P.O.O.P
While in a restaurant I was seeing the man who cook the food with bare hand and adding ingredients with hand without using spoons or any thing,
I said ok all the germs will die after cooking
But happly there where a big roach on the wall the man banged it with his hand and completed making dough ….
There’s alot but thinking in it just makes me don’t want to eat lunch
wow ;extreams in india
Salut vous comment trouvez-vous de mon nouveau blog sur l’immobilier?
http://www.exposemag.ca/2010/06/08/maitre-des-lignes-2010/
Really helpful, thank you.
Many thanks for the great article. I found it very useful, keep up the great work.
Good article. You made some good points.
I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills {and
You have among the finest websites.
Good day! I just want to give a huge thumbs up for the good information you’ve got right here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment.
I do believe that you should publish more about this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but
usually people don’t speak about these topics.
To the next! Best wishes!!
I seriously love your site.. Great colors
& theme. Did you build this web site yourself?
Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my own personal site
and would like to learn where you got this from or
just what the theme is called. Thanks!
If some one wishes expert view on the topic of blogging and site-building then
i suggest him/her to visit this website, Keep up
the pleasant work.
Hello
Hello there
Your internet site is wonderful Please preserve upgrade
Your site is attractive Be sure to keep upgrade
Your webpage is wonderful Be sure to retain revise
Hello
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem together with your website in web explorer, could test this… IE nonetheless is the marketplace chief and a good part of people will pass over your wonderful writing because of this problem.
I think you have noted some very interesting details , appreciate it for the post.
Hi, Neat post. There’s an issue together with your web site in internet explorer, could test this… IE nonetheless is the market chief and a good part of people will miss your great writing because of this problem.
I wanted to post you a tiny word to give thanks again about the awesome suggestions you’ve discussed in this case. This is so unbelievably open-handed with people like you to provide openly what exactly some people might have offered as an ebook in making some cash on their own, most notably now that you might have tried it in case you decided. Those solutions additionally acted as the great way to be aware that most people have similar keenness similar to my personal own to know the truth more around this issue. I am certain there are a lot more pleasant sessions up front for individuals that read through your blog post.
Some genuinely good articles on this site, appreciate it for contribution. “An alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.” by Dylan Thomas.
I do trust all the ideas you have offered for your post. They’re really convincing and can certainly work. Still, the posts are very brief for beginners. May you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
As soon as I noticed this site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
Thank you for your own hard work on this web page. My mum really loves setting aside time for research and it is easy to understand why. Many of us hear all of the dynamic method you deliver practical guidelines by means of your blog and attract participation from some others on the theme then our daughter is truly learning so much. Take advantage of the rest of the year. You have been carrying out a remarkable job.
I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for posting .
You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the paintings you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time follow your heart. “There are only two industries that refer to their customers as users.” by Edward Tufte.
But wanna say that this is invaluable , Thanks for taking your time to write this.
you’re really a good webmaster. The site loading velocity is incredible. It sort of feels that you are doing any unique trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a magnificent task in this matter!
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will be thankful to you.
Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
I do consider all of the ideas you have presented to your post. They’re very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very brief for starters. May you please prolong them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of completely unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my permission. Do you know any ways to help prevent content from being stolen? I’d really appreciate it.
I in addition to my pals appeared to be digesting the best strategies on your web site and then before long developed an awful feeling I had not expressed respect to you for those secrets. The men are already as a result thrilled to learn them and already have unquestionably been taking advantage of them. Appreciate your actually being so considerate and also for going for these kinds of superb things millions of individuals are really needing to understand about. My sincere regret for not saying thanks to you earlier.
Hello, you used to write excellent, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a little out of track! come on!
I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!
You have made some decent points there. I checked on the web for more information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.
Thanks a lot for giving everyone an exceptionally pleasant chance to read critical reviews from this web site. It is always so pleasant and also full of a lot of fun for me and my office mates to search your blog particularly thrice a week to see the new items you have got. And definitely, I’m also certainly astounded for the remarkable opinions you serve. Certain 4 points in this post are completely the very best we have all had.
I really like your writing style, great info, appreciate it for putting up :D. “You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.” by Ziggy.
I do agree with all the ideas you have introduced in your post. They are really convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very brief for newbies. Could you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
F*ckin’ remarkable issues here. I’m very glad to peer your post. Thanks a lot and i’m taking a look forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
I blog frequently and I genuinely thank you for your content. This great article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to book mark your blog and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.|
You are my intake , I have few blogs and very sporadically run out from to brand.I believe this web site has got some very good info for everyone. “I prefer the wicked rather than the foolish. The wicked sometimes rest.” by Alexandre Dumas.
Hi there, everything is going fine here and ofcourse every one is sharing information, that’s in fact good, keep up writing.|
I haven’t checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I like this post, enjoyed this one thanks for putting up.
Thank you for helping out, excellent info. “In case of dissension, never dare to judge till you’ve heard the other side.” by Euripides.