Faces of India

I promise: This is my last journal entry about India. I realized that I have been posting a lot of information. I showed you beautiful buildings, amazing artwork, and basically, pictures of stuff. I blogged about lots of facts, history, etc. Since being back in the states, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. The stuff is not what I think about. It's the laughter of children, the toothless grins of the elderly, the hospitality of shopkeepers, the sacrificial kindness of those who worked at the center. I did a lot of complaining in India. I will never get over being blatantly stared at, but I will always be flattered by families who want us in their family pictures. I may not ever get over the smell of India, but I do have to agree that it is "the worst good smell in the world," taken from a novel I am currently reading. Traffic may have seemed like a chaotic nightmare, but at least everyone is giving their utmost attention to the road, and not chatting away on their cell phones. Being in India did not convert me to vegetarianism, but nothing will ever taste quite as unique and flavorful as those dishes. I do not agree with treating women as second-class citizens, and India has a long way to go before women have true equality. However, India recognizes the need to fight for women's rights, and I have the utmost respect for Indian women; they are truly the hardest working, most graceful and composed, and strongest women I have ever met.
Living in India, if only for six weeks, made me realize how blessed I am. It also made me realize that in the grand scheme of humanity, we are not very different from those in India. I still cannot get over how ignored India has been in the United States. I know little about a country that is one of the largest democracies in the world, and who's survival is so linked to my own. India made me question everything I have ever thought or believed in, and I think I know more about myself because of it, even if I have just scratched the surface regarding Indian culture. I am so glad I made the decision to study abroad, and if you ever get the chance, I encourage anyone to challenge themselves by going somewhere out of their comfort zone and immersing yourself in people. It is worth the initial discomfort, and honestly, it sounds so cliche, but it will change your life.