A few months ago, I wrote a whiney posting that listed all the things I missed about America. It should be known that in that very same handy notebook, I have been making a list called, "Unique Experiences in India," where I have documented experiences that might have never happened if I hadn't decided to pick up and move to Hyderabad for five months. With just ten quick days left, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my semester. I am so happy looking back on each of these memories, so I thought I'd share the joy...
- Saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise
- Lived on a rice-based diet
- Showered with ice cold water in complete darkness
- Ate paneer at McDonalds
- Got chased by a water buffalo
- Learned Hindi (and some Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit)
- Made eggless cake in a pressure cooker
- Skinny dipped in the Arabian Sea
- Attended a yoga workshop in India
- Had a doctor diagnose me based on only my pulse
- Drove a moped
- Wore a sari
- Snuck into a private party at an expensive nightclub
- Lived in a traditional Indian household
- Filled TWO journals cover to cover
- Was the only foreign student in a class of eighty Indians
- Watched an ayurvedic surgery from one meter away
- Was served daily by a hired cook
- Had my eyebrows threaded
- Bought custom designed leather sandals for $7
- Participated in Hindu ritual and festivals
- Was drenched by a monsoon (x3)
- Learned to comfortably eat with my hands
- Saw a Bollywood movie in theaters
- Took an overnight train
- Learned henna design
- Stayed in the foothills of the Himalayas
- Visited an Indian village
- Helped increase access to health care in Hyderabad
- Ate yogurt twice a day every day
- Got in a bike crash with a moped
- Learned to navigate public transit on my own in a foreign city
- Forged friendships with Indian students and co-volunteers
- Climbed boulders to overlook my campus and the city
- Bought lunch every day for less than one dollar
- Visited an assortment of NGOs across the city
- Volunteered at Hyderabad's first marathon
- Drank Darjeeling tea in Darjeeling
Let's note that this list is longer than the list of things I miss from America. But, the best part about this list is that I am not done writing it. Tomorrow, I leave for my last trip of the semester to Kerala, India's southern-most state. Its just Suzanne and I traveling this time, for our last week together until who knows when. Before we leave tomorrow, I will take my last exam of the semester, and I can't wait for the relief that will inevitably come from finishing that test and getting on the plane. We have been looking forward to this trip all semester, and I can't believe it is finally here. Kerala is known for its backwaters, tea plantations, ayurvedic medicine, and wildlife reserves. We plan on taking it slow, swimming a little, reading a lot, getting a massage, and eating some seafood. In just five days, we hope to hit three cities, using local buses to get from one to another. Best of all, we're going to rent a houseboat for 24 hours.. Thats one more thing to added to this list of amazing experiences in India! So, I am off to call the hotels and confirm our reservations and then cram cram cram some sociology! I get back on the 29th, with four days to wrap things up and head out!
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