okay, so I know I have been REALLY bad about the blog. I'm really sorry! I think when I was in the village in Nepal and couldn't use the net I got out of the swing of things. SO I will have to tell you about most of my experiences in person. It is hard to believe that I have already been on the road for SEVEN months and it will all be coming to an end in the next few days!
I have always been drawn to India...I could never explain it but I always knew that India was a place I would definitely want to visit. Now that I have spent the last four months of my life here, I know why! India is a truly MAGICAL place, unlike anywhere else in the world you could ever visit! It is by far the most contradictory place I have ever been! It somehow manages to encompass many seemingly opposite traits at the same time. It is beautiful, yet horribly polluted. It is incredibly spiritual, yet the crudest place I have ever been. It is peaceful but loud. The people are kind and warm but have absolutely no regard for manners in any sense. It is safe to say that my time here has created in me an addiction... I think I will be coming back to this country for the rest of my life!
India was not exactly good to me. My first day in the country, freshly crossed over the border from Nepal, I fractured a bone in my hand by jumping off the train! This put a big damper on my trip, considering I came with the intention of taking yoga and massage courses during my time here!! Throughout the rest of time in India, I have has various illnesses, aches and pains and more "bathroom issues" than I can count. I have spent more time in Indian hospitals than US hospitals than I think I ever have! Yet I am absolutely in LOVE with this place. India has more HEART than anywhere I have ever been. The people, wow. I really don't even know how to put them into words. They are so warm and kind and put so much passion into everything they do. They think that foreigners are the most entertaining thing in the world and getting blatantly stared at is a daily (sometimes ALL day) occurrence, as well as random people asking to take photos of me, with me, or just taking photos of me as I walk by...(i'm not special, this happens to EVERY foreigner in this country). At the moment I am staying in a town where there is a holy river. People come from all over India and worship this river with more vigor than I have ever done anything in my life. When I walk to the ashram (holy place) where I am staying, I walk by a minimum of 30 Sadhus ( people who have given up their lives..family, material objects, everything to embark on a spiritual journey) who smile at me and say "Namaste!"
India is very diverse and since I could not take massage or yoga courses for the first few months, I spent most of the time just traveling and absorbing the amazing culture. I got to visit the Andaman Islands, which are known for their pristine beaches, Kerela, with it's beautiful coconut trees and backwaters, Hampi, which is strewn with boulders that seem to have fallen from the sky to create an almost unbelievable landscape. I have been to more temples than I can count and seen and met and conversed with countless people who are devoted to a certain religion or Guru or state of being. The spiritual side of India is incredible, the way it is somehow intertwined with the loud honking and hustle and bustle of the polluted streets. I was able to participate in the Holi festival, a Hindu festival where everyone covers each other with vibrant-colored paints in celebration of Spring. (i found out afterward that these paints are somewhat permanent...I still have some pink in my hair 2 months later!) In Varanasi, I saw hundreds of bodies being burned at the banks of the holy Ganga river (according to Hindu belief, if a person's ashes are put in this river, they are guaranteed heavenly eternal bliss and an escape from rebirth). I did a 10 day meditation course, where I woke up at 4am everyday, meditated for 11 hours and was not allowed to make eye contact/talk to anyone or eat after 11am! I visited the amazing culture of Rajastan and took a camel trek out to camp out on the dunes under the stars. I met some of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life, full of interesting wisdom and knowledge to share. I sometimes went a week or two without seeing another foreigner, which could be both incredible and tiring at the same time! :)
My last two weeks, I decided to spend in Rishikesh doing yoga and massage, since my wrist is now better! What an amazing way to put my mind and body in a healthy place before returning home.
It is really hard for me to describe exactly how I feel about this country or to explain how it really is. I think it is a place that you really need to visit to understand. It has awakened something special in me though. Something profound. This place and its amazing people will always hold a place in my heart!
For the first time, I feel that I am actually ready to come home and start a home. To have some roots, have a garden and a bit of a routine. My flight leaves tomorrow night!! AHHH!! I am ready though! My plan is to spend about 10 days or so in CA and then drive out to Durango, where I plan on looking for work and a place to live. I love that town! :)
SO, coming to a conclusion...(I could write so much more about how much I love India but the internet cafe is closing now so I think its a sign.. haha :)) I love and miss you all and hope to see you in a few days!!! :)
NAMASTE :)
