Saturday, July 10

back to the land of feet and fahrenheit...

Muscle relaxers > caffeine. Woo, just slept away a whole 8-hour flight and still can’t wake up!

Well, here I am – just chilling in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport once again. I think I’ll skip the crazypurpletinyspaceman “Yotel” experience this time around, if at all possible. J I wonder what Asheesh is up to!

Seeing the table where I sat for hours awaiting my hotel booking time and flight departure makes me wonder if it’s the same me that sits here, just a chair and a booth over, and just two months more mature.

I can say that in my opinion, they were two months well spent. Obviously I can never regain what time I have spent in my life, but I wouldn’t retract my exhausting, dusty, heartwrenching, trying time in India for anything.

But, back to my question. am I the same me? Well, friends, I know it doesn’t make much sense: I feel that I haven’t really become different, but I know I have been changed.

Same me. Same love. Same quirks. Same needs. Same struggles.

But I’ve been introduced to a whole slew of new options for the direction of my path in life. I’ve been opened up to receive a new perspective. I’ve been once again enlightened to, and honestly slapped in the face by, a world that is bigger than me and my tan and my bed and my boyfriend.

I’ve been set free to find satisfaction.

I’ve been given an opportunity to know how a confident, competent, courageous and caring woman would act.

Oh, I have indeed been changed.

What have I done in India, you may inquire, that has had such a profound effect on me?

Man, I’m so glad you asked.

· - First of all, I cultivated a strength for generating friendships with complete strangers, which is something that has always really drained me. I think it’s important to be able to be personable even when it’s hard sometimes, and that’s a definite lesson I can take away from India; PMI specifically.

· - I created something out of nothing. I got to use my different talents in work with children, photography, graphic design, language, and organization to start up a brand-new program, the effects of which will surely outlast me. Yes, you know what I’m talking about: the child sponsorship program is officially up and running! There are fifty children enrolled to be sponsored to provide for their education, food, clothing, and extracurricular development from ages two and a half to sixteen. We have our first sponsor registered, and I have three more names lined up to be taken.

· - I have learned that taking the intiative is a fantastic habit, but that forcefully taking the lead is a bad one. No one else will step up to the plate if you do it every time. No one else will grow if you do everything for them. I’m excited to see the turns my life will take as I let myself be led. I’m an independent girl, and I like to know what’s going on. But I’m going to stop worrying about it so much, and try to learn that my role can be fulfilled in sometimes simply waiting.

· - I have grown up. Not to take Shaniah’s line, but man, I feel like a woman! My name means “youthful.” I know I have a youthful spirit; it’s something I quite enjoy about myself, actually. But I hope that I am learning to purge some of my childish actions. I am putting away childish things. I am thinking as one who bears responsibility. I can find my way around India! I can travel internationally by myself! I can initiate my own growth. I can problem-solve. I can make it without holding anyone’s hand, and I can prove it.

· - I have discovered for the first time the excellence of fellowship; of community. Friendships outside The Family are simply not the same. I am only truly refreshed when I spend time with those people who know the truth that I know. How beautiful, to have been created dependent. I appreciate the diversity and unity among believers immensely more now.

How precious this trip is to my heart. I have made friends I will never replace, memories I will never forget, and growth that will not regress.

I got a card signed by everyone in PMI right before I left – wow. What a huge encouragement it was! I couldn’t stop grinning and giggling like a fool in the Delhi airport as I waited to board my flight. I think another thing I’ve found out about myself is that words of affirmation are extremely important to me. I just loved remembering the sweet times and experiences shared with each of these precious people that I love… I think my favorite quote from the card goes to Monty, though… “I can’t believe that Julie is leaving so sad I will never forget you especially your beautiful singing and your Bonny sweet smile.” Haha! I’m going to miss the Hinglish for sure!!!

As for those goals I made at the beginning of the trip… let’s see how I did!

they can be found by clicking HERE

1- i didn't have one tailored, but i bought so many kurtas, it's ridiculous. i count this one as complete.

2- fail. but we've talked about this.

3- check.

4- check. yum.

5- check. so easy.

6- hm, not daily, but i did take 4,000 pictures in India. so, that's more than one-a-day, and i did blog PLENTY. check.

7- fail, but i did say i scratched this one. haha. i will say, though, america has so many more mirrors than India, and i am now confident it's time to hit the gym!!

8- fail. fail fail fail. it was really nice to be able to keep up with people, though, and to post these blog updates on my wall page so it would be easy for people to find. yeah. no excuse for this though. just fail.

9- check, and double check. prakash and me, we tight.

10- check. that's all i gotta say about that.

11- check, it didn't really bother me!

12- check! still alive!

13 - wow, check. this was more true than i even thought it would be.

14- check. two days before leaving.

15- check. guys, i gotta go back.

Just as it wasn’t real to me that I was about to be in India until I saw the Delhi skyline and wedding fireworks, I think it’s not yet real to me that I’m actually gone. What do you mean, I’ve left? You mean my feet won’t be constant stankpiles of dirty callouses? You mean I won’t see cows eating trash on a daily stroll? You mean I have to pay more than three dollars for a pair of shoes? You mean I won’t be suckered into cricket matches to display my profound and hilarious lack of athleticism? You mean there will be Dr. Pepper??? You mean people will arrive on time and I won’t have to wonder at every meal whether I’ll be eating my food or it will be eating me? You mean I’ve really left?

Oh, let me return.

India, you have stolen my heart.

– julie-didi.

1 comment:

  1. "oh let me return" is the cry of my heart as well
    loved this julie! miss you!

    ReplyDelete

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