India is hard to sum up.
We have a bittersweet relationship.
India was “warm”. Warm as in you’re sweating the second you wake up, you sweat while taking a cool bucket shower, and you pretty much sweat all day everyday. I would literally wet my clothes before going to bed at night so I could fall asleep only to wake up a few hours later completely dry. This confirmed my suspicions of being an A/C girl.
Every time a canon would go off (yes it happened quite often) I would instinctively look to the sky as if I were Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games. I was starting to get a complex.
I didn’t realize how much I love a nice juicy hamburger until I passed cows mindlessly roaming on the street everyday and yet I couldn’t eat them. You always want what you can’t have. The night I Facetimed with my sister and she happened to be at Five Guys I thought I was going to have to cut her out of my life.
In a world where a smile practically marries you off to the man your eyes happen to meet I was in serious trouble. Once I realized I was doing it, nervousness would set in, which unleashed an uncontrollable smile. I think I made at least 20 husbands.
There was the lice epidemic. One day we were clean the next we had an infestation. Remedy = lard in my hair for 8 hours. Lard on my head wasn’t ideal especially when it melted and ran down my face. Or even better, when I discovered lard on fried chicken is fantastic but lard on my skin causes an allergic reaction. But it killed those bad boys so I can’t complain too much.
On the flip side it’s hard to put my finger on it but the country took my heart.
Auto rickshaws I love you! Thank you for being available at any given moment. And on most days thank you for speeding enough to cause a slight breeze too cool me off. I will miss you dearly.
Street food was a pleasant surprise. Noodles in a bag I will be bringing you back to the States with me. Dosas and vegetable curry I would never do you justice so I said my farewell but I crave you often.
I did a makeup fast for the month. The foundation was easy to give up because even if I put it on it would sweat off my face within three seconds. My beloved mascara was another story. It’s been years since I have gone a day without it. Without it I felt exposed and self-conscious, as if mascara is what defines me. This month taught me I don’t need to hide behind the makeup. It showed me how to see myself through the eyes of my Creator. I can walk more confidently in who I am even if I am not wearing it. Oddly enough, I enjoy the freedom I now have of not feeling like I must wear it to be beautiful so much so it took a week after my fast to put it back on!
India also taught me that love is tough sometimes. More often than not it’s beautifully transforming though. It was hard not to get attached to the kiddos that we spent our weeks with. But in the midst of hitting, pushing, licking and lice jumping around it was straight hard to love some days. However, in the moments when a child sunk in your arms because they just wanted someone to hold them when they didn’t feel good, or when they lit up when you walked in the room, or learned how to sit by themselves after weeks of forced practice it made it all worth it.
India, while I was ready to move on I have a feeling we will be meeting again in the future. Though, probably when you’re a little cooler 🙂
