So Long Sister

I cannot believe how fast my time in India has flown by. Tomorrow I leave for Italy and Spain, and in a few weeks I will be back in the United States. It seems like only yesterday I was laying awake in the middle night on my stiff cot in Bangalore wishing that I could just go home. It only took a few days for me to settle in and feel at home here. It is hard to believe it's been almost five months already, but at the same time it feels like I've been here forever. At times I have felt that I am really ready to go home....when the hawkers won't leave me alone, or I just want to feel clean for once, or when I fear for my life like on last nights treacherous bus ride....but when it comes down to it, I am really sad to be leaving. Luckily my goodbyes to New Hope were dealt with a few weeks ago, so now there's just a few more that I've got to say. India, thank you for teaching me patience, humility, hospitality, and how to have an appreciation for chaos, yet find peace within it. I will miss your spicy deliciousness, blazing hot sun, surprise monsoons, and mystery smells. I love you, and I will be back.

The next goodbye is going to be a bit harder to say.

Our first date

Last night I sat alone in a dark rickshaw. We had just made the treacherous journey from Parmarth Niketan Ashram with all our heavy bags, weaving through a human sea interspersed with cows and kamikaze motorbikes. Once we hit the metal suspension foot bridge the power went and lighting flashed in the distance, quickly followed by heavy wind and rain. Since going back was not an option (we had a bus to catch and there is no other way across) we tried to cross as fast as we could, dodging cows and people in the dark on the four foot wide walkway, praying to make it across before it was struck with lightning. Seconds after setting foot on land the monsoon rains started. Eventually we made it to the road and hopped into the rickshaw. No sooner had we breathed a sigh of relief than Nina realized she left her camera all the way back at point A. So there I sat waiting with all of our belongings while Nina ran back through the weaving streets, across the bridge, through Swarg Ashram to Parmarth Niketan, and back again. As I waited, trying to share my biscuits with some Indian children (they were too busy staring at me to take any) I couldn't help but feel a little proud that for once, it wasn't me who left something behind! When did I suddenly become the responsible one? Anyone that knows me will tell you that I am infamous for losing things, breaking things, missing trains, planes, and automobiles, and making judgement calls that leave me banging my head against the wall. Suddenly, I am the one that holds the key to our room at the guesthouse, I am the one that keeps the bus tickets safe, I am the one who still has my ID and credit cards!

Elephant Festival, Jaipur

With very few exceptions, I haven't spent more than five minutes away from Nina in five months. Pretty soon I am going to have a quiet room all to myself, no one to have pillow talk with at night, no one to trip over on the way to the bathroom, no one to discuss weird Indian ways with. I am going to miss this girl more than I could have predicted. We fared pretty well given the circumstances; we were practically on top of each other living in a shoebox for several months, swabbing scabies and picking lice off orphan children, eating rice and lentils with our hands for every meal. Surprisingly we practically never fought, missed each other the short moments we were apart, and began to finish each other's thoughts and sentences. We both went through a lot of changes here. Together we experienced some important realizations of self, dealt with family issues, frustrations, triumphs, ironing out the past and trying to see into the future. We went through a life-changing period together and that's not something that happens with every friendship. Nina has been a huge part of a turning point in my life and I am so thankful that we found each other when we did.

Mustachio'd toads

So Nina....I love you girl. Thank you for everything. Thanks for getting me through those first few days, and for becoming my sister in the ones that followed. I'll miss our lists, quotes, prayers, brett/trevor lovefests, reading and writing parties, and manifestation sessions. You are going to do great things -- don't doubt yourself, follow your personal legend, and don't forget that the Universe always has your back! So do I. Travel safe (please don't go off with any more old men to play the bongos unless someone else is with you) and I will see you again soon. Te Amo!